Topical Study-BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS
The Rise Of False Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ says “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
The Lord specifically warned us here that, “And Jesus answered and said to them: Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many”.
Matt. 24:4-84And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you.5For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Today we see many advanced or even developing countries in the world are in turmoil and their people are living in misery. Each nation seeks victory by deceiving and inciting the people to revolt through civil wars and launching attacks on one another.
2Cor. 11:13-1513For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.14And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Mark 13:22 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Similarly, there are false prophets in the spiritual world. Apostle Paul says “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness,….”
Why Do False Christs Arise?
Rev. 12:9-129So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.10Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.12Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."
The Bible also says:
1Tim. 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
When many natural disasters and man-made calamities happen and cause anxiety among the people, the Devil will take the opportunity to rise and deceive the world through heresies and cults.
Gal. 2:4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),
2Cor. 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
1Pet. 2:8LP …. They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
Matt. 6:22-2322"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.23But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Today, many Christians feel that they are unable to overcome sin because they do not possess the Holy Spirit. As such, the number of believers who desire the Holy Spirit earnestly is increasing day by day. When they hear a new prophet arises who is able to perform wonders and miracles with the witnessing of the Holy Spirit, the believers will be convinced that he is a prophet of the last days. These believers are unable to discern right from wrong and many will be deceived blindly.
However, the Bible warns us that because God wants to test believers whether they will be able to discern signs and wonders performed by false prophets and remain steadfast in faith, we should take heed and not believe blindly.
Apostle Paul too says:
2Cor. 11:4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a dif erent spirit which you have not received, or a dif erent gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
How Do We Recognise False Prophets?
A false Christ or prophet will fulfil any of the following characteristics:
1. Preaches A Different Gospel From The Apostles
Gal. 1:6-96I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a dif erent gospel,7which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
2. Preaches Not According To The Bible
Isa. 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Matt. 15:8-98’These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honour Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.9And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ “
3. Preaches What Is Falsely Called Knowledge
1Cor. 1:18-2018For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.19For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”20Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
2Pet. 3:16LP-1716…., which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.17You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
1Tim. 6:20-2120O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—21by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.
4. Preaches and Exalts Oneself
2Cor. 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
1Tim. 6:3-53If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,4he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,5useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
Conclusion
1John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Presently, there are many who claim to be prophets chosen by God. They also claim to have the testimony of the Holy Spirit, the ability to perform miracles as well as spiritual powers.
However, we must not instantly believe them but test the spirit, whether they are of God because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Heb. 3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
Eph. 4:13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Therefore, our spiritual brothers and sisters must grow up in faith. We should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, which will hinder our faith.
Everyone must have spiritual enlightenment to be able to discern right from wrong and to distinguish between true and false prophets so that we will not lose the precious blessing of eternal life.
(From the Holy Spirit Times – 15.05.1965)
