Doctrine is a belief or idea created and held by a church, political party, or other group that is taught to its existing and new members. All doctrine is subject to scrutiny by members of the group or, more likely, by outsiders. Over time, misunderstandings or adversaries can distort the original thoughts and beliefs. False doctrines and false teaching can and probably will be created. False doctrines can drastically change the foundation of the church and/or the political group. A doctrine depending on who is involved may be preferentially acceptable to some and appear as being false to others. Many false doctrines have caused turmoil and led to churches splitting. False teachings are related to propaganda, which is created to change the thinking of the targeted audience. False doctrines and false teachings are typically viewed as going against the original concept’s foundation and are deemed evil by the founders.
Fortunately for us, the Bible addresses both false teachers and false doctrine in several places. In the Old Testament, God addressed false teaching directly, as seen in His actions against Baal and other false gods. False teaching begins as misrepresentations of the Gospels. Distortions in the Gospel message that attempt to lead believers away from the truth. Then, the false doctrines that show in legalisms, antinomianism, which is the belief that there is no reason to think that God has laws that Christians should follow, and the idea that there is no divinity of Christ, or that the resurrection never occurred. Any doctrine that leads to an unbiblical conclusion is false doctrine. Beginning with the Sermon on the Mount, God teaches us how to live and what true discipleship is. Matthew 7:15 states, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” In Second Corinthians 11:13-15, Paul warns the Corinthians about false apostles or prophets who disguise themselves as being servants of God but are actually working for Satan to lead them away from God with clever and deceptive tactics and teachings. About five years later (63AD), Paul was writing a very similar letter to Timothy. In Timothy 4:1-2, he warns that the early church is threatened by false teachings that will cause some to abandon their faith and follow evil spirits and demons. About this same time, the Apostle Simon Peter was writing a letter to his “Dear Friends” at an unknown location. This letter (Second Peter 2:1) warns that there are false prophets within the community who teach heresies and deny the Lord’s existence. During the same decade of the 60s AD, Jude (believed to be the half-brother of Jesus) is found writing a letter, worried about the infiltration of ungodly individuals pretending to be spiritual but are guilty of teaching immorality and denying Jesus Christ as the Son of God. In Jude 1:4, he emphasizes the need to pay special attention to protect the integrity of their faith and to recognize the unfaithful and expose them as being against the Church. Jude states, “For certain men have crept in unnoticed- ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
In today’s world, we are still fighting battles against false doctrines and false teachings. Today, this battle is being played out in the church, on television, on the internet, and in many, if not all, universities and colleges. Whenever a person or group interjects human philosophies or omits key principles of the Bible, false teachings and doctrines will result. We have several “ministers” teaching the prosperity gospel, which encourages their followers to believe that God rewards the faithful with wealth and success just for following their sermons. But they forget that God still requires effort on our part to receive these blessings. Then some preach that all paths lead to God, a doctrine called Universalism. Universalist belief that everyone will be saved regardless of the path they have taken. Then, as in many other incidents, there is a teaching called “Easy Believism” that tells people they can be saved without any effort on their part or repentance.
“Every Christian should know that false teachers exist, and should study the New Testament to make sure they are not led astray by them. However, there is a great danger in calling someone a false teacher, and we must be careful to do it thoughtfully, biblically, and prayerfully.” (Staff, 2025) Knowing your doctrine and the theology you and your church follow helps a person stay in tune with others. “Theology is concerned with life’s questions and the meaning of life events. Theology helps determine how we react emotionally to God in our lives. Doctrine helps determine how we worship, our faith, our traditional beliefs, and the morals that shape our church and community. It can be said that all important questions are rooted in a person’s theology.” (Essary, 2024)
The Prophets and writers of the Bible remind us of the importance of sound judgment and the need to stay grounded in the Gospel to stay protected from false teaching. “Promoting sound teachings not only strengthens our faith, but it also serves our community as we uphold one another’s spiritual growth. Ultimately, we can be assured of God’s promises that He will guide us and provide strength, even amid the challenges posed by false teachings. Let’s stay rooted in His Word, fostering a community where truth and love thrive.” (David, 2025)
David, P. (2025, 3 15). What Does The Bible Say About False Teachers (31 Bible Verses). Retrieved from ChristianPath: https://christianitypath.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-false-teachers/
Essary, T. (2024). Snakes in the Sanctuary. Nashville, Tennessee: Amazon.
Staff. (2025). GodsWord. Retrieved from False Teachers: https://godwords.org/false-teachers/