"For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him" (2 Pet. 2:18-19) "Late in life the Apostle of the circumcision said to his Christian friends: "there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves." (2 Pet. 2:1). His beloved brother, the Apostle of the Gentiles, gave a like warning: "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." (Acts 20:29-31). With such warnings from God's Word, we should not be surprised to find that in every age the Church of God has been tried by the deceits and errors of men, who concerning the faith were reprobate. We should expect such things, and watch, and stand firm, and not be shaken. There have always been "false brethren," and "false teachers," as there were formerly "false apostles," "false prophets," and even "false Christs." False teachers are those who teach false doctrine. Grievous wolves are they who make havoc of the flock of Christ. Such often gain advantage over weak but godly men, by teaching with zeal and clearness some important truths. These are intended to put a coat of sugar over the poisonous pills they administer. Modern Perfectionists prate much about holiness, and thus persuade men that their system cannot be bad, while yet they are sapping the very foundations of good morals. Antinomians often speak with power of the richness and freeness and sovereignty of Divine grace; and yet all the while, they are turning the grace of God into a license for sin, and making Christ the minister of sin. Men who exalt human nature, commonly urge that they are trying to give correct notions of the dignity of man, and to awaken a deep sense of responsibility. By thus mixing error with truth, men hope that their false doctrines will pass unsuspected. Let no man be deceived. The nature of falsehood is not changed by mingling it with truth. Counterfeit money often has good bills mingled with it."