1. Identifying False Teachers Study by Tim Haile

2. God Wants Certain People Identified  Paul Named Hymenaeus and Philetus: (2 Tim. 2:16-18)  Paul Named Demas (2 Tim. 4:10)  Paul Named Alexander (2 Tim. 4:14)  John Named Diotrephes (3 John 9)  Paul Named Demetrius (Acts 19:24)  Paul Named Elymas (Acts 13:7-11)  Luke Named Apollos (Acts 18:24ff)  Paul Named Peter (Galatians 2:11)

3. God Wants Certain People Identified “GET AWAY FROM THE TENTS OF KORAH, DATHAN, AND ABIRAM” NUMBERS 16:24 WHY? “LEST YE BE CONSUMED IN ALL THEIR SINS” (Vs. 26) What if God had not NAMED these men? How would they have known who they were?

4. “He’s a Good Preacher, But He Doesn’t Call Any Names.”  Is He a Better Preacher Than…  Jesus? ( Matt. 16:6,12; 23:2,13,14,15…; Rev. 2:6,14,15,20)  Paul? (2 Tim. 1:15; 2:17-18; 3:8; 4:10,14)  Luke? (Acts 13:8; 18:24)  John? (3 Jn. 9)  Nehemiah? (Neh. 6:14)  Moses? (Num. 16:1)

5. Are Modern Preachers More Tolerant, More Permissive, More Loving and More Forgiving Than God? Are They More Sophisticated and Refined Than The Lord Himself?

6. Is Marking Optional?   “Go Preach” (Mk. 16:15)   “Repent and Be Baptized” (Acts 2:38)   “Do This In Remembrance Of Me” (1 Cor. 1:24)   “Collection...Do What I Told Gal.” (1 Cor. 16:1-2)   “Withdraw From Disorderly” (2 Thess. 3:6)   “Mark them that cause divisions” (Romans 16:17)

7. Is Marking Optional? 17: Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18: For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. Romans 16:17-18

8. Why Some Refuse to Call Names   Friendship (Lk. 23:12; 1 Co. 4:6; Jas. 4:4)   Kinship (Mt. 10:34-37)   Money/Job Security (1 Ti. 6:3-5) Money is made from teaching error AND/OR compromising truth (2 Ti. 4:3-4; 2 Pe. 2:1-3)   Popularity/Acceptance (John 12:42-43)

9. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 1. 1.“You Must Go To Him First Before You Expose Him” – (They Cite Mt. 18:15-17)   Total Misapplication!   “If your brother sins against you   “go and show him his fault between you and him alone …”   This passage has nothing to do with the public teaching of error!

10. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 2. 2.“You’re Not An Apostle!” (I’m aware of that)   Paul Was, However (Gal. 1:1)   And We Are To Imitate Him Because Of This Fact (Phil. 4:9)  “The things you have learned, and have received, and have heard, and have seen in me. These things practice, and the peace of God will be with you”   Paul Marked False Teachers By Name!

11. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 3. 3.“He’s Not A False Teacher, He Only Has False Views On A Few Matters.”   Hymenaeus & Philetus Had One False View (2 Tim. 2:17-18)   Error Has a Leavening Effect (Matt. 16:6,12; 2 Tim. 2:17-18; 3:13; 1 Cor. 5:6   It Only Takes One False View To Condemn! (2 Tim. 2:18; 1 Cor. 15:14; Rev. 2:14,15)

12. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 4. 4.“But Look At All Of The Good He Has Done, And Is Doing!”   “Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand” (Ezek. 3:20).

13. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 5. 5.“But He Promised Not To Teach His Views On That Subject Here!”   Then He Has No Conviction (2 Cor. 4:13).   Then His “View” Isn’t A Matter Of “The Faith!” (Jude 3; Gal. 1:23).   Then His “View” Isn’t A Part Of The Whole Council of God!” (Acts 20:26- 27)

14. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 6. 6.“But We Discussed It With Him, And Asked Him To Not Preach His Views In The Pulpit!”   (Shades of “Good Ole Boy,” back room deals) “Provide Things Honest In The Sight Of All Men” (Rom. 12:17)   What About FELLOWSHIP!!!   By “receiving” the errorist the Christian “partakes” in his evil (2 John 9-11)

15. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 7. 7.“We Shouldn’t Criticize Others: We’ve All Taught Things Wrong In The Past.”   Not all misconceptions lead people to practice sin. (Abraham rationalized the killing of Isaac on the basis that “God was able to raise him from the dead” - Hebrews 11:17-19).   When we do teach error, WE SIN! And we must REPENT! (1 Tim. 6:3; 2 Tim. 2:25).

16. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 8. 8.“It Is Disrespectful And Dishonorable To Label A Brother As A False Teacher.”   The Holy Spirit So Labeled Men; Was This “Disrespectful” and Dishonorable” of Him?   Respect is earned. Teaching false doctrine deserves no respect, nor is there any “honor” in doing such!   False Teachers earn the right to be rejected (Tit. 3:10-11).

17. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 9. 9.“He No Longer Has Much Influence… He’s No Longer Teaching Publicly.”   Are his books, tapes and articles still in the public domain?   Do people still “hold” his views?   Though Balaam had been dead for years, some in the first century still “held” his views (Rev. 2:14).

18. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 10. 10.“He Teaches Error, But He Does Not Push His Views…He’s Not Divisive.”   If one teaches error he IS divisive! (Rom. 16:17-18; Tit. 3:10-11).   Titus 1:11&13 teach that errorists are to be rebuked even when their error is taught privately – “from house to house.”

19. Reasons Given For Not Marking a Man As A False Teacher: 11. 11.“By Marking A Brother As A ‘False Teacher,’ One Is Guilty Of ‘Biting and Devouring.’   This is an exegetical fiasco! Galatians 5:15 has a context: Paul criticized False Teachers for:   “Hindering” others from obedience (Gal. 5:7).   “Troubling” Christians by “compelling them to be circumcised” (Gal. 5:12; 6:12)

20. Things We Are To Do With Regard To False Teachers:  Mark and Avoid (Identify) Them (Rom. 16:17-18)  Rebuke and Expose Them (Eph. 5:11)  Reject Them (Tit. 3:10-11)  Do Not Receive Them (2 John 10-11)  Stop Their Mouths (Tit. 1:9-13)  Withdraw From Them (1 Tim. 6:5)