Peter’s words seem particularly relevant to those elders who have been called to teach in God’s church (1 Timothy 5:17). Ministers of the Word must carefully study Scripture to ensure that they are teaching what God wants his people to hear and not their own ideas. Likewise church councils must be careful about who they allow to preach. Lots of people want to teach and influence the direction taken by God’s church but that desire does not mean someone has a right. This is one reason why Reformed churches have historically guarded the pulpit, only allowing ordained ministers to preach and in their absence, arranging for an elder to do a reading sermon.
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.