Trying the Spirits: How to Know if a Teacher Is From God

 

Many Christians listen to sermons online, but are these teachers truly of God? The Bible warns that false teachers exist. This checklist is a simple tool to help believers evaluate teaching using biblical principles. It is not meant to judge people harshly, but to encourage discernment and a test to see if what you're listening to is biblically sound.

Biblical Teacher Discernment Checklist

Use this while watching a sermon or video. Just mentally check ✔ or ✖.

1. Is Jesus the center of the message?

✔ The message focuses mainly on:

• Jesus

• the cross

• repentance

• salvation

• living for Christ

Scripture basis:

“We preach Christ crucified.” — 1 Corinthians 1:23

2. Do they rely on Scripture or personal experiences?

✔ They regularly explain the Bible itself.

✖ They mostly say:

• “God told me…”

• “I saw in a dream…”

• “The Lord showed me…”

If they claim any of these things it needs to all line up with the word of God. If it goes against anything in the Bible then it’s false. 

Scripture basis:

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” — 2 Timothy 3:16

3. Do they point attention to Christ or to themselves?

✔ The teacher points people to Jesus.

✖ The teacher emphasizes:

• their ministry

• their authority

• their special revelations

Scripture basis:

“We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord.” — 2 Corinthians 4:5

4. Do they handle Scripture carefully?

✔ They explain passages in context.

✖ They:

• jump around verses

• quote fragments

• use verses to support their own ideas

Scripture basis:

“Rightly dividing the word of truth.” — 2 Timothy 2:15

5. Does the message produce spiritual fruit?

After listening, do you feel:

✔ encouraged toward Christ
✔ convicted but hopeful
✔ clearer about truth

or

✖ fearful constantly
✖ confused
✖ spiritually drained

Scripture basis:

“By their fruits you shall know them.” — Matthew 7:16

6. Do they show humility?

✔ The teacher admits when they don't know something.

✖ The teacher acts like:

• they alone understand truth

• everyone else is deceived

Scripture basis:

“God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” — James 4:6

7. Are they obsessed with prophecy and visions?

✔ Prophecy may appear occasionally but is not the main focus.

✖ Nearly every message revolves around:

• visions

• dreams

• prophetic warnings

• end-times speculation

The apostles mainly preached the gospel, not speculation.

8. Do they encourage obedience to Christ?

✔ They encourage:

• repentance

• holiness

• faith in Christ

✖ They mainly talk about:

• secret knowledge

• spiritual experiences

• hidden revelations

Scripture basis:

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded.” — Matthew 28:20

Simple scoring method

After a video, ask yourself:

✔ Mostly checks = likely solid teaching
✖ Mostly crosses = probably not worth listening to

You don't need perfection. You're just looking for patterns.

One more very simple test Jesus gave

Jesus said:

“My sheep hear my voice.” — John 10:27

Sometimes believers just sense:

• peace
  or

• something is off

That doesn’t replace Scripture, but it should make you look closer.

They want attention and recognition

Jesus said some religious leaders loved:

• public recognition

• titles

• being seen as important

They wanted people to notice them.

If a teacher constantly talks about:

• their calling

• their revelations

• their authority

• their ministry

that can be a warning sign.

The apostles did the opposite. For example, **Paul the Apostle repeatedly called himself a servant and even the least of the apostles.

2. They speak with absolute certainty about things God hasn’t revealed

Jesus warned about people who claim spiritual authority that goes beyond Scripture.

Watch for phrases like:

• “God told me…”

• “God showed me…”

• “I know exactly what God is about to do…”

In the Bible, even prophets were careful about claiming God spoke to them.

The apostles mainly said “It is written.”

3. The focus slowly shifts away from Christ

Jesus said:

“You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16)

A useful question is:

After listening, who stands out more?

• Jesus
  or

• the preacher

If the preacher becomes the center, that’s a problem.

A very simple shortcut test

When watching any preacher, ask yourself three questions:

1. Is Jesus the center of the message?

2. Is Scripture the main authority?

3. Is the preacher humble or self-promoting?

If those three are healthy, the teaching is usually safer.

The main biblical marks of a false teacher.

1. They Twist or Change Scripture

False teachers do not stay faithful to the Word of God. They distort it.

2 Peter 3:16

“Which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest (twist), as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

They may:

• change the meaning

• take verses out of context

• add their own ideas to Scripture

2. They Teach for Money or Personal Gain

Many false teachers are motivated by profit.

2 Peter 2:3

“Through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you.”

1 Timothy 6:5

“…men of corrupt minds… supposing that gain is godliness.”

They often:

• constantly ask for money

• promise blessings for giving

• treat ministry like a business.

3. They Promote Themselves

Instead of pointing people to Christ, they elevate themselves.

3 John 1:9

“Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them.”

They often:

• They talk about themselves constantly

• They build a personality following

• They want attention and authority.

4. Their Lives Do Not Match Their Teaching

Jesus said you can identify false teachers by their fruit.

Matthew 7:15–16

“Beware of false prophets…
You shall know them by their fruits.”

Common fruits mentioned in Scripture include:

• sexual immorality

• greed

• pride

• manipulation

• hypocrisy.

5. They Introduce False Doctrines

False teachers bring teachings that contradict the gospel.

2 Peter 2:1

“There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies…”

These teachings can include:

• denying who Jesus truly is

• adding works as a requirement for salvation

• denying judgment or sin

• creating new revelations that override Scripture.

6. They Appeal to People’s Desires

False teachers often say what people want to hear.

2 Timothy 4:3

“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.”

They attract crowds by telling people:

• what feels good

• what is popular

• what requires little repentance.

A Simple Biblical Test

The New Testament basically tells believers to ask four questions:

1. Do they teach the true gospel?

2. Do they live a godly life?

3. Do they point people to Christ instead of themselves?

4. Are they faithful to Scripture or changing it?

The biblical test is:

1. What do they teach about Jesus?
   
   

2. Do they stay true to Scripture?
   
   

3. Does their life show godly fruit?

If those things are missing, the Bible says be cautious.

1. They Love Attention and Recognition

Jesus warned about religious leaders who wanted to be admired.

In the Gospel of Matthew 23:5–7, Jesus said they loved:

• being seen by people

• important titles

• public recognition.

Their focus was status, not service.

2. They Desire to Be the Center

The Bible gives a direct example.

In the Third Epistle of John 1:9, John wrote about a man named Diotrephes:

“who loves to have the preeminence among them.”

That means he wanted to be first, above everyone else.

3. They Speak Big, Confident Claims

False teachers often speak very boldly about things God has not revealed.

In the Second Epistle of Peter 2:18 it says they speak “great swelling words.”

That means:

• impressive sounding claims

• dramatic declarations

• strong confidence not grounded in truth.

4. They Use Spiritual Authority to Control People

The Bible warns about leaders who dominate or control believers.

In the First Epistle of Peter 5:3, leaders are told not to lord it over others, but to be examples.

A warning sign is when someone:

• demands loyalty to themselves

• claims special authority 

• treats disagreement as rebellion.

What True Leaders Look Like

The apostles acted very differently.

For example, Paul the Apostle often described himself as:

• a servant

• the least of the apostles.

True teachers point attention away from themselves and toward Christ.

A Very Simple Way to See It

After listening to someone preach, ask one question:

Who stood out more at the end?

• Jesus
  or

• the preacher

That question alone often reveals a lot.

Four Marks of a Christian

1. What We Flee From
A man or woman of God is known by what they run away from.
(1 Timothy 6:9–10)

Christians flee from:

• The love of money

• Idols

• Sexual immorality

• Lust

• Materialism

• False teaching

• Liars and deception

A Christian does not chase these things but turns away from them.

2. What We Follow After
A Christian is known by what they pursue.

Christians pursue:

• Righteousness

• Godliness

• Faith

• Love

• Patience

• Gentleness

Godliness especially reflects the condition of the heart.

3. What We Fight For
Christians contend for the truth.

They fight for:

• The Gospel

• Biblical truth

• Sound doctrine

The Gospel and the truth of Scripture have always been under attack, so believers must guard the doctrine of the church and the true teaching of the Word of God.

4. What We Are Faithful To
Christians remain faithful to:

• The commandments of God

• The Word of God

• The teachings of Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments

Faithfulness to God's Word marks a true believer.

After listening to a teacher, who stood out more — Jesus or the preacher?