Playlist: False Teachers, Characteristics of (topic)
Spotting False Teachers
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse teachers are a persistent challenge within the church, often introducing deceptive teachings that lead many astray. Their presence has been notable through various periods and locations, causing division and confusion among brethren. These individuals can be identified by the fruit they produce, as a good tree cannot bear …
The Fifth Teacher
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeCorinth had four positive teachers, yet a mysterious fifth teacher was also influencing them and instilling beliefs that were the source of all the bad fruit.
Beware of False Prophets
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsFalse teachers, characterized by their self-serving nature, promote immoral disorder by telling people what they want to hear and advocating a broad, confusing path contrary to God's inspired Word. They misrepresent God, often speaking from their own hearts or under the influence of deceptive forces, rather than delivering His …
False Gospels
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse teachers are characterized by their deviation from the true gospel, preaching messages that lead to destruction and death rather than eternal life. They often mix elements of truth with error, creating a perversion of the gospel that dilutes its power and leads followers astray. Their teachings produce fruits contrary to …
Four Warnings (Part Two): Beware of False Prophets
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse teachers, as described in Ezekiel 22, are central to the moral decay of Israel, bearing significant blame for the nation's rebellion against God. They are accused of devouring the people, enriching themselves, and creating widows by promoting actions like unnecessary wars that lead to death and loss. Additionally, they …
The Two Witnesses
Sermonette by Mike FordMany have claimed to be the Two Witnesses. We can identify true and false prophets by their fruits, including if they teach that God's Law has been done away.
The God of Prosperity
Commentary by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)False teachers promote their own version of the gospel rather than the message of Jesus Christ, emphasizing inspirational stories, upbeat music, and promises of material blessings such as promotions, restored health, and rejuvenated marriages to those facing difficulties. They portray economic hardships merely as temporary …
Foam
Sermonette by Ronny H. GrahamIn Scripture, foam is usually accompanied by a state of agitation, as in hurricanes, angry waves of the sea, nations being torn asunder, or demonic influence.
The Spirit of Antichrist
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse teachers are profane and godless, operating without any genuine connection to God even while holding positions as prophets and priests. They deceive the people by speaking visions from their own hearts rather than from the mouth of the Lord, producing messages that make listeners worthless through worthless teachings that …
Is the United States a Christian Nation? (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)False teachers are characterized by demonic influence behind their ministries, as they are inspired by spirits of the Antichrist that oppose the true confession of Jesus Christ come in the flesh. They emerge from within fellowships yet depart because they are not truly of God, revealing through their exit that their source is …
Matthew (Part Eleven)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughFalse teachers appear among God's people disguised as true ministers, often rising from within the church itself after years of trusted service, and they present a superficial resemblance to sound doctrine that makes them difficult to detect at first. Jesus warns that they come in sheep's clothing yet are inwardly ravenous …
Jude
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse teachers arise from within the ministry and other leadership positions, where they enjoy advantageous standing to inflict maximum damage. They are savage wolves and brute beasts driven by their animal nature and base desires for gain, power, influence, money, prestige, and sensual satisfaction rather than by reasoned …
Deceivers and Antichrists
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeJohn's epistles address false teachers by describing an antichrist spirit opposed to God that influences individuals to adopt beliefs and practices contrary to the Savior. This spirit prompted some who had been fellowshipping with the brethren to separate from them. One key characteristic is denial that Jesus is the Christ, …
Itching Ears
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse teachers arise as evil men and imposters who grow worse and worse, deceiving others while being deceived themselves. They refuse to endure sound doctrine and instead filter everything according to their own desires, seeking only what suits their personal preferences and comforts. This produces itching ears, an inner demand …
Testing the Spirits (Part 1)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsFalse teachers exhibit an antichrist spirit that drives them to deceive through false doctrine and heresies while accusing the elect. Their core motivation is rebellion against God, expressed in pride that leads them to claim exclusive new revelations or direct messages from the Spirit. This produces an unsound mind marked by …
The Wisdom of Men and Faith
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughFalse teachers appear outwardly respectable and even claim to represent Christ and God while inwardly remaining corrupt from the root, never having possessed any genuine goodness. Their teaching produces evil fruit that cannot yield lasting good because its source lies in the world and in Satan rather than in God. They present …
God's Perseverance With His Saints (Part Two)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsFalse teachers exhibit pride and ignorance while rejecting wholesome words of Christ and doctrine that accords with godliness. They obsess over disputes and arguments over words, which produce envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, and useless wranglings from corrupt minds destitute of the truth. Such individuals view …
Matthew (Part Twelve)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughFalse teachers produce four distinct patterns of conduct within a congregation. They direct attention to external rituals and observances, reducing religious life to mechanical conformity that resembles a social club. They stress negative prohibitions that give an appearance of piety while neglecting deeper spiritual substance. …
Dissatisfaction
Commentary by Martin G. CollinsChange agents operating within Christian churches promote dissatisfaction with established biblical practices as the essential first step toward managed transformation. They evaluate existing attitudes through surveys and statistics that highlight perceived shortcomings, then deliberately amplify unrest by presenting alarming …
No One Else Matters (Part Two)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse teachers enter the church unnoticed as ungodly men marked long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of God into licentiousness while denying the only Lord God and Jesus Christ. They defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. They speak evil of what they do not know and corrupt themselves in …
Discerning Spirits and Discerning the Body
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsFalse teachers arise as pretenders who claim inspiration while speaking by a false spirit rather than the Holy Spirit. They call Jesus accursed or refuse to confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, thereby revealing the spirit of antichrist already present in the world. They present themselves as apostles of Christ and …
Looks Fair, Feels Foul
Sermon/Bible Study by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse teachers present themselves as apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness, transforming their outward appearance to seem fair, attractive, and trustworthy while concealing foulness, deceit, and destruction beneath the surface. They employ subtle craftiness modeled after the serpent, making their false ways appealing …
The Epistles of II and III John (Part One)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsFalse teachers claim to be Christian elders or prophets yet teach doctrine that denies Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh. They function as deceivers and antichrists who distort essential truths about Christ and His work while promoting human traditions, philosophy, and empty deceit instead of sound doctrine. Motivated by …
The Right Use of Power
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughFalse teachers and prophets manifest a spirit that is not from God, even as they claim to represent Him. They preach another Jesus, promote a different gospel, and operate under a different spirit, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ while actually serving as deceitful workers. This spirit of antichrist refuses to …
Jude and the Glorious Power of God
Sermon by Mark SchindlerAttributing the messages of God's spokesmen as coming from Satan constitutes speaking evil of dignitaries. Jude emphasizes submission to divine authority.
Our Trusted Source of Truth (Part One)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughFalse teachers arise in increasing numbers as the end of the age approaches, operating under the influence of Satan to deceive the elect if possible. They present themselves as bringers of new insight yet preach another Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel that deviates from the simplicity and integrity found in …
Is the United States a Christian Nation? (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)The Founders of this nation were guided more by laws of expedience than by ideology or theology, not having the true faith once delivered.
The Beast From the Earth and 666
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThe first beast rises out of political turmoil, while the second rises out of an entrenched, worldwide religious system, totally opposed to God's laws.
The Household of God and Truth
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsTo destroy the concept of home is to destroy the nation or church. The centrality of the family or household is the heart of the church and the nation.
Preventing Deception
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughReligious hucksters use the bait of self-gratification, selling non-essential or even heretical ideas. The elect resist deception by knowing the real article.
Satan (Part 4)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughSatan uses lies and disinformation to promote self-satisfaction over obedience to God. The way to the kingdom is through self-denial, even suffering unjustly.
Freedom's Dark Underbelly
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughAny freedom to choose must be accompanied by a set of standards against which choices are made. The people of the world do not have this freedom.
Purpose-Driven Churches (Part 3)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughOutcome based religion exalts numerical growth and feeling good over the truth of God, promoting the use of modern psychology over 'divisive' biblical doctrine.
Looking Forward (Part 2)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWhich button would someone have to push for you to leave the truth of God? The doctrines of grace and liberty have been perverted into tolerance of sin.
The March Toward Globalism (Part Five)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)We cannot instill sound-mindedness in our offspring unless we are personally filled with the fruits of God's Holy Spirit, modeling these for our children.
The Epistles of II and III John (Part Two)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsJohn warns Gaius of the treachery of Diotrephes, who had initiated a mutiny against God's true ministers, putting out of the church those who did not follow him.
The Sixth Century Axial Period (Part One)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)A prophet is one who carries a message from another. A true prophet's message will derive from existing Scripture, even if he is breaking new, unexplored ground.
Matthew (Part Twenty-One)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughThe Pharisees and Sadducees, who normally opposed each other, joined forces against their common enemy, Jesus. They should have recognized Him as the Messiah.
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part Three)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughIn most biblical contexts, 'spirit' refers to the invisible, internal activating dimension of the mind. Synonyms include heart, mind, and thoughts.
To Be, or Not To Be, Like Everyone Else?
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsTo keep from being swept up in the bandwagon effect of compromising with sin, we must make sure our convictions are not merely preferences.
God's Rest (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe two principal robbers of peace are pride and the drive to have complete control of our lives. Discontent and imagined victimization led Adam and Eve into sin.
What's So Bad About Babylon? (1997)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. RitenbaughBabylon constitutes the fountainhead of instruction that, like strong drink, impairs the ability to function properly while creating the illusion of ability.
Remaining Free
Sermon by David C. GrabbeFalse teachers arise among the people as prophets or dreamers of dreams who give signs or wonders that come to pass. They say let us go after other gods which have not been known and let us serve them. They entice from the way in which the LORD commanded to walk. A prophet is a spokesman or representative. The word sign can mean …
The Spirit World
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughThough many popular notions of angels come from non-biblical sources, the Bible offers the most accurate insights into their role, nature, and function.
Bondage and a Freewill Offering
Sermonette byA free will offering, when deeply considered, should help us to consider each holy day more deeply the cost of real liberty God has freely given us.
The Seventy-Five Cent Screwdriver
Sermonette by Austin Del CastilloWhen we examine ourselves, we need to determine how useful we are when He uses us, or how available we are to Him when He needs us.
The Failure of Miracles to Produce Righteousness
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMartin Collins asserts that miracles and signs from God, while certainly generating awe and fear, seldom lead to righteousness, but more likely to continued rebellion. Jesus points out that only an adulterous generation seeks after miracles and signs. No greater period of miracles took place in history than at the time of the …
God's Sea of Glass (Part 1)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsUnlike tumultuous waves, the sea of glass before God's throne is tranquil and serene. Before we can stand on this sea of glass, we must be set apart and cleansed.
Contentment
Sermon by John O. ReidMany people live in a state of discontent. Tragically, what they set their hearts upon often displaces the love for family and a relationship with God.
Goats
Sermonette by Mike FordGoats are intelligent, sensitive, playful, and quick to respond to attention, but they are also capricious, impulsive, devious, and contrary.
John (Part Ten)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughWhen God removes an infirmity or gives a blessing, He also gives a responsibility to follow through, using the blessing to overcome and glorify God.