False Doctrines, An Introduction
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, July 10, 2026 (Donate)
False doctrine is any teaching that contradicts or distorts
what God has revealed in His Word. It may deny a major biblical truth, add
ideas that Scripture never teaches, or twist passages to support beliefs that
are foreign to the Bible.
Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, God repeatedly
warned His people to be on guard against false teaching because it leads people
away from the truth and often results in sinful living. Jesus warned about
false prophets (Matthew 7:15), Paul warned about false teachers entering the
church (Acts 20:29-30), Peter wrote about destructive heresies (2 Peter 2:1),
and Jude urged believers to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to
the saints (Jude 3).
False Doctrines Occur Because People Fail To Know And Apply
Correct Doctrine
One of the greatest reasons false doctrine spreads is that
people don’t know the Scriptures well enough to recognize error.
God rebuked His people through the prophet Hosea, saying, "My people are
destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6, NKJV[1]).
Likewise, Jesus corrected the Sadducees by saying, "You are mistaken, not
knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29).
Knowing the Bible isn’t enough by itself. Believers must
also apply the Scriptures faithfully. James reminds Christians to
be doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 1:22). Churches
that consistently teach the whole counsel of God are far less likely to be
carried away by every new trend or teaching (Acts 20:27).
Taking Outside Ideas To The Bible (Eisegesis)
False doctrine often begins with eisegesis rather
than exegesis. Exegesis seeks to understand what the biblical
author intended to communicate in its historical and grammatical context. Eisegesis,
on the other hand, reads one's own opinions, cultural ideas, or philosophical
assumptions into the text.
People sometimes approach Scripture already committed to
secular philosophies, political ideologies, or traditions and then force the
Bible to support those beliefs. Instead of allowing God's Word to shape their
thinking, they reshape God's Word to fit their preferred worldview. Christians
should always submit every human idea to the authority of Scripture rather than
making Scripture submit to human ideas (Colossians 2:8).
Reinterpretations Of Scripture (Syncretism)
Another cause of false doctrine is syncretism—the blending or mixing of biblical teaching with beliefs from other religions or philosophies. Throughout Israel's history, the people repeatedly mixed the worship of the true God with pagan practices (Baal, Molech, etc.).
Rather than remaining faithful to God's commands in His Word,
they adopted the customs and practices of the surrounding pagan nations—hence,
they were mixing their religion with false religions. Naturally, this leads to
errors and God’s Word being compromised.
The same danger exists today. Some attempt to combine
Christianity with secular humanism (e.g., big bang, millions of years,
evolution, denial of the global Flood), Eastern mysticism, New Age
spirituality, prosperity theology, traditions, cultic beliefs (e.g., unitarianism,
polytheism, Jesus is a created being) or other belief systems.
Once outside ideas are treated as equal to or greater than
Scripture, biblical truth becomes diluted and makes it of no effect (consider Matthew
15:1-9). The Bible consistently calls believers to remain faithful to
God's revealed Word rather than blending it with competing, illogical
worldviews.
Neglect Of The Scriptures
False teaching thrives wherever the Bible is neglected.
Churches may become focused on entertainment, motivational speaking, personal
opinions, or emotional experiences while giving little attention to careful
biblical teaching.
As an example, I once spoke in a church where they had
focused so much on creation (which is good) for about 2 years in every
level of Sunday school, church, small groups, and youth programs. The pastor
informed me of what they had been doing and thought I would be ecstatic. However,
my response surprised him.
I encourage him regarding the aspects of creation—because
that has been missing in today’s culture, but I explained that for two years, his
flock wasn’t getting teachings from other areas (e.g. the whole of Scripture). I
pointed out that it is a great to lay the foundation but don’t forget to
build the house on that foundation. He realized what he needed to do and that
was great.
Getting back to biblical examples, Paul instructed Timothy
to "Preach the word!" (2 Timothy 4:2) because he knew a time would
come when people wouldn’t endure sound doctrine but would gather teachers who
tell them what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4). A church that neglects
systematic Bible study from Genesis to Revelation can leave them unprepared
when deception comes. I would suggest:
(1) regular reading
(2) faithful preaching of the 66
books of the Bible
(3) careful study and application (historically,
daily living, apologetically, scientifically, etc.)
(4) biblical discipleship provide
protection against false doctrine.
Alleged New Teachings By Leaders
Throughout history, false teachers have often appeared from
within God's own people. Jesus warned that false teachers come in sheep's
clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). Paul warned that even
leaders from within the church would arise, speaking perverse things to draw
disciples after themselves (Acts 20:30).
Many false teachers begin by questioning basic or core biblical
doctrine. They may claim that Christians have misunderstood Scripture or have
been deceived for nearly two thousand years and that they alone have discovered
its "true meaning." Such claims should immediately be a “red flag”
and tested against Scripture. Sound doctrine doesn’t depend upon a charismatic
personality but upon the written Word of God.
I don’t know how may times a person had been deceived by a
false teaching and the first thing they say in their defense of said false teacher
is that they are such a godly person. False teachers—like Satan—disguise
themselves as angels of light.
False Prophets And Alleged New Revelations
Scripture repeatedly warns about false prophets (consider
Deuteronomy 13) who claim to speak for God. In both the Old and New Testaments,
many claimed “divine authority” while actually speaking from their own
imagination.
Today, some continue to claim fresh revelations that
supposedly carry the same authority as Scripture. Yet God has already provided
everything necessary for faith and godliness through His revealed Word (2
Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3). The Bible claims that the canon is closed and that
we shouldn’t expect new prophetic revelations after the New Testament was
complete (e.g., Daniel 9:24-27; Jude 1:3). Every alleged prophecy, vision, or
revelation must be tested against Scripture, and anything contradicting God's
Word must be rejected.
Gnostic Or Hidden Knowledge
Another recurring source of false doctrine is the promise of
secret or hidden knowledge. This idea appeared prominently in ancient
Gnosticism (and also modern or neo Gnosticism), which claimed
that only an “enlightened few” have a special spiritual insight that regular
believers don’t.
The Bible teaches the opposite. God's truth has been openly
revealed through Christ, his prophets and Apostles and preserved in the
Scriptures. While believers continue growing in understanding, no “secret class”
possesses higher revelation beyond God's Word. The gospel is proclaimed
publicly to all people, not hidden for an elite group. This should be a
red flag if you hear things like this.
Other Reasons People Deviate
There are many additional reasons why people abandon sound
doctrine. Pride can make individuals believe they know better
than Scripture. Peer pressure and the desire for cultural
acceptance often tempt churches to compromise biblical teaching.
Some simply prefer teachings that justify sinful lifestyles
(self indulgence). Others become captivated by popular people
rather than carefully examining what those leaders actually teach.
Still others are spiritually lazy and fail to
test teachings against the Bible as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11). Ultimately,
false doctrine flourishes wherever God's authority is replaced by man’s
authority.
Conclusion
False doctrine has existed since Satan questioned God's Word
in the Garden of Eden by asking, "Has God indeed said?"
Every generation of Christians must therefore remain
vigilant—keep your eyes and ears open to God and His Word, not false teachings.
The solution isn’t to chase every new idea but to remain firmly grounded in the
Scriptures.
We need to be carefully studying God's Word—in context—and testing
teachings that come up against it. We need to stand firm and be faithful to the
Bible’s truths asking the Holy Spirit for wisdom and discernment.
In doing so, we can recognize error, stand firmly in the
truth, and "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all
delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3).
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing
evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as
a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers
News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science
was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one
year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and
scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over
25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
[1] My
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected
knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have
forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
