As a Christian you have to be constantly vigilant towards false prophets and teachers. The Bible is very clear that both have been present since the first days of the church. Often when people of faith change churches, move or even visit the church of a friend or relative they are confronted by the reality that deception in the church is alive and well today.
For many people, the way that the information is provided when deception in the church is present is so appealing that, despite knowing it is wrong, they embrace those false teachings. Often this is because the false teachers weave a story that helps the person justify behavior that they know that scripture clearly labels as immoral and wrong.
It is important, as a Christian, to be able to identify deception in the church and to remove yourself from these types of sermons and teaching. Understanding the methods by which these false teachers and prophets act so that you can be discerning in the messages that you hear and believe is another important skill to develop.
Not Based on Scripture
The biggest sign of deception in the church is when the sermon is not based on scripture but rather on generalizations and story-telling. The sermon will typically give a soft view on moral issues if they are mentioned at all. It is not likely that the “leader” will come out and deny Jesus or say that a sin is acceptable, but they will talk about forgiveness, options and even how the bible wasn’t specifically talking about a particular behavior, thought or action.
Do Not Defend the Faith
When there is deception in the church that church does not attempt to defend their faith or the word of God, rather they teach false doctrines that are what the people want to hear. Often people leave the church meeting with false ideas about how to be a good Christian. Many believe that through actions along salvation is possible, which is not what a true religious leader will teach.
In addition when there is deception in the church there is also deception in the life of the leaders of that church. Often this is hidden and private, but it rarely remains concealed for forever.
