Understanding Doctrinal Deception
Pastor Scott Foreman
July 3rd, 2022

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” 
– Jesus (Matthew 7:15-20).

“As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine…” 
  - Paul (1 Timothy 1:3) 

“This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, 20 among who are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are following a different gospel— not that there really is another gospel, but there are some who are disturbing you and wanting to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!  As we have said before, and now I say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to hell!”  
- Paul (1 Timothy 1:18-20) 

Last hour: most believe this is a designation of the final time period before the return of Christ, meaning, from the start of the church to the start of the kingdom of Christ.  

“They went out from us…” These teachers were a part of the Christian fellowship that John and the other believers were a part of. 

“For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.”
Hebrews 3:14

“Future and final perseverance is the ultimate test of past participation in Christ.”
  – Calvin

A false teacher proclaiming false doctrine:
Denies Core Doctrine (1 John 2:20-23)

John’s point was that to deny the Sonship of Christ would be to deny the Fatherhood of the Father. 

“There are many unfortunate divisions among the people of God today, but all true Christians have things in common regardless of church affiliation. They believe that the Bible is the word of God and that Jesus is the Son of God. They confess that men are sinners and that the only way one can be saved is through faith in Christ. They believe the Christ died as man’s substitute on the cross, and that he rose again from the dead. They believe that the Holy Spirit indwells true believers.   Finally, they believe that one day in the future Jesus will come again. Christians may differ on other matters – church government, for example, or modes of baptism – but they agree on the basic doctrines of the faith.”
  – Wiersbe

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
  – Peter (2 Peter 2:1-3)

“Teach and urge these things. If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” 
– Paul (1 Tim. 6:3-5)

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

   – Paul (2 Tim. 4:3-4)