The Real Face of False Teaching | Galatians 5:7-10

We are living in an age of deception- the deadly lure of false teaching hangs before us in silent attack, and none of us are immune to its deception. The Galatians were running well in faith, but false teaching crept in to convince them of a false gospel of salvation. As we strive to stand firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His Word, we will do well to unveil the real face of false teaching as we continue in Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

False teaching is a blind, relentless evil. No one is guarded against false teaching; it seeks to come before every believer- from Adam, to apostle Peter, to even our Lord Jesus. (Gal 2:11, 1 Pet 5:8, Matt 4:8-9) In order to avoid its blows, we must be humble, always living with the fear of God, knowing and trusting His goodness. The proud are the most vulnerable before Satan, whereas the humble live before God with an open ear and a teachable heart. (1 Cor 10:12, Job 1:21) Furthermore, we must be a man of the Bereans, examining Scripture daily to test everything against God’s Word. (Acts 17:11, Ps 119:105)

False teaching is a persuasive evil, and it does not relent until death. Its goal is to divide you from God’s Word through false teachers administering false religions, while hindering your faith by its persecution, confusion, and temptations. In the context of Paul’s letter to the Galatians, the church was free in Christ- free to be holy, free to mortify sin, free to surrender to Christ. This freedom came from the truth of Jesus, but false teaching threatened their lordship to Christ. How can we recognize when we are under the attack of false teaching? We can look at our communication and communion with God. False teaching does not originate from God- we must hear what God says to us in His Word. For the Galatians’ case, God clearly says salvation is by faith alone. (Jn 10:3) We must understand God’s Word in order to obey it with our intellect, emotions, and will. Disobedience is a sure sign of our defeat against the attacks of false teaching.

Secondly, prayer is a measure of our spiritual health. It is by prayer we build up our companionship with God. Regardless of how lengthy our prayers may be, or where we pray, the importance lies in the heart being centered on Christ, communing intimately with Him. Communion with Christ is the all-powerful defense against false teaching. (Eph 6:18, Acts 16:25)

False teaching is infectious. We must be on guard- it takes only one person to spread false teaching throughout the church. (Matt 16:6) Its messages are deceptive and sweet, fitting all too well with our fallen nature. False gospels are promising, while assuring quick fixes for all the problems of life and the soul. But the true end of false teachings is misery and condemnation. False teachers deny Jesus Christ, obstructing others from God’s only way for salvation. They try to steal God’s glory, and for all this, God reserves the harshest levels of hell for false teachers and Satan. (Rev 20:10, 2 Pet 2:1, Is 42:8)

Despite these serious dangers of false teaching, those who are in the Lord will survive this age of deception. Christian life begins with lordship, and as God works in you, His promise to finish this work will be fulfilled by His power and sovereignty. (Rom 10:9, Phil 1:6) God has endless compassion and desire to save sinners- He does not save us reluctantly, but with full resolve and steadfast love. False teaching distorts the gospel, clouding a pure faith in Christ alone for salvation. Our Lord has warned us to be on guard, so let us be humble, practice the lordship of Christ, and trust in God’s sovereignty. Our God will preserve us, and in His lordship we can be assured of it.