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, 因此，鉴于, 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.
你的先知为你看见了虚妄和愚蠢的事情: 他们没有发现你的罪孽, 离开你的俘虏; 但已为你看见了虚假的负担和被放逐的原因 (耶利米哀歌 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; 主上帝如此说; 愚昧的先知有祸了, 追随自己的精神, 什么也没看到!
哦，以色列, 你的先知就像旷野中的狐狸. 你们还没有上到缝隙里去, 也没有为以色列家在耶和华的日子在争战中站立的篱笆.
他们看到了虚荣和撒谎的占卜, 说, 主说: 耶和华没有差遣他们: 他们使其他人希望他们会证实这个词. 你们岂不是看见了虚妄的异象吗, 你们岂不是说谎的占卜吗, 而你们却说, 耶和华说; 虽然我没有说话?
所以，耶和华神这样说; 因为你们说了虚荣的话, 和看得见的谎言, 因此, 看, 我反对你, 主神说. 我的手要放在看见虚荣的先知身上, 那个神圣的谎言: 他们不得参加我人民的大会, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, 他们也不得进入以色列地; 你们就知道我是耶和华神 (以西结 13:2-9)
Her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, 看到虚荣心, 占卜对他们撒谎, 说, 主上帝如此说, 当耶和华没有说话时 (以西结 22:28)
What does the Bible say about prophets in the New Testament?
In the New Testament Paul, 约翰, 彼得, 裘德 (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, 谁会私下带来可恶的异端邪说, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction (2 彼得 2:1)
心爱的, 不相信每一个灵魂, 但要试验那些灵是否来自上帝: 因为世界上有许多假先知 (1 约翰 4:1)
Jesus warned us about false prophets and false christs
因为必有假基督出现, 和假先知, 并要显明伟大的神迹奇事; 因此，鉴于, 如果可能的话, 他们要欺骗选民. 看哪, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, 看哪, he is in the desert; go not forth: 看, 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(马修 24:24-28)
要提防假先知, 披着羊皮来到你身边, 但内心却是掠夺性的狼 (马修 7:15)
And many false prophets shall rise, 并要欺骗许多人 (马修 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, 学说, 奇迹, 迹象, 和奇迹.
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, 欲望, and desire of the flesh? And do they bear the fruit of the flesh (works of the flesh), 就像世界一样?
A true Shepherd vs a Wolf in sheep’s Clothing
例如, A charismatic prophet or preacher can speak wonderful encouraging words and maybe do signs and wonders. 然而, in private, the prophet or preacher lives like the world doing the same works.
When the person experiences depression, 瘾(s), watches porn, 犯奸淫罪, goes to clubs/bars, leaves his/her spouse and gets a 离婚, 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) 传教士, 先知, and evangelists, without studying the Bible for themselves. They accept and believe their words, even if their words contradict the Word of God. (另请阅读: 错误的教义是对神的侮辱).
Let us be serious and watchful. Look at the fruit of the person. Do they produce the fruit of the Spirit or the flesh?
现在肉体的行为已经显露出来, 这是哪些; 通奸, 淫乱, 不洁, 淫荡, Idolatry, 巫术, 仇恨, variance, 仿真, 愤怒, 冲突, seditions, 异端邪说, Envyings, 谋杀, 醉态, revellings, 诸如此类: 我之前告诉过你的, 正如我过去也告诉过你的, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, 喜悦, 和平, 长期受苦的, gentleness, goodness, 信仰, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (加拉太书 5:21-24)
耶稣说, 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. 但事实是, 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; 神的话语, 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). 但再一次… 耶稣说, 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.
‘成为地球之盐’
