“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1 ESV).
This passage and its reference to those who “secretly bring in destructive heresies” helps unveil a strategy employed by heretical teachers. But unlike their first-century counterparts, modern-day false teachers can easily reach countless numbers of individuals through the use of 21st century technology.
Social media, broadcast media, and streaming media represent some of the more prominent transmission paths for such teachings. Other, traditional forms of communication include books, magazines, and face-to-face interaction. Then, as now, these methods permit false teachers to “subtly introduce dangerous heresies” (Phillips). The difference is that such teachers now have the ability to exploit modern technology to market and deliver such messages with greater effectiveness.
Thus, it is important to read the Scriptures regularly in order to fulfill the principle given to us in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to show yourself approved by God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (MEV). If we neglect to engage regularly with God’s Word, the risk of being ensnared by such teachers becomes even greater.
That brings us to a lengthy excerpt from the following source that merits close attention. While the author’s definition of “false teaching” occasionally strays into the realm of subjective opinion in secondary areas where others may hold different (but valid) doctrinal beliefs, the following observations are on point…
“One of the most common contributors to the spread of false teaching in the church is a general lack of Bible knowledge and discernment among the people. It might seem counterintuitive to say that students should be able to correct teachers when they bring falsehood into the church, but that is exactly what the Bible teaches us. When Paul was in Berea, his teaching was not merely accepted on his own authority, but his listeners examined it daily by the Scriptures to see whether it was true (Acts 17:11). For this, they were praised by Luke as being ‘more noble.’
All believers must read the Scriptures for themselves and compare what is being taught to the Scriptures. This does not require a radical skepticism, but it does mean that believers are not to unhesitatingly trust every word of mere men. They are to trust only the Scriptures in such a way. A problem arises when believers do not have the willingness or the ability to search the Scriptures for themselves. This leads to a dependence on human authority and allows false teaching to take root and spread. The educational goal of the church should be not just to transmit knowledge of the Bible but also to transmit a love for the Bible and an eagerness to study it.” (1)
(1) The Origin and Presence of False Teaching | Tabletalk. (2022, March 5). Tabletalk. https://tabletalkmagazine.com/article/2018/04/origin-presence-false-teaching/