CHARLATANS

“Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things are worthy of death, they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of those who practice them.”

Romans 1:32

The Bible contains many passages that expose God’s wrath and condemnation upon those who lead others astray with false teachings. These passages emphasize that misleading others spiritually, particularly by distorting the truth of God’s Word, is a grave offense that incurs serious judgment.

Furthermore, several passages of Scripture support the idea that those who distort Scripture and present themselves as spiritual leaders while leading people away from the true gospel are subject to God’s judgment.

Masquerading as Servants of Righteousness:

• 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 warns that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light and that his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. This passage highlights the reality that some leaders who appear to be promoting righteousness are actually deceiving people, using biblical terminology and outward appearances to disguise their true intentions.

Condemnation of False Teachers:

• 2 Peter 2:1-3 speaks directly to false teachers who introduce destructive heresies, exploit others with lies, and mislead people. Peter warns that their judgment has been long prepared, and their destruction is certain.

• Similarly, Jude 1:4 condemns individuals who pervert the grace of God for selfish purposes, noting that they are ungodly and deny Jesus Christ. Such figures are seen as distorting the gospel message for their own benefit.

Personal Benefit and “Best Life Now”:

• The Bible consistently emphasizes the danger of placing material wealth and personal success above spiritual truth. In 1 Timothy 6:3-5, Paul warns about those who see godliness as a means of financial gain and states that such people are corrupt in mind and lack the truth. Paul contrasts this with the true message of contentment in godliness (1 Timothy 6:6-10), warning that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

• Jesus Himself criticized religious leaders who sought personal glory and power through their spiritual positions (Matthew 23:1-12). His teaching emphasizes humility, repentance, and self-sacrifice as the marks of genuine faith, in contrast to those seeking personal gain.

Condemnation Under God’s Judgment:

• According to Scripture, false teachers who exploit or distort the message of Christ will face God’s judgment. Jesus warns in Matthew 7:15-23 that many false prophets will come, appearing like sheep but inwardly being ravenous wolves. He teaches that the fruit of a person’s life will reveal their true allegiance, and those who practice lawlessness, despite outward appearances, will be rejected by Him.

• Paul’s letters also speak of God’s wrath on those who deliberately suppress the truth and lead others astray (Romans 1:18). This suggests that the misuse of Scripture for personal gain, without regard for the true message of the gospel, is a serious offense in God’s eyes.

• Paul expresses astonishment that the Galatians are turning to a different gospel, which is not really another gospel but a distortion of the true gospel of Christ. He issues a severe warning: “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8-9). This “curse” is understood to be a divine condemnation.

By the biblical standard, those who misuse biblical teachings to promote a distorted gospel of personal benefit or “best life now,” especially when this is done for personal gain or to lead others astray, align themselves with the category of false teachers and are subject to God’s condemnation.

Scripture is clear that these individuals may present themselves as righteous, but their true nature will eventually be exposed, and they will face God’s divine and righteous judgment for perverting and misusing the gospel. Therefore, the logical conclusion based on biblical teaching is that such figures are false teachers, masquerading as servants of righteousness, and are indeed under God’s condemnation.

“These teachers are never satisfied. They want to get something out of you. So they make up stories to take advantage of you. They have been under a sentence of death for a long time. The God who will destroy them has not been sleeping.”

2 Peter 2:3

Blessings & love,

-Kevin M. Kelley

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