False Prophets

The Danger of False Prophets

The main danger of a false prophet is what they do to a church. They tear down a church with false teachings, they take advantage of the church with false motives, and they lead others astray.

False Prophets Tear Down Churches

False teachers teach doctrines that ends up frustrating people rather than preparing them for living life and preparing them for everlasting life.

False teachers will teach promises that are not found in the Bible. For example name it and claim it teach a doctrine that says you can have anything you want as long as you have enough faith. This is not Biblical. Matt. 8:20

Matthew 8:20 NASB95

Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

What Jesus was teaching the man that wanted to follow Him is that it won’t be easy. If you expect following me will be a cakewalk then you are mistaken. This is true for us today! It is not easy to follow Christ. You will face persecution and difficult times if you follow Jesus. John 16:33

John 16:33 NASB95

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Following Jesus is not easy like the prosperity preachers promise. Christians face the same hardships in life as non-Christians. Sometime they even suffer more than non-Christians John 15:20.

John 15:20 NASB95

“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

We must understand that being a Christian is not easy, however, we do have the promise that when tough times come, Jesus will walk through them with us. Heb. 13:5-6

Hebrews 13:5–6 NASB95

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

The other extreme of false teachers are those that teach that God is a strict God that is looking for us to mess up so that He can punish us. These false teachers tend to be very legalistic in their teachings. They don’t even abide by their own teachings. They are much like the Pharisees of Jesus day.

God is one who does not delight in punishing people but instead has provided a way to avoid the righteous punishment for sin. John 3:17

John 3:17 NASB95

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

2 Peter 3:9 NASB95

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

The Lord desires that everyone is saved. However if you chose to reject His way of salvation, He will punish you eternally. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to pay our sin debt. If you reject this He will judge you because of His holy righteousness. He must judge sin.

False teachers lead with false motives

False teachers attempt to take advantage of those that follow them rather than help them. Often time they lead for what they can get for themselves rather than how they can help you.

Proverbs 26:28 NASB95

A lying tongue hates those it crushes, And a flattering mouth works ruin.

Proverbs 7:21 NASB95

With her many persuasions she entices him; With her flattering lips she seduces him.

A false teacher tells people what they want to hear in order get a bigger congregation. They typically preach uplifting messages without addressing more difficult or controversial sermons.

They will talk about easy salvation, everlasting life, and the love of God. They will avoid teaching about suffering, commitment to Christ, or hell. 2 Tim. 4:3

2 Timothy 4:3 NASB95

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,

False teachers tickle the ears of their followers so they can get bigger congregations, bigger buildings, more elaborate programs, and higher salaries.

True shepherds care about the flock and teach the entirety of the Bible. They do not pursue worldly gain, but instead seek to do the will of Christ.

False teachers make false disciples

A false teacher will produce false disciples. Their disciples will teach the same false doctrine and teachings as they taught. Joseph Smith is a false teacher that has millions of false disciples known as latter day saints. Charles Russell is another false teacher that has millions of false disciples known as Jehovah witnesses. Many of of your TV evangelist that preach the prosperity gospel that pack stadiums every weekend make false disciples.

False teachers tear down churches, have false motives, and make false disciples.

How to Spot a False Prophet

Jesus says the way to spot a false prophet is by the fruit they bear. Fruit is what their life produces. False prophets do not teach the truth of the word of God, their life is not consistent with the Word of God, and they produce other false prophets

False teachers do not teach the truth of the word of God.

False teachers allow their doctrine to substantiate the Bible rather than letting the Bible substantiate their doctrine. For example, a false teacher will believe a doctrine and then try to prove it with the Bible. A true teacher allows the Bible to shape their doctrine.

Typically you will find those that are very dogmatic about second tier theology are going to be false teachers. They are more concerned about proving their doctrine right rather than seeking truth and saving souls. They may even go so far as to say if you don’t believe in their doctrine 100% then you are not saved. There will never be a doctrine that everyone agrees on.

False teachers avoid the irreducible minimums (doctrine of salvation, inerrancy of the bible, Trinity of God) to prove their second tier theology ( predestination, baptism of the Holy Spirit, church governance). True teacher focus on what we can agree on in order to win the lost for Christ.

False teachers life is not consistent with their teachings.

A false teacher does not engage in the disciplines of the faith. They do not pray, study the word of God, give, fast, serve or seek the will of the Father. They go through the motions of ministry without the relationship necessary for the ministry.

Often times you will find that these false teachers will fail morally at some point in their ministry. I’m sure you can read about several well known pastors that have fallen morally and disqualify themselves from the ministry for a season of time.

This is because they fail to pursue the Holiness of Christ in their own lives in order to minister to others. They thrive on the applause of men rather than the approval of Christ. Gal. 1:10

Galatians 1:10 NASB95

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

A true teacher is a bondservant of Christ and not a man pleaser. Paul was not seeking the approval of men when he was teaching and establishing churches. He spent time with the Lord and allowed the Lord to direct His path regardless of what others thought.

A true teacher will seek the will of God and follow it. He will not be concerned about what men may say because He is committed to Jesus.

The Destruction of a False Prophet

Jesus states that only those who do the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven. False prophets do not know the will of God, hence they cannot do the will of God. They proclaim they do the will of God by by their external efforts in the name of Jesus but they do not know the Jesus they claim to work for. Jesus is more interested in the relationship than the work.

Not Everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of God

There will be many people that face Christ, thinking that they are saved. They will base it on how they lived their lives. If they believe they were a good person and possibly even walked and isle, said a prayer, and got baptised that they are saved. This is not true. The fruit of their life shows otherwise.

For example, a person that thinks they are saved, but does not go to church and worship and serve is not saved. Am I saying that going to church and serving is what saves you? NO! What I am saying is that you cannot be saved and not desire the very organism that Jesus came to establish.

Salvation involves a relationship with Jesus!

But he who does the will of my Father

I order to do the will of the Father, then you must know the will of the Father. In order to know the will of the Father, you must know the Father. This only comes through a relationship with Jesus. John 14:6

John 14:6 NASB95

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Salvation is not mechanical. It is only through a relationship that is formed through your commitment to Christ. This commitment is made by making Jesus Lord of your life. This happens when you experience Him through your obedience to His commandments. Luke 6:46

Luke 6:46 NASB95

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?

It is easy to say that you are a Christian because of your culture, something that you did as a child, or because you are a good moral person. This does not make you a Christian. Only a relationship with Jesus makes you a Christian. Matt.7:23

Matthew 7:23 NASB95

“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

It is not what we do it is who we know. Or more importantly, does Jesus know you? Do you allow him to be a part of your every day life? Do you only call on Him when you need something? Do you just go through the motions of religious activities to make yourself feel good? Or do you have a vibrant relationship with Jesus where He knows you intimately and you know Him intimately?

Those who do not know Jesus in this life will be eternally separated from Him in the next life

Those that do not want Jesus in their lives today will not want Him in their lives forever. The Lord will give you what you want. If you want Jesus as a part of your life today, then you can have Him forever!