Bible Studies

Beware Of False Prophets

by Cindy Wyatt
03/15/19
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This lesson is about how there are many false prophets and heretics in the world today.  Many people think that heretics are only preachers in false religions, like Catholics, or Methodists, or Seventh Day Adventists, or Mormons, but the truth is there are many heretics in supposedly independent fundamental Baptist churches.  That is why it is so important to be on guard of these false prophets and know what to look out for.  The bible even warns us that there will be false brethren among us who will bring in damnable heresies.  II Peter 2:1(KJV): But 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.

Notice, it says shall, not might, but shall be among you. They are among us, not in the church down the street that we know is a false religion, but they are among us, right here in our churches.  That is why the bible says so much about it, and that is why it is important to read your bible, so you will know the truth and not be led astray by false teachers.

They are also called wolves in sheeps clothing.

Matthew 7:15(KJV): Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19: Every tree that bringeth forth not good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20: Wherefore by their fruits shall ye know them.

They look so nice on the outside, but inwardly they are wolves who do not care about God's people, the sheep.

Verse 16 says we will know false prophets by their fruit. Many people use this verse to say we can know if people are saved or not by their fruits, but this is not talking about judging if a person is saved or not; it is about judging if someone is a false teacher or not.

The good fruit comes by a true saved man of God who preaches the pure word of God and the true gospel of Christ dying for our sins on the cross and rising again so that we can be saved by his mercy and grace, which results in the good fruit of people getting saved.

The corrupt tree which brings forth evil fruit is the fruit from false prophets who teach lies about salvation that will damn souls to hell, such as saying you have to repent of all your sins to be saved or that you have to surrender everything you have to Christ and be his disciple and follow him to be saved.  That is what is called works salvation, and the bible teaches very plainly that we are saved by faith only and nothing else. Anyone who teaches that you have to do anything other than trust Christ to be saved is an unsaved false prophet who will end up going to hell.

Ephesians 2:8(KJV): For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves:it is the gift of God. 

9: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The false prophets who teach lies and twist scriptures around to deceive people are actually preaching for Satan, as you can see from the following verses.

II Corinthians 11:13(KJV): For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14: And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15: Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

So do you see how Satan looks like an angel of light.  That is why so many false preachers are the nicest people you would ever want to meet, kind, and friendly, but they are teachings lies so we have to avoid them like the plague.

Also in Acts chapter 20 there is scripture that talks about how these wolves shall enter in.

Acts 20:28(KJV): Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

29: For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

30: Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

So you see in verse 28 that good preachers are to feed the flock of God's children because in verses 29 and 30 grievous wolves shall enter in to try to lead them astray.  Also, note how it says the wolves are among us. They are in our own circle of churches, but when we find out they are spreading lies and teaching heresies, we must avoid them.  Of course, we don't all have to agree on minor things in the bible, but when it comes to major things like how to get saved, that is the kind of false teaching that we must separate ourselves from and depart from.

There have always been false teachers in every time and age. One very notable and popular false teacher of our day is John MacArthur. There is even a study bible called the John MacArthur Study Bible.  He teaches both of the false doctrines mentioned above about repenting of your sins in order to be saved and also lordship salvation, or surrendering everything you have to Jesus in order to be saved. The bible clearly teaches that the only thing we have to do to be saved is to believe on Jesus and receive the free gift of salvation.  Belief means to actually trust in what Jesus did on the cross for us and paid for our sins, and put all your faith in him.  John 3:16(KJV): For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.  In Acts 16:30-31(KJV), it says this "And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  Any preacher who says you have to do anything other than trust Christ is a false prophet.  He also denies that the blood of Christ is necessary in the plan of salvation, that it is just his death that matters.  But that is not true because all through the bible it talks about the blood of Christ to save us. Jesus' blood is very important as noted below.

Hebrews 9:22(KJV): And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Ephesians 2:12(KJV): That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

Jesus washes us with his blood when we put our trust in him to save us. It is not repenting of our sin that saves us, but when we trust Jesus to save us he cleanses our heart with his blood.

Also, the bible says that in the last days, meaning getting close to the time when the tribulation and Christ's second coming will be, that there will be many false prophets in the world.

Matthew 24:11(KJV): And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Remember that just because someone opens a bible and starts teaching does not mean that we should believe everything they say.  False teachers are what the bible calls deceivers. They twist scriptures to teach their false doctrines and to deceive people.

Romans 16:17(KJV): Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

18: For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

This is why we must be alert at all times and try the spirits whether they be of God.

I John 4:1(KJV): Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

To be alert we must search the scriptures daily to see if the things we hear being taught are true or not.

Acts 17:11(KJV): These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

In other words, the best way to listen to preaching or a sermon is to go home and look up all the scriptures you can about that subject and see if the preaching is true to what the bible says or not. We are to compare scripture with scripture and not just take one verse out of context.

In conclusion, test everything you hear and try it.  Don't just believe everything you hear some preacher say, but base all your beliefs on the bible.  Have a bible reason for everything that you believe.  Be strong and stedfast in your beliefs so that you can identify the wolves and flee from them and their teachings.

I John 4:1(KJV): Beloved, believed not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.