As the word “beware” indicates, discernment is a serious and important business, but it is intended to flow from a love for Christ, an enjoyment of the truth, and genuine concern for believers and unbelievers. If the whole of our Christian life is spotting false teachers, we will be likely become harsh, self-righteous, and unbalanced in our Christian life and experience. But calling out false teachers and warning others about their ministry and giving evidence of their compromised life and teaching is not necessarily pharisaical.

According to the New Testament writers, the presence of false prophets and false teachers within the church is an unavoidable evil with which God’s people will have to deal until Jesus returns, banishes sin forever, and reigns with his people (see Rev 21:8). Before leaving Ephesus, the apostle Paul warned the elders of the church there about fierce wolves who would mercilessly attack the flock.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them (Acts 20:28-29).

In light of the danger these wolves posed, Paul exhorted the shepherds to “pay careful attention” to themselves so they wouldn’t come under the sway of false teaching or become guilty of propagating heresy. They were also to pay careful attention to the flock because these sheep were constantly susceptible to the attack of false teachers. Perhaps most concerning is Paul’s reminder that these false teachers would arise from within the professing church. Their presence, therefore, would be difficult to discern.

A Necessary Work

While it may not be our favorite topic on which to reflect, it is vital to our spiritual health, the health of our fellow brothers and sisters, and the health of the church corporately to be aware of and rightly identify false teachers. Speaking to all his disciples (not just pastors and leaders within the church), Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles” (Matt 7:15-16)? The implication of Jesus’ statement is that his disciples would be able to identify false teachers and that it was their responsibility to do so. The means of identification would be what Jesus calls “their fruits.”

“But I Don’t Want to Be Judgmental!”

But you might wonder: Isn’t it pharisaical and judgmental to identify false teachers and draw people’s attention to their sin and compromised teaching and lifestyle? It could be.

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