False prophets were a constant problem in the Old Testament, and those who falsely claimed to be prophets of God were to be stoned. The people rarely had the will to deal with them, so they multiplied, causing disaster to the spiritual life of God’s people. In the same way Peter says, “There will be false teachers among you” (2 Peter 2:1). Notice the words “among you”. Peter is writing to the church and says, “There will be false prophets among you.” So, he is not talking about New Age people on television. He is talking about people in the local church—members of a local congregation.

There is no such thing as a perfect church on this side of heaven. You will never find it. The wheat and the tares grow together. How can we recognize counterfeit Christianity? In Second Peter, chapter 1, we read about genuine believers. And in Second Peter, chapter 2, we read about counterfeit believers. If you put these chapters side-by-side, you will see the difference between authentic and counterfeit believers.

1. Different Source—Where Does the Message Come From?

Peter says, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:16, emphasis mine). And then he says the false teachers exploit you “with stories they have made up” (2 Peter 2:3). So, the true teacher sources what he says from the Bible. The false teacher relies on his own creativity. He makes up his own message.

2. Different Message—What is the Substance of the Message?

For the true teacher, Jesus Christ is central. “We have everything we need for life and godliness in Him” (2 Peter 1:3). For the false teacher, Jesus is at the margins: “They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them” (2 Peter 2:1).

Notice the word “secretly”. It’s rare for someone in church to openly deny Jesus. Movement away from the centrality of Christ is subtle. The false teacher will speak about how other people can help change your life, but if you listen carefully to what he is saying, you will see that Jesus Christ is not essential to his message.

3. 3. DifferentPosition—In What Position Will the Message Leave You?

The true Christian “escapes the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4). Listen to how Peter describes the counterfeit Christian: “They promise…freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity, for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him” (2 Peter 2:19, emphasis mine). The true believer is escaping corruption, while the counterfeit believer is mastered by it.

4. DifferentCharacter—What Kind of People Does the Message Produce?

The true believer pursues goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love (2 Peter 1:5). The counterfeit Christian is marked by arrogance and slander (2 Peter 2:10). They are “experts in greed” and “their eyes are full of adultery” (2 Peter 2:14). They also “despise authority” (2 Peter 2:10). These are the general characteristics of a counterfeit believer.

5. Different Appeal—Why Should You Listen to the Message?

The true teacher appeals to Scripture. “We have the word of the prophets made more certain and you will do well to pay attention to it” (2 Peter 1:19). God has spoken, and the true teacher appeals to His Word. The false teacher makes a rather different appeal: “By appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error” (2 Peter 2:18). So, the true teacher asks, “What has God said in His Word?” The false teacher asks, “What do people want to hear? What will appeal to their flesh?”

6. Different Fruit—What Result Does the Message Have in People’s Lives?

The true believer is effective and productive in his or her knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:8). The counterfeit is “like a spring without water” (2 Peter 2:17). This is an extraordinary picture! They promise much but produce little.

7. Different End—Where Does the Message Ultimately Lead You?

Here we find the most disturbing contrast of all. The true believer will receive “a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:11). The false believer will experience “swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1). “Their condemnation has long been hanging over them and their destruction has not been sleeping” (2 Peter 2:3).

Jesus tells us that there will be many who have been involved in ministry in His name, to whom He will say, “Depart from me; I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21). Who are these people? Surely Peter is describing them in this passage.

Don’t Be Naïve

We must not be ignorant: “There will be false teachers among you” (2 Peter 2:1). So how do we apply this warning? First, Peter’s plain statement reminds us that the Church needs to be protected. Among the many wonderful people who come to through the doors of the Church each year, some would do more harm than good.

They may seem the nicest of people, but they do not believe in the authority of the Bible or the exclusivity of salvation in Christ. We welcome such people, because they need Christ as much as we do, but we must not allow them to have influence in the Church.

Second, skeptics will always be able to point to hypocrisy and inconsistency in the Church. They’ve always done it, and they always will. One of the strangest reasons for not following Christ is a statement like the following: “I’ve seen people in the church who are hypocrites.” So, you will not follow Christ because some people who claim to do so are hypocrites?

The existence of the counterfeit is never a good reason for rejecting the genuine. Peter essentially tells us, “Of course there are counterfeit Christians. Of course, there are teachers who do the Church more harm than good. What else would you expect in this fallen world? Grow up! Don’t be naïve! Don’t miss what’s real simply because you have seen the counterfeit.” Next time you meet someone hiding behind this excuse, point them to 2 Peter 2:1 and allow his admonitions to strip away their faulty reasoning.

Throughout this Issue of Theology for Life we will discuss why and how false teachers are leading people astray from the truth of God’s Word and the person and work of Christ. This Issue is one you’ll want to share with your friends and family to help arm and equip them with the truth of God’s Word.

In Christ Alone,

Dave Jenkins

Executive Editor, Theology for Life Magazine