Anyone who goes beyond and will not continue abiding in the biblical doctrine of Christ has abandoned God. Believers, on the other hand, must continue abiding in the doctrine of Christ to have fellowship with the Father and the Son. Believers are to have nothing to do with anyone who claims authority as a teacher but who is not sound concerning the doctrine of Christ. Such a person is not to be given religious recognition of any kind, because to do so would mean that the believers would then share in his evil deeds. To pray for God s blessing on such a false teacher is expressly forbidden, and to do so is to ask God to bless apostasy and heresy.
Grace be with thee.
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. The evidence that he was a false prophet would be that he would seek to lead the people astray from the true God. Purity of life must be accompanied by purity of doctrine. These false teachers discouraged backslidden people from repentance by telling them that peace was on the way.