When Jesus talked with His disciples about the end times and the sign of His coming, Jesus said in Matthew 24:24, there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, それどころか, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. But what will these false Christs and false prophets and their deceiving signs and wonders look like? What does the Bible say about false Christs and false prophets?
What does the Bible say about false prophets in the Old Testament?
Not only in the New Testament do we read about false prophets. But also in the Old Testament, we read about false prophets, who God did not send.
あなたの預言者たちは、あなたのために空しく愚かなことを見てきました: そして、彼らはあなたの不義を発見しませんでした, あなたの捕らわれの身を追い払うために; しかし、あなたのために偽りの重荷と追放の原因を見てきました (哀歌 2:14)
Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord; 主なる神はこう言われる; 愚かな預言者たちに災いあれ, 自分の精神に従うもの, そして何も見ていません!
イスラエルよ, あなたの預言者たちは、荒れ野の狐のようです. あなたがたは隙間に上がっていない, どちらも、イスラエルの家が主の日の戦いに立ち向かうための垣根を作ることはできませんでした.
彼らは虚栄心と嘘つきの占いを見てきました, 言ってる, 主は言われる: そして、主は彼らを遣わされなかった: そして、彼らは他の人々に彼らが言葉を確認することを望ませました. 汝らは虚しいビジョンを見たことがない, そして、あなたがたは嘘つきの占いを話さなかった, 一方、あなたがたは言う, 主は言われる; 私は話していませんが?
それゆえ、主なる神はこう言われる; なぜなら、あなたがたは虚栄心を口にしてきたからだ, そして見た嘘, そこで, 見よ, 私はあなたに反対です, 主なる神は言う. そして、虚栄を見る預言者たちに、わたしの手が置かれるであろう, そして、その神聖な嘘: 彼らはわが民の集会に出席してはならない, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, また、彼らはイスラエルの地には入らない; そうすれば、わたしが主なる神であることを知るであろう (エゼキエル 13:2-9)
Her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, 虚栄心を見る, そして彼らに嘘を占う, 言ってる, 主なる神はこう言われる, 主が語られなかったとき (エゼキエル 22:28)
What does the Bible say about prophets in the New Testament?
In the New Testament Paul, ジョン, ピーター, ジュード (and others) warned about false prophets and false teachers. They warned the saints to be cautious
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, 誰が密かに忌まわしい異端をもたらすでしょう, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction (2 ピーター 2:1)
愛しい, すべての霊を信じるわけではない, しかし、霊が神から出ているかどうか試してみてください: なぜなら、多くの偽預言者が世に出て行くからです (1 ジョン 4:1)
Jesus warned us about false prophets and false christs
偽キリストが生じるからです, そして偽預言者, そして、大いなるしるしと不思議を示すであろう; それどころか, もし可能なら, 彼らは選ばれた者を欺くであろう. 見よ, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, 見よ, he is in the desert; go not forth: 見よ, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together(マシュー 24:24-28)
偽預言者に注意せよ, 羊の皮をかぶってあなたのところに来るもの, しかし、内面的には、彼らは貪欲なオオカミです (マシュー 7:15)
And many false prophets shall rise, そして多くの人を欺くでしょう (マシュー 24:11)
Jesus warned us of false prophets, and told us, how can we can recognize false prophets. We can recognize false prophets by the fruit they bear.
False Christs and prophets do great signs and wonders. Therefore we can’t rely upon their teachings, doctrines, 奇跡, 兆候, そして不思議.
Jesus told us that we should look at their lives and what kind of fruit they bear in their lives.
Do they walk after the Spirit according to the Word of God and keep His commandments? Do they bear the fruit of the Spirit?
Or do they walk after the flesh according to the will, lusts, and desire of the flesh? And do they bear the fruit of the flesh (works of the flesh), just like the world?
A true Shepherd vs a Wolf in sheep’s Clothing
例えば, A charismatic prophet or preacher can speak wonderful encouraging words and maybe do signs and wonders. しかし, in private, the prophet or preacher lives like the world doing the same works.
When the person experiences depression, addiction(s), watches porn, commits adultery, goes to clubs/bars, leaves his/her spouse and gets a 離婚, or is habitually living in sin and doing things that oppose the Word of God, you know that the person is not rooted and seated in Jesus Chris. The person is carnal and walks after the lusts and desires of the flesh instead of the Spirit.
When you look at the fruit, that a person produces, you know whether you’re dealing with a true shepherd or a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
How do you recognize false Christs and false prophets?
We have accepted too much garbage and false doctrines in the church. And because many Christians don’t examine the Bible themselves and are led by the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit, there is hardly any discernment anymore.
Many Christians follow their pastors, (well-known) preachers, 預言 者, and evangelists, without studying the Bible for themselves. They accept and believe their words, even if their words contradict the Word of God. (こちらもお読みください: 神を侮辱する誤った教義).
Let us be serious and watchful. Look at the fruit of the person. Do they produce the fruit of the Spirit or the flesh?
今、肉の働きが明らかになりました, これらはどれですか; 姦通, 姦淫, 汚れ, 好色さ, 偶像崇拝, 魔術, 憎しみ, 分散, エミュレーション, 怒り, 闘争, 暴動, 異端, 羨望, 殺人, 酩酊, お祭り騒ぎ, など: 前にお話ししたことのうち, 以前にもお伝えしたように, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, 平和, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, 信仰, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. そして、キリストの者である者たちは、愛情と欲望をもって肉を十字架につけた (ガラテヤ人への手紙 5:21-24)
イエスは言いました。, that this is the only way, that we can recognize and discern true and false prophets and Christs.
Jesus told us in Matthew 24:24 (also in Mark 13:22-23), that these false Christs and prophets could even deceive the very elect if Jesus didn’t warn us about them. Imagine that! These prophets seem like they are sent by God and seem devoted to God. しかし真実は, that they aren’t sent by God. Therefore be and stay watchful!
How do you recognize real from counterfeit?
The more you study the Bible; 神の言葉, the more you will get to know the real Jesus Christ. If you renew your mind with the Word of God, the easier you will discern, what is real (genuine) and what is false (a counterfeit). しかし、またしても… イエスは言いました。, the only way you will discern false Christs and prophets, is to look at their lives and the fruit they bear.
Jesus continued and said, that if these false Christs and prophets say, that the Son of man is in the desert, you should not go there, or in the secret chambers, you should not believe it. You do not have to search for Jesus in places. You shouldn’t be led by (super)natural manifestations, which can also be a counterfeit of the devil.
When Jesus returns, everyone will see Jesus, not just one person, or a few persons. He shall return at an unexpected moment. Jesus gave us the example of lightning to compare to His return. Jesus will return like a thief in the night. Therefore we should stay watchful and be ready to meet Him upon His return.
「地の塩となれ」’
