How do "prophets prophesy falsely" in Jeremiah 5:31 relate to today's false teachings?

◄ Jeremiah 5:31 vs. today's false teachings? ►

“ ‘The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so; but what will you do in the end?’ ”

traits of the false prophets then

• Claimed divine authority while delivering their own opinions (Jeremiah 14:14)

• Promised peace when judgment was looming (Jeremiah 6:14)

• Downplayed sin, flattering the people instead of calling for repentance (Jeremiah 23:16-17)

• Partnered with leaders who liked the popularity boost (Jeremiah 5:31b)

mirroring patterns in today’s false teaching

• Self-appointed voices who place personal intuition or cultural trends above Scripture

• Teaching that God exists mainly to enhance health, wealth, or self-esteem (2 Peter 2:3)

• Redefining sin to fit the moral climate, avoiding the call to repentance (Isaiah 30:10-11)

• Undermining Christ’s exclusivity—suggesting many paths lead to God (John 14:6)

• Offering “feel-good” messages that avoid hard truths; “they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

why “my people love it so” then—and now

• Comfortable messages soothe the conscience

• Social acceptance feels easier than obedience

• Material promises appeal to fleshly desires

• Cultural pressure silences dissenting voices

• Spiritual laziness prefers spoon-fed positivity over diligent study (Hebrews 5:11-14)

consequences of embracing the counterfeit

• Spiritual blindness—“If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14)

• Moral collapse—“Their word will spread like gangrene” (2 Timothy 2:17)

• Sudden judgment—“Swift destruction upon themselves” (2 Peter 2:1)

• Eternal loss—“I never knew you; depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23)

tests for discerning truth from error

• Scriptural alignment—Acts 17:11 commends believers who “examined the Scriptures daily”

• Christ-centered focus—1 John 4:2-3 links true teaching to a right confession of Jesus

• Doctrinal consistency—Galatians 1:8 warns against any “gospel contrary” to the apostolic one

• Ethical fruit—“You will recognize them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:16)

• Accountability—biblical teachers welcome correction (Proverbs 9:8-9)

practical safeguards for the church today

• Saturate the mind with the whole counsel of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

• Stay rooted in a biblically faithful local fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25)

• Cultivate discernment through the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14-15)

• Measure every teaching—blog, podcast, conference, song—by Scripture’s plumb line

• Encourage one another to stand firm in truth spoken in love (Ephesians 4:14-15)