Peter echoes the same thought in his second epistle, “But … even as there shall be false teachers among you, who shall bring damnable heresies, even denying the Lord …” (2 Peter 2:1. “The false teachers speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption… “2 Peter 2:18-19.
The false teachers are those who do not hold Lord Jesus Christ as the rightful Head and teach others to do the same. They do not like to function under the authority of the Lord.
Paul writes to Timothy about some weak believers “..who will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves to teachers having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned aside unto fables” (2 Tim 4:3-4). Either false teachers turning the believers to falsehood or believers attracted to false teaches who teach fables, both are dangers for the spiritual health of the assembly.
The elders should know the truth well to protect the flock from false teachers. The Holy spirit who has appointed the elders is also the Spirit of truth ( John 16:13), who shall guide those elders who depend upon Him to recognize the false teachers as well as their false teachings.
Finally, we should also mark one more point that Paul said, which is these things shall happen after his departure. While Paul was in Ephesus he guarded the flock against all sorts of dangers likely to come by warning the believers and fighting in prayer day and night (1 Cor 15:32). He continued his prayers for them while he was in prison in Rome which were recorded in Ephesians 1 and 3.
Blessed is the assembly where elders, appointed by the Holy Spirit, devote themselves to praying and protecting the assembly by the wisdom and truth of the Spirit.
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