False prophets

Peter warned that just as there were false prophets in Old Testament times, “there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies…” (2 Peter:2:1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
See All...). The Apostle John declared that already in his day “many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John:4:1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
See All...). How much more must we beware of false prophets, as the prophesied last-days apostasy reaches its climax in preparing the world and a false church for the Antichrist. Knowing, loving, and obeying God’s Word is the only sure way not to be led astray.

Any one of the Bible’s six marks of false prophets is sufficient identification: 1) through signs and wonders they lead astray after false gods (Deuteronomy:13:1-4 [1] If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, [2] And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; [3] Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. [4] Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
See All...); 2) their prophecies don’t come to pass (Deuteronomy:18:20-22 [20] But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. [21] And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? [22] When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
See All...); 3) they contradict God’s Word (Isaiah:8:20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
See All...); 4) they bear bad fruit (Matthew:7:18-20 [18] A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. [19] Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. [20] Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
See All...); 5) all men speak well of them (Luke:6:26Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
See All...); 6) they deny that Jesus, the one and only Christ, has come once and for all in the flesh (1 John:4:3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
See All...).

How tragic that God’s personal letter of love and guidance to His own is so neglected today by those who call themselves Christians!

Dave Hunt, The Berean Call, March 1997