by David Chadwick
Wisdom, knowledge, and discernment are widely underused and undertaught attributes of a Christian. In my humble opinion, these are pillars of maturity. Without them, you will remain tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and deceitful scheme (Ephesians 4:14).
The next sign of a false teacher is found in Jude verse 4. They "deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ." They do not uphold the truth of the biblical doctrine of the Incarnation.
False teachers openly deny the divinity of Jesus that Scripture clearly teachers. They also fudge on the importance of Jesus being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to the virgin Mary. To even hint that Jesus is a created being rather than God goes against one of the key tenants of the faith: Jesus is God!
John 1 says that Jesus, the Word, was in the beginning, with God, and was God. Philippians 2:5-11 says that while Jesus was in the form of God, he took on the form of a servant. He came to earth in human form, bearing the likeness of man, to stand in our place where we could not live perfectly. These truths are incredibly important to the Christian faith.
False teachers also deny the Trinity. They fail to recognize the one true God in three Persons. Yes, this concept is certainly a mystery, but it is clearly seen throughout the Bible. One example you can go read is in Matthew 3:16-17 during the baptism of Jesus. The Father says Jesus is his only Son and then the Holy Spirit descends on him.
Jesus is absolutely God! Only God can forgive our sins and Jesus offered forgiveness for sins on several occasions. Look at the story with the paralytic on the roof (Matthew 9:2). Read about his resurrection to his disciples (John 20:22-23). He received Thomas's words when he called Jesus "my Lord and my God."
Throughout the centuries, there is no new heresy under the sun. So, learn to discern them correctly. And let me say it again in case you haven't heard: Jesus is God. The Incarnation of Jesus is an absolute for Christian theology. The Trinity is essential to Christian doctrine.
If you hear someone saying that either thing is not important, red flag! It is a false teacher!
