False Leaders (long article, but worth the read)

FALSE LEADERS

"The notion of rank in the world is like a pyramid; the higher you go up, the fewer there are above you whom you must serve, and the more you are served by those beneath you. All who are under serve those who are above, until you come to the apex, and there stands someone who has to do no service, but whom all the others have to serve.

In the kingdom of heaven, however, the figure is exactly reversed. The pyramid is upside-down. The Son of Man lies at the inverted apex of the pyramid. He upholds, and serves, and ministers unto all, and they who would be high in his kingdom must go near him, at the bottom, to uphold and minister to all they can uphold and minister unto. There is no other law of precedence, no other law of rank and position in God's kingdom."

-- George MacDonald  [1]

Christ-like leaders are those who serve other believers as Christ did (John 13:1-17). There are Christian leaders whose human frailties are exhibited through works or teachings not fully representing Jesus or motivated by His Spirit. With these humble ministers we can be gracious and forgiving as they confess their sins to the brethren they serve. They confess to the brethren because they consider themselves one of the brethren and not a member of a separate clergy class. They have no image or career to protect, because the brethren do not worship these leaders nor give them enough money (if any at all) to make a career out of being a member of Christ's body. Like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, there are other leaders who claim to be Christian but are serving their father the devil, and they must be recognized and exposed and avoided.

Matthew chapter seven begins with "Judge not" in reference to finding fault with a brother before you have cleansed yourself so as to rightly judge. Then after Jesus tells them the narrow gate leads to life, He warns them.

Matthew 7:15-27 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

Beware is prosecho in Greek, meaning 'to hold the mind', to pay attention to, to be cautious about, to attend to, to take heed to, or to regard.

False prophets is pseudoprophetes in Greek, meaning false inspired speaker, or religious impostor.

Wolves is lukos in Greek, meaning white wolf.

Know is epiginosko in Greek, meaning to know upon some mark, recognize or perceive.

Bringeth forth, doeth, and done are poieo in Greek, meaning to make, to do, to produce, to practice, or to perform.

Good (tree) is agathos in Greek, meaning good or benefit.

Good (fruit) is kalos in Greek, meaning beautiful, better, honest, worthy, valuable or virtuous.

Corrupt is sapros in Greek, meaning rotten, worthless or bad.

Evil is poneros in Greek, meaning hurtful, evil, grievous, malicious, or wicked.

Wonderful works is dunamis in Greek meaning powerful or mighty works.

Knew is ginosko in Greek, meaning absolutely know, be aware of, perceived, or understand.

Jesus didn't say, "Don't worry about false prophets, I'll make them easy to spot and then I'll remove them." On the contrary, Jesus commanded us to pay attention because they will seem familiar. These wolves are also white on the outside like the sheep, but their inner motives are to devour the sheep. Their inner motives will produce dishonest, worthless, or wicked character even though they might perform miracles in Jesus' name. Jesus says He never knew them; they are not apostates. They are charlatan's who have believed their own lies. They want you to depend on their words and interpretations which will lead you to destruction. Those who want a rock-solid faith must listen to and practice Jesus sayings, for He is the only Rock.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

There is a difference between religious impostors who proclaim a false gospel or usurp Christ's authority in believer's lives, and those Christians who build upon Christ out of their flesh instead of in His Spirit. With the former, the whole tree is cut down and burned in the fire; with the latter, only the works of the flesh are consumed by fire but the person is saved.

This chapter deals with leaders who either never had a relationship with God or became apostate. Non-Christian false leaders can be divided into secular (EST, humanism, communism, etc.; example Herod in Acts 12:21-23), and religious (Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, spiritualism, etc.). False leaders who were previously Christian can be divided into the morally apostate (1 John 3:4-10) and the theologically apostate (1 John 2:18-27).