Ask a Pastor Column

Presenting biblical answers to tough questions

Q: How do you tell if someone is teaching falsely?

A: The Bible offers two basic tests for truth: agreement with God’s Word and the character of the teacher. As the Nation of Israel was entering the Promised Land, God warned them about people who would seek to lead them astray. In order to prepare them to face this, He commanded the Israelites to memorize and study His Word constantly, then compare it with what others are teaching. Any teaching that did not match up was false (Deuteronomy 11:16-21). This advice is repeated to G...