False Teachers: Perverting Sexuality

by David Chadwick

There has never been a more important time to discern correctly about false teaching. Our world is rampant with deception, often within the church. I have heard countless stories over the years of pastors, Bible study teachers, even small group leaders saying truly bizarre things to the people of God. It is no small thing to play a role in stewarding the heart of another person on their faith journey.

Therefore, let’s look at the second sign of a false teacher according to the book of Jude: They have open boundaries on sensuality and human sexuality. Jude 1:4 says that they “pervert the grace of our God into sensuality…”

One specific example of something like this would be a pastor who tells a young woman that he sees himself marrying her when he is already married. Or targets a woman for sexual infidelity. How horrific! God’s boundaries for sexual morality are explicitly clear in his Word. It is solely to be between a man and a woman within the boundaries of a committed, heterosexual, monogamous relationship (Genesis 2:24). It’s something Jesus affirmed (Matthew 19:4-6). Sexual purity is God’s will for your life (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

False teachers intentionally push these boundaries. They will not speak to fornication before marriage or adultery outside of marriage from the pulpit. Or multiple partners in marriage. They avoid talking about the sinful reality of same-sex relationships. They dance around the tragedy and irreversible harm of gender transition and dysphoria. The Bible is clear on all of these subjects. God’s people and especially his teachers are called to be faithful to the text.

If the person speaking into your spiritual life or shepherding your heart is not doing this, he or she could be a false teacher. Be alert! Woe to anyone who has sought to rewrite the Bible to accommodate his or her own personal desires. God cannot and will not bless a church that carries these wrong views. You must be vigilant to not dance in the deception.

Guard your heart from perversion. For from your heart flows the wellspring of your life (Proverbs 4:23).