When Jesus was talking 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, 以至于, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect. What did Jesus mean? 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?
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 were not sent by God.
你的先知为你看到了徒劳而愚蠢的事情: 他们还没有发现你的罪孽, 转回你的囚禁; 但你却看到了虚假的负担和流放的原因 (哀歌 2:14)
人类之子, 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, 并且什么也没看到! 以色列, 你的先知就像沙漠中的狐狸. 你们还没有进入间隙, 没有为以色列家筑起篱笆，使他们在主的日子能在争战中站立得住. 他们看到了虚荣和谎言占卜, 说, 主说: 主并没有差遣他们: 他们让其他人希望他们证实这个词. 难道你没有看到虚幻的幻象吗？, 难道你们没有说过谎话吗？, 而你们说, 主这么说; 虽然我没有说话?
因此主神如此说; 因为你们说了虚荣的话, 并看到谎言, 所以, 看哪, 我反对你, 主神说. 我的手将加在那些看到虚空的先知身上, 和神圣的谎言: 他们不得参加我人民的集会, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, 他们不得进入以色列地; 你们就会知道我是主神 (以西结 13:2-9)
Her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, 看到虚荣, 并对他们撒谎, 说, 主上帝如此说, 当主没有说话的时候 (以西结 22:28)
False prophets in the New Testament
In the New Testament there are many warnings about false prophets and false teachers. Paul, 约翰, 彼得, 裘德 (and others) wrote about them. 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, 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
因为假基督将会兴起, 和假先知, 并要显出伟大的神迹奇事; 以至于, 如果可能的话, 他们将欺骗选民. 看哪, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, 看哪, he is in the desert; go not forth: 看哪, 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)
谨防假先知, 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, 并会欺骗许多人 (马修 24:11)
Jesus warned us of false prophets, and told us, how we can recognize false prophets. We can recognize them by the fruit they bear.
False Christs and prophets do great signs and wonders. Therefore we cannot 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 fruit they bear in their lives. Do they walk according to the Word of God, and walk in His commandments? Do they bear 圣灵的果子 or the fruit of the flesh?
例如, when a charismatic prophet or preacher, preaches wonderful encouraging sermons from the pulpit. And when (s)he does many signs and wonders, but in private, (s)he lives like the world.
When the person experiences depression, commits adultery, watches porn, goes to clubs/bars, leaves his/her spouse and gets a divorce, or is habitually living in sin, and do those things which go against 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 flesh, 而不是追随圣灵.
When you look at the fruit, which a person produces, you will know if 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 by themselves and are led by the flesh instead of being led by 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 they contradict the Word of God (另请阅读: How doctrines of devils are killing the church? 和 错误的教义是对神的侮辱.
Let us be serious and watchful and look at the fruit of the person; are the fruits they produce, fruits of the Spirit or fruits of the flesh.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, 淫乱, 不洁, lasciviousness, Idolatry, 巫术, 仇恨, variance, 仿真, 愤怒, 冲突, seditions, 异端, Envyings, murders, 酒醉, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, 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 tells us in Matthew 24:24, 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 so real, and so devoted to God, but the truth is, that they aren’t sent from 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. 如果 you renew your mind 与神的话语, 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 supernatural manifestations, which could 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 lightening to compare to His return. Jesus will return like a thief in the night, therefore we should always stay watchful and be prepared to meet Him at His return.
‘成为地球之盐’
