Five Marks of a False Church

FIVE MARKS OF A FALSE CHURCH

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever asked or heard someone ask "How can I tell if a certain Christian group is a true church? Put simply, this question can be rephrased: How can one tell the true church from the false church?  

This is a legitimate question that must capture the attention of every Bible believing Christian. Is it possible that a well meaning born again Christian can be worshipping in a false church without discerning that its doctrines and practices are opposed to the teaching of Scripture?

This article will not offer a comprehensive answer to the above question. It will however attempt to outline five key doctrinal features of an apostate church that the writer considers as fundamental marks that a Bible-believing Christian should bear in mind. 

This is not to suggest or imply that a Biblical church is a perfect Christian community in its corporate standing with God. No Christian society or congregation is ever perfect. We learn from the portrayal of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 that true churches struggle with issues. However, a Christ-centered church finds its footing in Scripture and hears the voice of its Master in His word and responds to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, no matter what challenges stand in its way. 

A false church [also described as an apostate church in this context] is one that has either departed from the foundational principles and truths of God's word to which it subscribed in the past or one that never had its foundation in those truths. The false church purports to worship God in truth but by its teachings and practices, it denies the fundamental and foundational truths of God's word taught in Scripture.

The true church is overly Christ-centered. It is founded on the gospel of Jesus Christ and is anchored on the finished works of the cross. Its doctrines and practices are aligned to the revelation and authority of Scripture. This church is therefore subordinate to Scripture and kneels before the Risen Christ in submission.

FIVE MARKS OF A FALSE CHURCH

The following are some of the key doctrinal features that stand out a Christian group as a false or apostate church:

1) A FALSE CHURCH DENIES THE DIVINITY AND HUMANITY OF JESUS CHRIST

A false church does not recognize the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ nor His divine offices and the efficacy of His finished works of the cross. The Bible reveals that Jesus is Savior, King, Judge, High Priest and the final Prophet to His Church [cf. John 3:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-2, 5:10, 6:20, 8:1]. No other prophet comes after Jesus. His prophetic voice is indelibly engraved in the Books of Scripture. 

The false church further denies Jesus' incarnate coming as God revealed in the flesh. There is no theological conflict between Christ's divinity and His humanity. These eternal truths should be embraced as attested in Scripture. The doctrine of the hypostatic union finds the support of Scripture. It was settled during the Council of Nicea in 425 AD. 

The Bible says in 1 John 4:2-3: "By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world" (NKJV). 

The Antichrist and his agents are the enemies of God's people. The Antichrist is the ultimate force behind pseudo or counterfeit Christianity.

The divinity and humanity of Christ must unquestioningly be at the centre of the Doctrine of every true church. Christ must be the sole person of interest in the Christian community on matters faith and must be the focus of its praise and worship. 

Christ is the center-pole of Biblical Christianity. His divine essence must inform the articulation of the Church's doctrines, its expression of faith and its hope [cf. Titus 2:11-14]. 

Colossians 1:15-18 says of Christ: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence" (NKJV).  

Jesus is not merely God's emissary to sinful humanity and God's mediator between God and men [1 Timothy 2:5-7]. He is in every essence God. He is the same yesterday today and forever [Hebrew 13:8]. 

2) A FALSE CHURCH DENIES THE DEITY AND DIVINITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Some Christian sects teach that the Holy Spirit is nothing more than a divine agent, a mystical force that operates on God's command.  They deny His divine essence as the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. This inescapably consigns them to the trinitarian cultic groups. 

We learn from Scripture that the Holy Spirit is God. He was at the beginning with God, hovering over the primitive cosmos before creation [see Genesis 1:1-2]. His divinity was defended by Jesus Himself. Matthew 12:31-32 says "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come" (NKJV). 

Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit as preeminent over the Church, He appoints overseers, a role that Christ also performs [Acts 20:28-30]. Notice here that the Holy Spirit exercises equal oversight and possession of the Church, a role that cannot be performed outside the Divinity. 

3) A FALSE CHURCH DENIES THE TRINITARIAN REVELATION OF GOD

The doctrine of the Holy Trinity concerns the revelation of God in three divine persons who share full and equal divinity and eternally coexist as God. This doctrine is revealed in Scripture. A number of trinitarian cults have difficulty figuring out this aspect of God's revelation of Himself in Scripture. This is basically because their religious founders deliberately chose to debase this truth in their corrupted writings and doctrines that constitute their books of instruction. 

Several passages of Scripture affirm or attest to the trinitarian revelation of God [cf. Jesus' statement on the divinity of the Holy Spirit in Matthew 12:31, See also John 10:30 on the unity of God the Father and God the Son and Revelation 2-3 on the unity of Christ and the Holy Spirit and the latter's agency in the Godhead]. 

4) A FALSE CHURCH DENIES THAT SALVATION IS BY GRACE ALONE THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST 

A false church teaches a different means by which the sinner is reconciled with God and guaranteed eternal life. Some of these groups acknowledge salvation by grace but attempt to introduce additions or variations to this fundamental truth, contrary to the teaching of Scripture. In the end, a person is mistakenly led to believe that they can earns God's saving grace by their deeds.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast." 

An apostate church teaches salvation by works or by means outside the works of the cross. This is counterfeit Christianity!

5) A FALSE CHURCH DENIES THE AUTHORITY AND FINALITY OF SCRIPTURE 

Scripture must be the final arbiter on all matters of Christian faith and practice. It is the exclusive source of reference on matters doctrine. It illuminates the path for the journey of faith (Psalm 119:105). 

A false church does not draw its authority from Scripture. This is perhaps one of the most obvious marks that a keen student of the Bible would notice. It does not hold Scripture as sacred and central to its doctrines and practices. The Bible is either a secondary reference or is totally ignored in their congregational instruction.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (NKJV).

Where a Christian group no longer places Scripture at the centre of their doctrine, they will eventually gravitate away into heresy, spiritual rebellion and apostasy. A Biblical church must watch its doctrine. It is nowadays common to hear some charismatic teachers deliver long sermons laced with high sounding philosophical and motivational slogans but sadly without a single reference to a Scripture text or passage. Even where a text is quoted or cited, it is often applied outside its passage context in order to teach what the ultimate Author of Scripture never intended to convey to the hearers and readers! 

CONCLUSION

As stated in the opening statement of this article, there are diverse marks on church doctrines and practices that reveal the faithfulness or otherwise of a Christian community to the fundamental truths of Scripture. This article has not captured all the marks that identify false churches. There is much more that space and time would not allow on this page. 

Some cultic groups are known to consider the personal teachings and writings of their founders as equal to or above the authority Scripture. The writings of these false teachers will fundamentally shape the doctrines, beliefs and practices of the followers, drawing them into heresy and ultimately into spiritual ruin.

Most leaders of false/apostate churches are manipulative and utterly controlling. They rule their congregations with iron fists. Some claim special revelation and miracle powers from God and brainwash and intimidate the congregation into total submission. They subdue them under fear in order to keep them from bolting out and discovering the truth. 

Other apostate leaders convince their members that other Christian groups are false and that they should refrain from joining or associating with them or even attending their congregation meetings or following their teachings online!

A Bible-believing Christian should not be deceived by the high sounding slogans or flashy titles and lifestyles identified with these false teachers. They should take time to evaluate their doctrines beliefs and practices in the light of Scripture and make informed decisions. We learn from Acts 17:10-15 that the people of Berea exemplified exceptional prudence on doctrine. They took time to evaluate the teachings of Paul and his associates against the  Septuagint - the Greek translation of the Old Testament Scriptures. 

Only by the diligent study of Scripture can a believer be shielded from the gapping jaws of false teachers. Do not be deceived by teachers who claim to have read the entire Bible on your behalf!

The Bible warns in 1 John 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (NKJV). 

Beware of wolves in sheepskin!

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2021