Here are the deceivers we face in the Body of Christ.
pseudoadelphos: false brethren
· 2 Cor. 11:26: Paul faced a lot of perils, 8 in this verse, the last being “false brothers” (same chapter, context as previous term)
· Gal. 2:4: false brothers crept into the church to spy out their freedom
pseudodidaskalos: false teacher
· 2 Pt. 2:1: there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies (this begins an entire chapter on this subject)
pseudoapostolos: false apostles
· 2 Cor. 11:13: false apostles had come to Corinth and were undermining Paul’s ministry (again, 11:1-15 gives the understanding of these men who called themselves apostles, claiming to speak what Jesus told them)
pseudochristos: false christs
· Matt. 24:24; Mk. 13:22: “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
pseudoprophētēs: false prophets
· Mt. 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves”
· Mt 24:11,24 (Mk. 13:22): many false prophets will arise, working signs and wonders, so as to even deceive the elect
· Luke 6:26: beware when spoken well of, as the fathers did the false prophets
· Acts 13:6: Bar-Jesus (son of Jesus) was a false prophet
· 2 Peter 2:1: many false prophets in OT times
· 1 John 4:1: test the spirits bec. many false prophets have gone out into world
· Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10: in end times the false prophet, filled with an evil spirit, worked signs and wonders (cf. 2 Th. 2:9), cast into lake of fire
What is important to note is how quickly these false brethren showed up in the Church. Paul was dealing with them, and instructing Timothy and the rest of the Church to have their eyes and ears open. And note: even if they come doing signs and wonders, that is not in any sense decisive. Everything must be laid side-by-side with the word of God. Everything!
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