False Prophets and False Teachers Making Merchandise Out of People by Damnable Heresies
2 Peter 2:1-3 says, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the LORD that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."
It is indeed true that false prophets are a reality among people in the last days. Jesus Himself warned in Matthew 24:24 that there will be false christs and false prophets that will even perform wonders even so the elect will be deceived. And in fact, throughout the Bible, the warning against false teachers was strictly emphasized. Matthew 23 was indeed a scathing condemnation against the hellish hypocrisies of the works salvationist Pharisees. In the book of Galatians, the issue was all about false prophets. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 speaks against false prophets and describes them to be one who make fake prophecies, they do not come to pass. They speak in the Name of the LORD but they are not of the LORD. Matthew 7:22 is a huge warning that many too will falsely prophesy in the Name of the LORD.
The false teachers are an issue as well today. Jesus said in Matthew 7:15 to beware of them. They are likened unto wolves in sheep's clothing but they are ravening wolves really to devour the unsuspecting. Now here are some characteristics of false teachers to be aware of in how they make merchandise out of people with their damnable heresies:
I. It's all about self. These false teachers are only about themselves. The Pharisees for instance were all but too full of themselves. In Matthew 23, Jesus accused the Pharisees truthfully of the fact that they were so full of themselves. They thought they were good enough for Heaven. As said, works salvation appeals to the proud and the delusional. They make a quick buck in what they do. They glorify themselves with their boasting and people pay them. They pretend to be sick and people pay them. It's all about bearing false witness to earn one's buck quick.
II. It's all about speaking in the worldly view (Galatians 1:10, 2 Timothy 4:3-5, 1 Thessalonians 2:14)- Paul warned Timothy about how people will be in the last days. It's all about not enduring real sound doctrine and calling what is unsound to be sound. Many for instance call a salvation by works to be sound doctrine and yet they please the worldly. Why are false religions popular? It's because they tickle the lusts of people and not because it's right. People are so easily carried away by fair speeches that they buy every garbage they hear including conspiracy theories. John 15:18-19 and James 4:4 warn about this simple fact- any friend of the world is an enemy of God and since Christians are not of the world, they are hated by the world because the world would love its own. Also, further proof of their worldiness is how they are living in a very worldly lifestyle. Where's the so-called "holiness" now?
III. They throw dirt at the LORD's real prophets and teachers. Korah, Dathan and Abiram in Numbers 16 scorned Moses. In 1 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 19, the false prophets were badmouthing good old Micaiah. In the days of Jeremiah, he was scorned by the false prophets of his day to the point he quit preaching for a season (Jeremiah 20:9). John the Baptist was scorned by the Pharisees and very much later, the Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the Book of Acts to the apostolic letters, mention of persecution by false prophets was done. Today the same pattern is happening. Works salvation preachers falsely accuse the sola fide preachers who also teach eternal security of promoting a license to sin. However the works salvation crowd is filled with drunkards, homosexuals, thieves, fornicators, adulterers, abusers of themselves, etc. because these people are nothing more than hypocrites. So much for teaching their followers that one can't stay saved if they stumble into sin even their followers live so sinfully.
IV. It's all about their own imaginations from their wicked minds and hearts. Jeremiah 23:16 has people claiming to be a prophet and/or Bible teacher yet their so-called prophecies and teachings do not come from the LORD (today, check the Bible) but their own wild-driven imaginations. Today these can be called as conspiracies which the truth is mixed with the lies to the point who can say which is true and which isn't true. These false teachers paint the world as they see it. Many of these false teachers can end up making up stories, painting the world as they see it, get pity and then get donations. They play games with the gullible who are seeking the truth because they appear truthful. They get some money anyway of what they do via libelous books and online donations and Adsense clicks from gullible people thus making merchandise out of their vile imaginations. Hmmm and they keep chanting liars go to Hell don't they?V. They are more concerned about religiousness and purposely neglect weightier matters such as law and justice (Matthew 23:2-3). For example, many of them do not neglect walking while kneeling, doing various prayer rituals and yet they are just profiteering people through ill gotten means, they do not really show real concern for the poor and it's all but show business in front of the people but mistreat people at the back. After all, religiousness makes good show business. The Pharisees prayed in public and people pay them like street performers. It's all a huge reality TV show to fool people.
VI. It's all about indoctrination rather than changing lives. Jesus warned in Matthew 23:17 that the Pharisees make their converts a child of hell. That's what world religion does to its followers. For example, many convert to Catholicism seemingly for the better but only for the worse leaving many of its followers clueless to why many of their peers and superiors are misbehaving despite their religiousness. There was no real change of heart, only a change of religion. Then it can happen that a Catholic converts to an anti-Catholic cult and becomes WORSE than the last time. For example, some Catholics turned Seventh Day Adventists or Westboro Baptists have become more quarrelsome than when they were Catholics. Besides, the more followers there are to please, the money comes in right?
VII. It's all about fair speeches. Indeed what better way to get more people to give money than by fair speeches? Paul warned in Romans 16:17-18 that fair speeches deceive the heart of the simple which result to everything above. Many of these cult leaders speak so well they are applauded. These world religions obviously oppose one another like how the Catholicism, Seventh Day Adventism, Mormonism, the Pentecostals and so on oppose each other doctrinally so they have to actually do their best propaganda to get more followers to join their group. After all, how do drug dealers sell harmful drugs? Do they tell the customer it's bad? No, the drug dealers tell their customers that it's good. Many false teachers today are getting more listened to. Works salvation preachers make speeches that appeal to pride, they discredit the best Christians teachers around to be teaching a license to sin, they speak in the worldly view and they boast of their good works like the Pharisees were in the days of Jesus. And in the reality, they are nothing more than the directors and producers of an entirely sick joke especially a parody of Christianity.