Misrepresentation: The Favorite Tactic of Counterfeit Christians.

A message to Believers…

There is a particular brand of dishonesty that thrives within religious circles, and it is the deliberate misrepresentation of scripture, truth, and even God Himself. It is wielded by those who wish to manipulate faith for their own agendas, often under the guise of righteousness. It is used as a weapon to justify bigotry, enforce self-serving doctrines, and obscure the accountability that scripture demands.

Misrepresentation comes in three forms. First, there is misrepresentation in general—the act of twisting facts, spreading falsehoods, and corrupting truth. Second, there is misrepresentation of the word of God—the cherry-picking, distortion, and outright abuse of scripture to serve personal motives rather than divine intent. Finally, there is misrepresentation of God Himself—painting Him as a mere tool for human biases rather than understanding His true nature.

Before anyone tries to pretend this is debatable, let’s break it down using definitions from English, Hebrew, and Greek, followed by biblical warnings from both the Old and New Testaments.

Definitions of Misrepresentation:

In English, misrepresentation is defined as the action or offense of giving a false or misleading account of the nature of something. It is not simply misunderstanding—it is the intentional warping of truth, whether by negligence or deceit.

In Hebrew, the word sheqer translates to falsehood, lie, deception, or deceit. Another term, te’ur mesulaf, refers to a distorted or falsified description. These words convey the severity of twisting reality, especially when it is done intentionally.

In Greek, several words capture the essence of misrepresentation. Parapoiisi refers to falsification or distortion, diastrevlosi means twisting or perversion of truth, and paramorfosi relates to misleading alteration or deformation. Regardless of the language, misrepresentation is a corrupt act, and scripture wastes no time condemning it.

Misrepresentation and the Old Testament’s Warnings…

Misrepresentation in General:

Exodus 20:16 – “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

False testimony isn’t just an ethical misstep—it’s a fundamental betrayal of justice. It poisons relationships, undermines integrity, and directly opposes the moral order that God has established.

Proverbs 12:22 – “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.”

Dishonesty isn’t a minor flaw. According to scripture, it is an abomination, something God detests outright. Truth reflects His righteousness, while deception corrupts moral integrity.

Leviticus 19:11 – “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.”

Notice that lying is lumped together with theft. This is not coincidental falsehood is an act of robbery, depriving others of truth and trust.

Misrepresentation of the Word of God:

Jeremiah 23:16 – “This is what the Lord of armies says: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility; they speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord.'”

False teachers do not speak for God. They fabricate visions, corrupt scripture, and lead people astray under the pretense of divine authority.

Deuteronomy 4:2 – “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I am commanding you.”

There is no room for manipulation when it comes to God’s word. Altering it is an act of corruption, whether adding personal bias or stripping away inconvenient truths.

Misrepresenting God Himself:

Isaiah 5:20 – “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”

Twisting morality is just as dangerous as outright blasphemy. To misrepresent righteousness is to undermine everything God stands for.

Misrepresentation and the New Testament’s Rebuke…

Misrepresentation in General:

Matthew 7:15 – “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

There is nothing more dangerous than people who pretend to be godly but are corrupt at their core. Deception disguised as holiness is one of the most insidious forms of misrepresentation.

Acts 5:3-4 – “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the proceeds of the land?'”

This passage makes one thing clear—lying to God is not just deception. It is spiritual self-destruction.

Misrepresentation of the Word of God:

2 Peter 3:16 – “As also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”

Twisting scripture isn’t just misguided—it leads to ruin. Corrupting God’s truth for personal gain has consequences.

Misrepresenting God Himself:

Romans 1:21-23 – “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless hearts were darkened.”

Claiming to be wise while rejecting truth leads only to folly. Misrepresenting God erodes faith itself.

The Importance of Context:

Now, let’s address one of the greatest sins of biblical misrepresentation—ignoring context. Posting a single verse like it’s a self-contained argument is one of the laziest, least educated ways to handle scripture. A verse is part of a chapter, a chapter is part of a book, and a book belongs to a broader theological theme. Cherry-picking is not only irresponsible—it is downright deceptive.

Scripture was not written as isolated sentences floating in a vacuum. Context provides historical, linguistic, and doctrinal accuracy. If someone refuses to acknowledge the full scope of scripture and its complexity, then they are not defending faith—they are parroting a half-baked interpretation based on personal bias.

The Consequences of Misrepresentation:

There is no justification for twisting truth, corrupting God’s word, or misrepresenting God Himself. The consequences are severe.

Misrepresenting truth leads to corruption. Misrepresenting scripture leads to deception. Misrepresenting God leads to condemnation.

If God is truth, then all truth—whether found in scripture or reason—must point back to Him. If someone actively chooses deception over accuracy, they are not a disciple. They are a fraud.

End of discussion.