July 4 - Discerning False Prophets: The Test of Creed

“‘A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit’” (Matthew 7:18).

Careful examination of a false prophet’s teachings will always reveal unscriptural ideas and an absence of a solid, coherent theology. Often he will teach a combination of truth and error. But sooner rather than later his teachings will prove the sort of teacher he really is. As Jesus said to the Pharisees, “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil” (Matt. 12:34–35).

The creed of the false prophet cannot withstand any careful scrutiny by the pure light of the Word. The prophet Isaiah confirms this: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn” (Isa. 8:20).

False shepherds talk much about God’s love, but not His wrath and holiness; much about how deprived of good things people are, but not about their depravity; much about God’s universal fatherhood toward everyone, but not much about his unique fatherhood toward all who believe in His Son; much about what God wants to give to us, but nothing about the necessity of obedience to Him; much about health and happiness, but nothing about holiness and sacrifice. Their message is full of gaps, the greatest of which leaves out a biblical view of the saving gospel.

What makes us susceptible to the appealing messages of the false teachers? What are people looking for when they begin embracing error? How can we guard against this ourselves?

(Deuteronomy 13:5) The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the LORD your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt. Since they try to lead you astray from the way the LORD your God commanded you to live, you must put them to death. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.

(Isaiah 44:25) I expose the false prophets as liars and make fools of fortune-tellers. I cause the wise to give bad advice, thus proving them to be fools.

(Jeremiah 23:9) My heart is broken because of the false prophets, and my bones tremble. I stagger like a drunkard, like someone overcome by wine, because of the holy words the LORD has spoken against them.

(Jeremiah 23:28) “Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let My true messengers faithfully proclaim My every word. There is a difference between straw and grain!

(Jeremiah 23:32) I am against these false prophets. Their imaginary dreams are flagrant lies that lead My people into sin. I did not send or appoint them, and they have no message at all for My people. I, the LORD have spoken!

(Jeremiah 27:9) “’Do not listen to your false prophets, fortune-tellers, interpreters of dreams, mediums, and sorcerers who say, “The king of Babylon will not conquer you.”

(Jeremiah 27:14) Do not listen to the false prophets who keep telling you, ‘The king of Babylon will not conquer you.’ They are liars.

(Ezekiel 13:2) “Son of man, prophesy against the false prophets of Israel who are inventing their own prophecies. Say to them, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD.

(Ezekiel 13:3) This is what the Sovereign LORD says: What sorrow awaits the false prophets who are following their own imaginations and have seen nothing at all!’

(Ezekiel 14:10) False prophets and those who seek their guidance will all be punished for their sins.

(Hosea 4:5) So you will stumble in broad daylight, and your false prophets will fall with you in the night. And I will destroy Israel, your mother.

(Micah 3:5) This is what the LORD says: “You false prophets are leading My people astray! You promise peace for those who give you food, but you declare war on those who refuse to feed you.

(Zechariah 13:2) “And on that day,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will erase idol worship throughout the land, so that even the names of the idols will be forgotten. I will remove from the land both the false prophets and the spirit of impurity that came with them.

(Matthew 7:15) “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

(Matthew 24:11) And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.

(Matthew 24:24) For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.

(Mark 13:22) For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.

(Luke 6:26) What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.

(2 Peter 2:1) But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.

(1 John 4:1) Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.

(Acts 13:6) Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus.

(Revelation 16:13) And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.

(Revelation 19:20) And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

(Revelation 20:10) Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

What does God say on the matter...................

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