September 29, 2026 | Be Connected
False Teachers in the Church
Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:6-9(NIV)
6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
Devotional
In the Old Testament, Moses and Aaron were called to confront Pharaoh to release the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. As a sign that God was with them, they threw down a shepherd’s staff and it became a snake. Undaunted, “Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake” (Exodus 7:11-12). According to Jewish tradition, Jannes and Jambres were two of these Egyptian sorcerers. Either by sleight of hand or submission to Satan, they were able to mimic God’s power.
Paul compared these people to his contemporaries in the Ephesian church. They looked like they were faithful Christians (“having the form of godliness” -v. 5) but were cheap counterfeits. They were participants in all the studies and sermons, “but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Paul said they had depraved minds.
When I was going through ordination processes, we had to write and submit a long paper outlining our own systematic theology. We then appeared before a triad who grilled us on what we wrote. One of my inquisitors was hung up on my use of the word depraved. He pointedly asked why I would use such a word, when our God is one of love and grace. He asked, “Why did you use that word?” I replied, “Because it’s in the Bible.” One point for me. One point for almost not getting ordained from him.
To be depraved is to be corrupt, immoral, evil, morally bankrupt. And that is exactly what we are when we oppose the truth, deny the power of godliness, try to imitate God’s activity, and make false claims about His Word.
After Jannes and Jambres threw down their staffs and turned them into snakes, the Bible says, “But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs” (Exodus 7:12). You might be able to mimic the ways of God, but you can never outmaneuver God Himself. As Paul says, “they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.”
