3 Ways to Test the Voices Influencing Your Faith
In 2023, a New York attorney submitted a legal brief that cited court cases supporting his argument. There was only one problem. The cases did not exist. He had used ChatGPT to help with his research, and when questions were raised about the cases, he even went back and asked whether the information was accurate. The tool assured him that it was, so he trusted it. The information sounded legitimate and looked convincing enough that he believed it was true.
That story illustrates the problem Peter addresses in 2 Peter 2. False teaching does not always announce itself as false. A teacher may sound confident, use biblical language, or have a large following, while slowly leading people away from what God has said. Peter wants believers to develop discernment so they can recognize who is worth listening to, and he gives us a helpful framework for doing that.
How Can You Test What a Christian Teacher Is Teaching?
Peter describes the false teachers of his day as daring and self-willed. They spoke confidently about things they did not understand and acted as though their own authority was enough. Their beliefs were shaped by the lives they wanted to live, which eventually led them to distort the truth about God.
That danger still exists whenever we begin shaping our understanding of God around our own preferences. Scripture will sometimes confront what we believe, challenge the way we live, or call us to obedience in an area we would rather avoid. Are you allowing God's Word to correct you, or are you constantly trying to correct God's Word?
Acts 17 describes the Bereans examining Scripture every day to determine whether Paul's teaching was true. That same habit gives us a helpful model today. Whether we're listening to a pastor, watching a video, reading a book, or scrolling through Christian content online, Scripture remains the standard by which every message should be evaluated.
Why Does a Christian Teacher's Character Matter?
Peter then turns from what these teachers were saying to the way they were living. Their public ministries may have appeared spiritual, but their private desires revealed greed, sexual immorality, and a willingness to exploit vulnerable people for their own benefit. Peter compares them to Balaam, an Old Testament prophet whose desire for personal gain led him away from faithful obedience to God.
This is especially important in a culture where gifting can quickly create influence. Someone can communicate well, attract a following, and build a platform, while their character tells a very different story. Jesus taught that we recognize people by their fruit, which means evaluating a spiritual teacher involves paying attention to what their life consistently produces. Their treatment of people, relationship with money, approach to accountability, and pursuit of holiness can tell us a great deal about whether their message is worth trusting.
Where Should Good Christian Teaching Lead You?
Peter's final test considers the destination. He describes false teachers as springs without water and clouds without rain. Both appear promising from a distance, especially to someone who desperately needs what they seem to offer, but neither can provide what they promise. These teachers spoke about freedom while leading people back into bondage.
That gives us a practical question to ask about the voices influencing our faith. Where are they leading us? Healthy biblical teaching should increasingly shape us into the character of Jesus. Over time, we should see the fruit of God's Spirit developing in the way we think, respond to people, make decisions, and pursue Christ.
Peter's warning feels especially relevant when almost anyone can build a platform and present themselves as an authority. We do not have to become suspicious of every Christian teacher we encounter, but we should become discerning listeners who know Scripture well enough to evaluate what we hear. We can test what they teach, watch how they live, and consider where their influence leads, while keeping our attention fixed on Jesus, the Good Teacher and Good Shepherd who faithfully leads His people.
Reflect on Discernment
When you hear Christian teaching online, at church, or through other media, how often do you compare what you hear with Scripture?
Are there any voices influencing your faith whose character and teaching you need to examine more carefully?
When you consider the Christian teaching you regularly consume, is it helping you become more like Jesus?
A Prayer for Discernment
Father,
Thank You for giving me Your Word as a trustworthy foundation for my faith. Give me wisdom and discernment as I listen to people who teach about You, and help me become familiar enough with Scripture to recognize when something does not line up with Your truth.
Guard me from shaping my beliefs around what I want to hear, and give me humility when Your Word challenges something in my own life. Help me pay attention to the character and fruit of those I allow to influence me, and lead me toward voices that encourage me to know Jesus more deeply and follow Him faithfully.
Keep my heart focused on Jesus, my Good Teacher and Good Shepherd, and continue shaping my life to look more like His.
In Jesus' name, Amen.