Warren W. Wiersbe states, "False teachers are the devil's missionaries." According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "bait and switch" is "the ploy of offering a person something desirable to gain favor then thwarting expectations with something less desirable." In a similar way, false teachers use biblical terminology to gain the trust of their hearers, then they perform the switcheroo and teach beliefs that are contrary to the Word of God. Peter presents an example of this bait and switch used by false teachers in 2 Peter chapter 2, where we find three warnings about false teachers.

Beware of their deceptive words. 2 Peter 2:3 reads, "By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words..." 2 Peter 2:18 reads, "For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error." 2 Peter 2:19 reads, "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage." False teachers promise liberty but produce bondage. This is a bait and switch with eternal consequences.

Beware of their destructive works. 2 Peter 2:1-2 reads, "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed." They "walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries. . . these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption... They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children" (2 Peter 2:10, 12, 13b-14a). False teachers practice and promote gross immorality.

Beware of their defective worship. 2 Peter 2:15-16 reads, "They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet." Numbers 22-24 reveals Balaam's defective worship. False teachers present and proclaim an evil form of worship that God abhors and will judge. Do you know the difference between defective and dynamic worship? Jesus said in John 4:24, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

In these days of great deception, you need godly discernment. May you, believer, beware of bait and switch!

Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, of Robertsdale, is the author of "Don't Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah.