“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 11:13
Not everyone who calls him or herself a prophet, evangelist, apostle, bishop, or teacher is truly a servant of Christ. There have always been false teachers and leaders working their way into Christ’s church. Today, it’s very easy for anyone to call themself anything they feel like and gather some sort of following online or in person. Many dynamic personalities you find on social media, web sites, or even in churches are self-appointed and self-anointed. They may sound fantastic, tell you dramatic or unexpected things. They may do things that seem to be truly amazing. That doesn’t guarantee they’re truly a worker for Christ. Deceitful workmen continue to exploit people by claiming titles and roles that haven’t been given to them by Jesus.
Always be cautious in embracing someone who carries lofty titles they’ve given themselves. Test their teachings against Scripture. Are they consistent with the full counsel of God’s Word or are they distorting a few verses to say something they never actually said? Test their character and manner of life. Are they increasingly like Jesus or do they seem to be gathering wealth, power, and fame to use for their own advantage? Do they demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) or the opposite? Are they pointing people to Jesus as their authority and example or are they pointing people to themself? Are they equipping people to go and make disciples of Jesus on their own or to gather more followers for that one human leader?
To be clear, nobody other than Jesus is perfect. Every apostle, prophet, or teacher will be flawed to some extent. But what is the overall pattern of their life? Is it one of increasing holiness and obedience to Jesus or one of increasing promotion of self? Does the person, and those surrounding them, have the aroma of Christ or of the world? Is their love for Jesus and for lost and hurting people or is their love for fame, influence, money, and power? Be discerning and #FollowJesus!