Spotting a Counterfeit, A Warning about False Teachers

[soso]

Spotting a Counterfeit

A Warning about False Teachers

By Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle

Wednesday, May 27, 2026

출처 https://www.brooklyntabernacle.org/spotting-a-counterfeit/

듣기 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dROID4oZwoo&list=PLzzMcu25O6Rb11um1hTjwavMdINFaCssk&index=20

Today’s post is a difficult one, because it’s about a warning in Scripture.

But warnings are always a sign of love, am I right?

When you have children, you don’t say to them,

“Hey, walk out /on that ledge on the roof and see what the view is like.”

No, we say, “Be careful of that ledge. You could fall off.”

We give warnings; we even give pow-pow.

Why?

Because our love says, “Don’t go there—you’re going to get hurt.”

How does that work /in spiritual life?

God has more than promises and comfort in the Scripture.

He also gives warnings: “Careful—orange lights flashing.”

Let’s look at a couple.

First of all, 2 Timothy 3: “Mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive” (2 Timothy 3:4–5, NIV).

The closer we get to Christ’s return, the more difficult the days will be.

Why?

People will be living anti-Christ lives, opposite Jesus’ character but having religion and calling it Christianity.

Here’s another warning, one //that Paul wrote /to the church in Corinth:

“I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived /by the serpent’s cunning,

your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

For if someone comes /to you and preaches a Jesus /other than the Jesus () we preached

or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit () you received,

or a different gospel from the one () you accepted, you put up with [it] /easily enough” (2 Corinthians 11:3–4, NIV).

In other words, “I worked /there /with you /eighteen months and founded that church,

and now I’m getting reports //that con artists have come in, and they’re ruining everything.

And you put up with [it].

You don’t even know [what’s wrong, what’s right].

It’s going to hurt [you].”

He went on /to say, “Such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades /as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:12–13, NIV).

What can we deduce /from these verses?

False teachers are going to propagate [false doctrine].

There will be false prophets.

Jesus said () there would be false messiahs.

In fact, back in the sixties, a guy came /from Asia and said, “I am the Messiah—I just came /in a different form.”

And people believed it.

So how do we guard /against the false?

First, we’ve got to know [the truth].

We’ve got to know [the Bible].

[These false teachers with their false doctrine] don’t come saying,

“Hi, I’m a servant of the devil. I want to fool you.”

They’re too slick for that.

They’re “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” the Bible says (see Matthew 7:15).

They’re counterfeits.

I’ve been told that [people //who handle a lot of money] don’t study counterfeiting.

No. They study the real bill.

They look at every single detail of it, so that when a counterfeit comes, they know,

“No, that’s not real. I know the real.”

That’s why Satan wants to keep you and me from studying the Bible.

But we must know the Word of God, so we can know the counterfeit /when it comes along.

Second, we must ask [the Holy Spirit] [to give us discernment].

That’s a gift of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:10).

The Bible says, “Try the spirits” (1 John 4:1, KJV).

[Not everyone //who comes talking Jesus] is talking /about the true Jesus.

We’ve got to listen /closely and know [what the real gospel is], or they’re going to pull [the wool] /over our eyes.

These con artists are good.

What should we know /about them /to help us be on guard?

False teachers feed themselves.

It’s all about them.

Anytime () you see [a preacher] playing to the crowd and drawing attention to himself and not Jesus,

try [to find the nearest exit].

[Anyone //who knows God] wants [to put himself down and only lift up Jesus].

A lot of false teachers are also /after people’s money.

They might have [some true things /to say],

but remember, it’s in the little things //that they deceive people.

Just because [50 percent of what they say] is true, we can’t relax and say, “Oh, I’ll follow this /wherever it goes.”

Nowhere did Jesus say, “Give [me] [some money] and I’ll do a miracle.”

Nowhere did the apostle Paul say, “Send [that gift of $777.77] and you’ll get that release.”

So what’s the positive word for us today?

Know the Word, and ask [God] /for discernment /so we can pick up on [counterfeits].

Some are obvious, and we can know /in thirty seconds, “That guy’s not real.”

But others we’ve got to really be checking—we can’t go /anywhere the Scripture doesn’t take us.

Prayer

Thank You, Lord, for Your Word and for the Holy Spirit //who’s going to keep [us] [close to You and the truth].

Help [us] [to know the Scripture], and give [us] [discernment to understand it]

/so we can know the true /from the false. Amen.

If this encouraged you, you can receive [Pastor Cymbala’s weekly blog post] /by email here.

For More Encouragement

• Listen /to the full message by Pastor Jim Cymbala: “Spotting a Counterfeit (False Teachers)”
• Enjoy [other resources /to help you draw closer to God]: “Which Jesus?” and “A Warning Sign”
• Visit Pastor Cymbala’s Facebook page