Elijah Project School of Ministry

December 21, 2025

Module Seventeen – False Teachers and False Prophets

False Prophets, Bad Doctrine, Heresy, and the Spirit of the Antichrist

 

2 Timothy 4:1-4 (NASB) I solemnly exhort you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction. ³ For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

 

Exploring the effects of bad doctrine generationally.

Have you ever considered how bad doctrine evolves, worsening from one generation to the next? How folks follow tradition without studying the Bible for themselves.

If I continue to make a copy of a copy, eventually what I end up with will be nothing like the original.

 

The Word of Faith/Prosperity Gospel

Kenneth Hagin’s teachings, the foundation of the modern Word of Faith movement, have significant historical and doctrinal parallels to the New Thought movement, primarily through the influence of E.W. Kenyon. Critics argue that Hagin incorporated “mind cure” or New Thought concepts into his theology, despite his claims to have received revelations directly from God.

 

New Thought Core Beliefs

The New Thought movement, originating in the late 19th century with figures like Phineas Quimby and Mary Baker Eddy, is based on the idea that an individual’s mental state and thoughts create their material reality.

• Mary Baker Eddy(July 16, 1821 – December 3, 1910) was an American religious leader and author who, in 1879, founded The Church of Christ, Scientist, the Mother Church of the Christian Science movement.
• Mary Baker Eddyfounded her religion, Christian Science, on what she saw as the lost healing power of primitive Christianity. Still, she distinguished between “Jesus” (the man) and the “Christ” (the divine idea or spiritual principle), and rejected traditional doctrines such as Jesus’s deity, physical resurrection, and substitutionary atonement. She believed that Jesus demonstrated the divine Christ and revealed humanity’s spiritual perfection, and that salvation and healing follow from understanding this principle rather than from merely believing in Jesus as God.
• Phineas Quimby viewed Jesus as a profound healer who understood that illness stemmed from mistaken beliefs, seeing Jesus as a man who unlocked spiritual truth, not a divine being. He believed Jesus opposed the doctrines of priests and doctors that created superstition and fear, instead teaching that the “Kingdom of Heaven” was within, accessible by understanding one’s true, divine self and correcting false beliefs that cause suffering (disease). Quimby saw himself as rediscovering these lost healing methods.
• Mind over Matter:Thinking and belief influence physical health, happiness, and circumstances.
• Positive Thinking/Confession:Adherents emphasize the power of verbalizing positive thoughts and avoiding “negative confessions” to manifest desires.
• Innate Divinity:Man is seen as having a divine nature or being part of the “Divine Mind,” and achieving “Christ consciousness” means realizing this inherent divinity.

Hagin and the Word of Faith Connection

Kenneth Hagin (1917–2003) is widely considered the “father” of the modern Word of Faith movement, which teaches that believers can use “spiritual laws” to obtain health and wealth.

• W. Kenyon as the Link:Hagin was heavily influenced by the works of evangelist E.W. Kenyon (1867–1948). Kenyon, in turn, was influenced by New Thought teachings (including those of Phineas Quimby) during his studies and through his extensive library.
• “Positive Confession”:A key tenet of Hagin’s teaching is “positive confession” (saying what you want to possess), which critics directly link to the “mind cure” doctrines of New Thought rather than traditional Christian faith in God’s will.
• “Little Gods” Doctrine:The controversial teaching, found in both Kenyon’s and Hagin’s work, that believers become “little gods” in “God’s class” who can use “faith-force” to create reality, is seen as mirroring the New Thought concept of man’s divine nature.

Distinctions and Criticisms

While Hagin’s followers maintain that Word of Faith teachings are purely Christian and derived from the Bible, theological critics argue that the underlying philosophy is a form of Christianized New Thought. The primary critique is that Hagin shifted the focus from biblical faith in God’s sovereignty to a “faith in your faith” system, where principles or “laws” of the universe can be manipulated by words and thoughts, a core New Thought concept.

 

E.W. Kenyon believed Jesus is the divine Son of God, the ultimate source of believers’ righteousness, healing, and authority, accessed through faith in His finished work, particularly His name and blood, which grant legal rights to divine power, making believers co-heirs with Christ who can perform His works and walk in victory over sickness, sin, and Satan by recognizing their new identity in Him.

Core Beliefs About Jesus

• Deity & Authority:Jesus is fully God, holding all divine power and authority, a truth signified by His exalted “name above every name”.
• Righteousness & Healing:Through His sacrifice, Jesus imparted His righteousness and bore humanity’s sickness, making divine health the birthright of believers, not something earned.
• The Name of Jesus:This isn’t just a title; it’s a legal key, a spiritual power-of-attorney, granting believers access to God’s resources and authority to defeat evil.
• Union with Christ:Believers are brought into the same intimate, effective union with the Father that Jesus had, enabling them to pray and act from a position of divine certainty and partnership

 

Norman Vincent Peale, while a Christian minister, held a complex view of other religions, emphasizing universal spiritual principles and positive thinking, which led him to say, “God is everywhere” and “Christ is one of the ways.” Still, he fiercely opposed Catholicism in politics, fearing papal influence, and drew on non-Christian sources, such as New Thought, making his theology a blend of faiths focused on self-help and earthly success.

He believed his positive Christianity offered the best path. Still, he acknowledged other paths to God, which confused many critics who saw his emphasis on self-reliance as undermining traditional Christian theology.

Key Aspects of His Views:

• Universalism vs. Exclusivity:Peale suggested that “God is everywhere,” even finding peace in a Shinto shrine, and stated, “You have your way to God, I have mine,” appearing inclusive of other faiths.

 

Every time the church flips the Lord’s Prayer and tries to change God’s will to fit its agenda, we see discord, and the Holy Spirit withdraws from the equation.

“Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be Done, on Earth as in Heaven!”

Confession & Manifesting

In New Age spirituality, manifesting refers to using focused thoughts, positive emotions, and visualization to attract desired outcomes into one’s physical reality, based on the Law of Attraction, which holds that “like attracts like” and that one’s energy shapes one’s experiences, turning intentions into tangible results such as success or love. 

 

Core Principles:

• Thoughts are Energy:The belief that your thoughts and feelings are powerful energy vibrations that attract similar experiences into your life.
• The Law of Attraction:States that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person’s life; by focusing on abundance, you attract abundance.

 

How it Works (The Process):

1. Clarity & Desire: Clearly define what you want (e.g., a new job, better health).
2. Visualization: Mentally picture your desire as if it has already happened, imagining the feelings involved.
3. Affirmations: Use positive statements to reinforce your belief and reprogram subconscious limiting beliefs.
4. Emotional Alignment: Feel the emotions (joy, gratitude) of already having your goal to raise your vibration.
5. Action & Allowing: Take inspired, practical steps while trusting the universe to deliver, removing resistance and doubt.

 

Key Practices:

• Meditation: To quiet the mind and focus intention.
• Vision Boards: Creating visual representations of goals.
• Scripting: Writing down your desires as if they’ve already happened.

In essence, manifesting is about co-creating your reality by aligning your inner world (thoughts, beliefs, feelings) with your outer world (physical experiences).

 

The Word of Faith Movement and the New Apostolic Reformation have their own Bible Translation – The Passion Translation

Brian Simmons, the primary author of The Passion Translation (TPT), has made several theological claims that critics and scholars have characterized as heretical or deeply unorthodox. These concerns center on his assertions of “new revelation” and shifts in traditional Christian Christology.

The Nature of Christ and the Second Coming

Simmons has made statements that critics argue promote a New Age-style “corporate manifestation” of Christ, rather than the traditional return of Jesus as a distinct person.

• Corporate Christ:He has stated, “Christ is no longer a man, He’s a people,” suggesting that the body of believers completes the identity of Christ.
• The Second Coming: Simmons has described the Second Coming as “the Becoming of the Lord,” implying it is a spiritual evolution of believers into a Christ-like state rather than a physical return.
• The “42nd Generation”:He claims believers are the “42nd generation” that completes the genealogy of Jesus.

 

Claims of Extra-Biblical Revelation

Simmons claims to have received direct supernatural instructions and content that are not found in the established biblical canon:

• John Chapter 22: Simmons has frequently claimed that Jesus appeared to him and promised to take him to heaven to receive a “missing” 22nd chapter of the Gospel of John, which he has not yet revealed to the public.
• Angelic Visitations: He claims he was commissioned to translate the Bible by an angel named “Passion”.
• Direct Translation Guidance:He asserts that Jesus personally breathed on him to give him “secrets of the Hebrew language,” allowing him to find meanings that have been hidden for centuries.

 

Misrepresentation of Biblical Text

Scholars argue that Simmons’ “translation” (TPT) is actually a radical paraphrase that inserts his own theological biases into the text:

• Insertion of Concepts: Critics point to his insertion of words like “passion,” “intimacy,” and “secrets” into verses where they do not exist in the original Greek or Hebrew.
• Distorting Meanings: Biblical scholars, such as Andrew Shead and Mike Winger, have noted that TPT often changes the core meaning of scripture to align with New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) teachings.
• Removal from Platforms: Due to these concerns regarding its accuracy and theological integrity, the major digital platform Bible Gateway removed The Passion Translationfrom its library in 2022. 

 

False Academic and Professional Claims

Multiple investigations have challenged Simmons’ credentials as a linguist and translator:

• Lack of Training: Organizations such as Ethnos360(formerly New Tribes Mission), where Simmons served, have stated that he was a church planter, not a linguist, and did not have the qualifications or the role of a Bible translator while with them.
• Misleading Credentials: Critics have pointed out that he uses the title “Dr.” despite lacking the appropriate academic degrees for scholarly Bible translation.
• Brian Simmons, the lead translator of The Passion Translation (TPT), typically frames teachings on hell through the lens of “fiery love” and restorative justice rather than eternal conscious torment. His perspective is often associated with Restorationist Universalism, which posits that God’s ultimate plan is to bring all people back into alignment with Him.

 

Annihilationism is a Christian doctrine that the wicked, after judgment, will ultimately be destroyed and cease to exist, rather than suffer eternal conscious torment in hell, challenging traditional views of everlasting punishment by proposing that the unrighteous are extinguished. This belief, also called conditional immortality, suggests that only the saved possess inherent immortality, while the damned face final destruction, with proponents like John Stott supporting it as a more just alternative to endless suffering. However, it remains outside the historical orthodoxy and provokes debate over biblical interpretation.

 

Christian Universalism is a theological belief that all people will ultimately be saved and reconciled with God through Jesus Christ, meaning hell isn’t eternal but a place of purification, with everyone eventually enjoying eternal life with God. This view emphasizes God’s infinite love and mercy, drawing from scripture passages about universal reconciliation (like 1 Corinthians 15:22, Romans 8:29-30), and has roots in early Christianity with figures like Origen, becoming a formal movement with the Universalist Church of America in the 18th century. However, it’s not a single denomination today.

 

• And what all three have in common

 

Three Other False Gospels That Have Compromised Our Children

• Hyper Prosperity Gospel
• Hyper-Grace Gospel
• Hyper Legalism Gospel

 

Hyper Prosperity Gospel

Does the Lord God Almighty desire His Children to be prosperous? Well, I reckon it depends on a fella’s idea of what prosperity means. If you mean material wealth over spiritual understanding, well, no! If you mean stuff over the manifest presence of God, well, no! If you mean your idea of the Gospel is to live your best life, embracing only the blessings without embracing the suffering of Christ, you have a Hyper Prosperity view of the Gospel. A view that focuses on the temporal things of the world and not the eternal things of Abba Father.

Look, I don’t care how holy you live or how much faith you have; things are going to happen. In this life, you will have trouble. We live in a fallen world, and the ground is still cursed. Sickness and disease are a part of our lives this side of eternity.  And men, by the sweat of our brow, we provide for our families. Yes, Jesus has overcome this world! Yes, we can have an abundant life. Yes, He still heals all manner of sickness and disease. Yes, He provides an abundance. But if I am seeking Him for what He can do for me and not for who He is, I am missing the point of the gospel.

 

Matthew 6:24 (NASB) “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

KJV – Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Mammon – riches (where it is personified and opposed to God).

 

Colossians 3:5-6 (NASB) So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. ⁶ Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.

Colossians 3:5 (ESV) Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

 

The prodigal son could have returned home and demanded a place back in his father’s house. He was still a son. But, in humility, he was restored. He was fully willing to accept the lowly position, and then he was exalted. Like the Greek woman with the demonized daughter, she was willing and happy to receive the crumbs that fell from the master’s table.

 

Matthew 15:24-28 (NASB) But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” ²⁶ Yet He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷ And she said, “Yes, Lord; but please help, for even the dogs feed on the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed at once.

 

In the Hyper Prosperity gospel, there is a sense of entitlement that flows from pride. And yes, there are many precious covenant promises that flow from being children purchased by the Blood of the Lamb, but those promises flow through intimacy with Jesus, which only happens through realizing our position as servants, bond servants, and literal slaves to the Cross. But, the Lord doesn’t count us as slaves, as orphans, but as adopted sons and daughters, and we, as His children, cry Abba Father.

 

Hyper-Grace Gospel

The prodigal son could have bought into the idea that, since he was a son, the Grace of God was a legitimate reason for him to remain in the pig pen. And I’m sure, while he still had some money, this was a prevalent idea amid the wild living. Aren’t we all that way in our sins? We think everything is just fine, but reality sets in when it comes time to pay the wages of our sins. Hopefully, we come to our senses, humble ourselves, repent, and return to our Father.

When repentance isn’t preached, the Cross isn’t presented in its horrific nature, and the power of the Blood isn’t shouted, you can rest assured that someone is leaning toward a hyper-grace idea of the gospel.

Hyper-Grace flows from the doctrine of eternal security, also known as once saved, always saved. This is the idea that there is no way that a truly saved person can find themselves unsaved. First, this undermines free will and is entirely opposed to the nature of the Lord. We are not saved by our works, but the progressive change in what we do and what we say is proof that we have been truly born again.

 

Hyper Legalism Gospel

Luke 15:25-32 (NASB) “Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. ²⁷ And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ ²⁸ But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. ²⁹ But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you never gave me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; ³⁰ but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ ³¹ And he said to him, ‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

 

I missed this aspect of the Prodigal Son’s story, but it is prevalent in many churches today. The elder son rejected the younger son’s repentance. I know, as a pastor who has been to prison and written a book about all his dirty laundry, most churches will never accept me. They will never acknowledge the fruit that continues to come from the church the Lord has graced me to serve. And I reckon I get it; looking at my resume, I wouldn’t hire me as a pastor either. But we aren’t called to view people naturally, are we?

Like many in the American Church, the elder son couldn’t look past the younger son’s mistakes. He got offended that his father would greet him with such compassion and joy.

The word “legalism” doesn’t occur in the Bible. However, we can see the thought of legalism throughout the Bible. Consider the religious leaders and Jesus’ interaction with them during the time He walked the earth. He was rejected, scorned, and eventually betrayed by them. He wasn’t of the right lineage, wasn’t educated by the right type of folks, and He came from the wrong part of town.

Legalism is viewing the Word of the Living God as a rule book, a comparison book, a book full of dos and don’ts. And as important as the guidelines are in the Word of God, we must settle in our minds that the Word of God is different than any other book. It is alive, full of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and powerful enough to change any called and willing individual from the inside out.

Legalism is like trying to eat a loaf of bread without any water. A fella will just get choked. Jesus, who is the Word, the Word made Flesh, the Word that dwelt amongst us, was full of both Grace and Truth. Legalism is Truth alone with no or little Grace; it is Bread alone with no or little water.

As dangerous as the doctrines of Hyper-Prosperity, Hyper-Grace, and Hyper-Legalism are, they aren’t typically heretical. Looking back on my life, I can recall times when I have been all three. The key is simple: build your entire life, meaning everything, on a desire to know Him, Jesus “THE” Christ, more and more each and every day.

Misunderstanding scripture will be a part of our Christian lives. But, if we don’t have the foundation right, the foundation that Jesus is “THE” Christ, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the absolute only way to reconcile with God, we will not endure until the end.

 

Matthew 24:11-13 (NASB) And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. ¹² And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved.

 

 

How to spot a False Church

• Discount the deity of Christ.
• You have to pay more attention to what they do not say.
• Sin, hell, and repentance aren’t common subjects preached.
• Emphasis on this world, materialism – “the spirit of mammon.”
• Emphasis on social issues without the gospel.
• Tolerant, passive on issues that will be offensive, such as homosexuality.
• They avoid the sins of the last days, fornication and sorcery.
  • Music promotes fornication, homosexuality, and the LGBTQ+ crowd.
  • TV, Movies, etc. promote Sorcery.
• They preach on the counterfeit Jesus, the Superman Jesus, the Thor Jesus, the Marvel Comic Jesus, one that is a part of the solution, one of many ways to reconcile with God, but not the Way, the Truth & the Life.

 

Billy Graham’s rejection of the Gospel and his relationship with the Roman Catholic Government.

Billy Graham Denies the True Gospel Interviewed by Robert Schuller on Hour of Power Billy Graham on the ‘Hour of Power’ show, saying that people can get to Heaven another way besides through hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then repenting and believing the Gospel.

He basically says that ‘good’ and ‘sincere’ people who know nothing about Christ are on their way to Heaven.

Here is the content of the transcript:

Dr. Schuller: “Tell me, what is the future of Christianity?”

Dr. Graham: “Well, Christianity and being a true believer, you know, I think there’s the body of Christ which comes from all the Christian groups around the world, or outside the Christian groups. I think that everybody that loves Christ or knows Christ, whether they’re conscious of it or not, they’re members of the body of Christ. And I don’t think that we’re going to see a great sweeping revival that will turn the whole world to Christ at any time. What God is doing today is calling people out of the world for His name. Whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world, or the Christian world, or the non-believing world, they are members of the body of Christ because they’ve been called by God. They may not even know the name of Jesus, but they know in their hearts they need something that they don’t have, and they turn to the only light they have, and I think they’re saved, and they’re going to be with us in heaven.”

Dr. Schuller: “What I hear you saying is that it’s possible for Jesus Christ to come into a human heart and soul and life even if they’ve been born in darkness and have never had exposure to the Bible. Is that a correct interpretation of what you’re saying?” Dr. Graham: “Yes it is because I believe that. I’ve met people in various parts of the world in tribal situations that they have never seen a Bible or heard about a Bible, have never heard of Jesus but they’ve believed in their hearts that there is a God and they tried to live a life that was quite apart from the surrounding community in which they lived.”

Dr. Schuller: “This is fantastic. I’m so thrilled to hear you say that. There’s a wideness in God’s mercy.”

Dr. Graham: “There is. There definitely is.”

1 John 4:1-3 (NLT) Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. ² This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. ³ But if someone claims to be a prophet and DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE the TRUTH about JESUS, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.

• Jesus is the Son of God.
• He is all Human and all God.
• He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life.
• That, through Christ and Christ alone, a person can be reconciled to the Lord.
• Less than 10% of sermons preached in Evangelical churches even mentioned Hell, Sin, Salvation, or Heaven.
• As many as 9 out of 10 Christians believe that there are other ways to get to heaven: Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism, etc.

 

Many Christians attending church this morning have already accepted this blasphemy, as pastors and evangelists such as Billy Graham, as well as pastor Joel Osteen, have proclaimed that good Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims can get to heaven by following the tenets of their religion. This false gospel, this doctrine of demons, is one of the prominent signs of the point to the soon rapture.