Why Does God Allow Hypocrites and False Teachers?

[David]

(Matthew 7:15–23; 2 Peter 2:1–3; 2 Timothy 3:1–5)

Have you ever been in a restaurant and tasted one bite of food and said, “This is horrible! I’m never eating again”? No. You don’t go back to that restaurant. But that’s what many people do with Christianity. They see a hypocrite in church, a preacher caught in a scandal, a phony teacher on TV, and say, “This is why I don’t believe in God.”

But a church full of hypocrites doesn’t prove God isn’t real; it proves His Word is true. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15). Jesus didn’t say, “Maybe one day you’ll run across a few.” He said it was going to happen.

God warned us that impostors would come. It would be smiling faces with rotten fruit. Paul said that people in the last days “will have a form of godliness but deny its power” (2 Tim. 3:5). Peter said false teachers “secretly bring in destructive heresies and, in their greed, exploit you with false words” (2 Pet. 2:1–3). So when we see hypocrisy in the church, it shouldn’t surprise us; it should remind us that God’s Word nailed it exactly.

Think of it like counterfeit money. The fact that there’s fake currency doesn’t make the real dollar worthless, it proves the real thing has value. No one counterfeits something that isn’t valuable. In the same way, Satan doesn’t waste his time imitating false religions that already deny Christ; he counterfeits the truth to confuse and deceive those who are searching for it.

So why does God allow it? He’s patient. God allows time for exposure, repentance, and testing. Hypocrites don’t destroy the truth; they expose their own hearts. “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16), Jesus said. Time always tells. A bad tree can only fake good fruit for so long before it starts rotting in public view. That is why we need to know and study the bible for ourselves.

God is not mocked, and every false teacher will one day stand before God to give an account for the souls they misled. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus said, “but the one who does the will of my Father” (Matt. 7:21).

So don’t let hypocrites keep you from Christ. Counterfeit Christians only make the real ones shine brighter. The failures of men don’t cancel out the faithfulness of God. If you’ve been burned by fakes, don’t give up on the truth, go back to the Word.

God’s patience isn’t approval; it’s opportunity. He’s giving them time to repent, and He’s giving you time to see who’s real.

“The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Tim. 2:19).

 

[bobinfaith]

Hello David;

I may be repeating what you're already sharing. God gives us free will, "freely choosing."

Going all the way back to Joshua 24:15, 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” - NIV

Why does God allow hypocrites and false teachers, is the same why for other's loss of respect for human life, and why God allowed me to make sinful choices that impact others.

If God forced our love and obedience to Him and toward others would result in fabricated affection instead of genuine transparency.

God bless you, David.

bobinfaith

 

[A.W. Bowman]

• I can’t answer for David or Jesus, but I can offer an idea.
• 
  
• I do see a pattern. First, there was the choosing of Judas Iscariot to be counted among the disciples, even the chosen 12. My supposition is that even though Jesus knew that Judas was a devil, he was necessary for the fulfillment of Scripture, i.e. the betrayal of Christ. So why does God allow false teachers and prophets in the church today? Perhaps for the same reason. Yet, I think the reason may include the sifting of the shaft from the wheat within the church. (Matt 7:15, 14:11, etc., and of course Acts 17:10,11)

 

[David]

So why does God allow false teachers and prophets in the church today?

When thinking about the question, “So why does God allow false teachers and prophets in the church today?” got me thinking. My original post, “Why Does God Allow Hypocrites and False Teachers?” I was not necessarily meaning in the church but anywhere. Just seems they claim they are Christians but are not. But back to the question, “So why does God allow false teachers and prophets in the church today?” I don’t think it’s God who allows false teachers and prophets in the church today, the problem, to me, seems that many churches no longer follow the true God. They’ve turned from the authority of His Word and opened the door to everything that pleases the crowd.

Paul warned about this very thing: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3). That’s exactly what I think we are seeing today, churches trading truth for popularity, holiness for hype.

When people reject the truth, God allows deception to take its place. “Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved… God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie” (2 Thessalonians 2:10–11). It’s not that God approves of false teaching, it’s that many have stopped upholding the truth, so lies rush in to fill the vacuum.

This is why Jesus warned, “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name… and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4–5). It’s sad, but it’s also a call for the true church to return to the Word of God.

If a church wants God’s presence and power, it must go back to preaching His truth without compromise. “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). When we hold fast to that, there’s no room for deception to take root.

 

[Tom Lee]

I suspect that this question may go back to the beginning. Why did God allow the serpent to be in the garden when He knew what he would do and what the result would be?

 

[Yesua888]

I suspect that this question may go back to the beginning. Why did God allow the serpent to be in the garden when He knew what he would do and what the result would be?

This is one of my questions too : )
Was everything planned and foreseen by God?
Did God need to test man's obedience, and tried to warn man about the consequences of disobedience?

 

[David]

I suspect that this question may go back to the beginning. Why did God allow the serpent to be in the garden when He knew what he would do and what the result would be?

You’re reaching all the way back to the garden, and that’s exactly where Scripture takes us. But you’ve got to let the Word answer it, not our imagination.

The serpent didn’t sneak past God. Genesis says plainly, “the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made” ~Genesis 3:1. That means he’s a created being. Not equal to God. Not outside His authority. God wasn’t surprised. Nothing in that garden caught Him off guard.

Now look at what God had already done. He gave a clear command: “thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” ~Genesis 2:17. The line was drawn. Truth was spoken. The issue was never confusion. It was whether man would trust God or listen to another voice.

And here comes the serpent, doing what false teachers still do today. First he questions the Word: “Yea, hath God said…?” ~Genesis 3:1. Then he flat-out denies it: “Ye shall not surely die” ~Genesis 3:4.

But don’t miss this. The fall is not pinned on the serpent alone. Scripture puts responsibility on man. “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin” ~Romans 5:12. Adam heard God directly. He chose to disobey. That’s where the break happened.

Now here’s where it gets weighty. God didn’t scramble for a plan after the fall. The answer was already in place. Christ is called “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” ~Revelation 13:8. Before the serpent spoke a word, before man took a bite, redemption was already set in motion.

And right there in the wreckage of sin, God speaks hope: “It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” ~Genesis 3:15. That’s Christ. From the very beginning, God points forward to the One who would crush the serpent.

So why allow it? Scripture doesn’t give you a philosophical breakdown, but it shows you something stronger. It shows you a God who is not reacting, not losing control, but working out His purpose even through man’s rebellion. “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world” ~Acts 15:18.

And here’s the connection you can’t miss. What happened in that garden is the same thing happening now. The voice hasn’t changed. “Hath God said?” is still being whispered. Truth is still being questioned. Lies are still being dressed up to look harmless.

But just like then, the answer hasn’t changed either. God has spoken. Man is responsible. And Christ is the only rescue.

So don’t get stuck asking why God allowed the serpent. Look at what God revealed through it. Sin is real. Judgment is certain. And from the very start, the only way back has always been Christ.

 

[Tom Lee]

This topic not being in the Debate forum, I wasn't trying to answer the question by citing chapter and verse, nor was I promoting any particular doctrinal or theological position; I was trying to offer an angle not yet contributed to the discussion that may or may not be useful to someone. If this was out of line, please explain so that I won't do this again. I am new and did read the rules, but I could have missed something.

 

[Yesua888]

This topic not being in the Debate forum, I wasn't trying to answer the question by citing chapter and verse, nor was I promoting any particular doctrinal or theological position; I was trying to offer an angle not yet contributed to the discussion that may or may not be useful to someone. If this was out of line, please explain so that I won't do this again. I am new and did read the rules, but I could have missed something.

Your question is a very important one, and yes, there are some of us who will learn something from the questions raised, so thank you : )

David is skilled at answering through Scripture, and keeping the focus on scripture.
This forum is David's "brainchild", and we are expremely blessed to have what he brings to the forum.

At first you may think that David is being personal, believe me he is not, he is being truthful, and doing his utmost to shine the light on Truth.

There is so much deception out there, and Scripture warns us of it. David brings Scripture to Life!

You will soon see this, I am sure : )

 

[David]

This topic not being in the Debate forum, I wasn't trying to answer the question by citing chapter and verse, nor was I promoting any particular doctrinal or theological position; I was trying to offer an angle not yet contributed to the discussion that may or may not be useful to someone. If this was out of line, please explain so that I won't do this again. I am new and did read the rules, but I could have missed something.

You’re not out of line at all. You didn’t break any rule by asking a question or offering an angle. That’s not the issue.

What matters here is how we handle the answer once Scripture speaks. The forum isn’t against questions. It just keeps the standard where God puts it. “Thy word is truth” ~John 17:17. So when a question is raised, the goal is to bring it back under what God has actually said, not leave it in the realm of ideas or possibilities.

Your question about the garden is a real one, and it’s one people have wrestled with for a long time. But Scripture doesn’t answer it by walking us through every “why” behind God’s decisions. Instead, it shows us what is true and what we are responsible for. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us” ~Deuteronomy 29:29.

So you’re free to ask, and you’re welcome to explore. Just understand the direction we keep things moving in here. We don’t build on angles or speculation. We anchor everything in what is written.

And to be clear, your question helped move the conversation. It just needed to be brought back to the ground God has already given us to stand on.

 

[bobinfaith]

I suspect that this question may go back to the beginning. Why did God allow the serpent to be in the garden when He knew what he would do and what the result would be?

This topic not being in the Debate forum, I wasn't trying to answer the question by citing chapter and verse, nor was I promoting any particular doctrinal or theological position; I was trying to offer an angle not yet contributed to the discussion that may or may not be useful to someone. If this was out of line, please explain so that I won't do this again. I am new and did read the rules, but I could have missed something.

You’re not out of line at all. You didn’t break any rule by asking a question or offering an angle. That’s not the issue.

What matters here is how we handle the answer once Scripture speaks. The forum isn’t against questions. It just keeps the standard where God puts it. “Thy word is truth” ~John 17:17. So when a question is raised, the goal is to bring it back under what God has actually said, not leave it in the realm of ideas or possibilities.

Your question about the garden is a real one, and it’s one people have wrestled with for a long time. But Scripture doesn’t answer it by walking us through every “why” behind God’s decisions. Instead, it shows us what is true and what we are responsible for. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us” ~Deuteronomy 29:29.

So you’re free to ask, and you’re welcome to explore. Just understand the direction we keep things moving in here. We don’t build on angles or speculation. We anchor everything in what is written.

And to be clear, your question helped move the conversation. It just needed to be brought back to the ground God has already given us to stand on.

Hello Tom Lee and David;

Tom asks an important question. I personally wrestled with the same question for years!

During the week we visited a country and yesterday arrived at the next one. We experienced unpleasant circumstances, in particular the “disposition” of certain people in both countries and it frustrated us both.

God knew what was going to happen yesterday. Did He want to see what path we would take to reach the outcome?

It enticed a “reaction” on my part. I tried to “receive” the situations of the moment but it festered, the temptation was leading me to handle it my way. I may have succeeded but it definitely would have taken the Lord’s glory away.

I remember what the Lord commands us to avoid, reference 1 Corinthians 10:6-11, temptations in doing wrong in God’s sight. Genesis 3 shows how devious that punk the devil is in lurking us away from God’s instructions and the consequences that follow.

It wasn’t doing it my way but by the prompting of the Holy Spirit did Jesus fill me with receiving, listening and the words to say at that moment that diffused every issue. Like I shared earlier yesterday it was one of those days.

The Bible’s Old and New Testaments teach us that sin can lead to many other types of sin. It produces consequences that can affect our personal life but also the lives and even future generations of others.

I won’t expose the countries. I felt in a way God knew ahead of time my wife and I would cross this path. Question is would we have chosen between the “bait” or remain that “salt and light?” It wasn’t easy but God’s guidance got us through it all reference 1 Corinthians 10:13.

For that I give my God all the praise for His discipline, wisdom / discernment, lessons learned and unconditional love for all who love and seek Him daily. Proverbs 8:17, I love those who love Me, and those who seek Me find Me. - NIV

Tom, your question and David’s reply spoke to me, especially those ongoing applications that I seem to apply daily and learn from. Thank you, brothers.

God bless everyone.

Bob







‘

 

[Yesua888]

You’re not out of line at all. You didn’t break any rule by asking a question or offering an angle. That’s not the issue.

What matters here is how we handle the answer once Scripture speaks. The forum isn’t against questions. It just keeps the standard where God puts it. “Thy word is truth” ~John 17:17. So when a question is raised, the goal is to bring it back under what God has actually said, not leave it in the realm of ideas or possibilities.

Your question about the garden is a real one, and it’s one people have wrestled with for a long time. But Scripture doesn’t answer it by walking us through every “why” behind God’s decisions. Instead, it shows us what is true and what we are responsible for. “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us” ~Deuteronomy 29:29.

So you’re free to ask, and you’re welcome to explore. Just understand the direction we keep things moving in here. We don’t build on angles or speculation. We anchor everything in what is written.

And to be clear, your question helped move the conversation. It just needed to be brought back to the ground God has already given us to stand on.

Thank you David,

for keeping us focussed on what God want's us ti know and learn, while we are here on this Earth : )