(Mat 7:15-20 KJV)  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening  wolves.   Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?   Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

 

A prophets is one that speaks for God. He is to simply speak God's word, what the mouth of the Lord directed him to say. But a false prophet pronounced what comes from his own heart, rather than what comes from the mouth of the Lord.

 

 

(Ezek 3:17 KJV)  Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

 

 (Jer 23:16 KJV)  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD

 

The test for a prophet in Deuteronomy 18:22:    If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him

 

To recognize false prophets, we must examine the way they live and their messages. Does their character conform to Christ and His teaching? Do they proclaim the word of God or doctrine of men? Do they say only what the people want to hear or do they teach the genuine word of God? 

The New Testament test is 2 John 1:9  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.   If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed :  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Our question above Does their character conform to Christ and His Teaching? The test is are they teaching about Jesus and what Jesus  taught? To transgress is to go contrary to, Doctrine is instruction, training. So is their teaching going contrary to what Jesus taught? To abide is to stay in, continue in Jesus teaching. So you have to abide in the teaching of Christ, his doctrine. To transgress that is to violate, not keep his teaching, to not do what Jesus said is to NOT have God the Father or Jesus the Son, if you do not have Jesus you’re NOT SAVED.

For a more In-depth teaching on The Doctrine of Christ
  

 

 

How can we test for false prophets? First of all doctrinally. They must say that Jesus, God’s Son, has come in the flesh. False prophets and teachers will never make this profession.  When ones teaching is out of harmony with the Word of God, the teachings of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will make your spirit uneasy bring you an unrest within, if you have your senses exercised to discern the truth and have not seared or defiled your conscience. Note if you are in sin, walking after the flesh the unrest could be the conviction of th Holy Spirit on your life. When David was walking in sin he said in Psalm 32:3-5

When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.  For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. 

The hand of the Lord was heavy upon David until he acknowledged his sin and confessed it unto the Lord. When Nathan the prophet came to David in 2 Sam 12 and gave him the parable, David got greatly angered and said  "the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold"   You need to note that David went way overboard on his judgment, the law only required the man to restore the lambs, but not that the man die. So why did David go way overboard on his judgment? It is because when one is under the conviction of the Holy Spirit for their sin they lash out at others are more judgmental.

So if you are in sin, walking after the flesh the unrest could be the conviction of th Holy Spirit on your life be careful that you are not being to judgmental on the prophet of God. We read in Galatians 6:1 that we that are spiritual are to restore those that are sining, Jesus said it this way " first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" Jesus also said in Mat 7:1-5 to be careful what measure you use, there is only one just measure and that is the purer word of God. 

This may have been a little rabbit trail, but we need to know we are to restore one another. When we see and hear a man of God and we judge what is being taught by the Word of God, it is not to destroy. We need to make shire we are seeing right. That we have separate the precious from the vile; that which is right from that which is wrong. You need to be a clean vessel before the Lord, in order to see clearly. Now lets go to the next step in How can we test for false prophets?

The next way to test them is by their lifestyle. Are they still living in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boasting of what he has. Or has he put of the old man and his deeds.

 

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

  

 (1 John 4:1-6 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.    Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:   And 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.  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.   They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.   We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

  
 

(1 John 2:16 KJV)  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 
 

The use of Scripture

 

(2 Tim 3:16 KJV)  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

 

Scripture is adequate to protect us from false teaching and to strengthen us.

The Word of God is useful for:

(1) “Teaching”   a general word;

(2) “Rebuking”   a word associated with convicting of sin or error

(3) “Correcting”   a term that means restoring to an upright or original condition

(4) “Training”   rearing a child by training and guiding him in how to live.

With this, we have all we need to equip us for good works.

 

(2 Tim 4:2,3 KJV)  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

 

Sound doctrine will all ways line up with the Word of God. It will not be taken out of context and it always promotes holy living. Sound doctrine is expressed not only in ones confession of faith and belief but also in a persons life; fruitful living, and holy living are a must. We need to be careful that we are listening to the whole counsel of God and not just some pet peas; teachings.

1 Peter 4:11,    "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God."

In other words, we are to speak what the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent. We must identify Bible truths by the Bible and do what the Bible says in the way that the Bible says to do them. To do this we must get rid of all the manuals, creeds, disciplines, and confessions men have written and follow only what we can read in the Bible, the Bible is our only guidebook.

Matthew 15:8-9    This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.


The doctrines of men will keep us from the truth.


Tts 1:14    Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

   

Jesus spoke of recognizing false prophets
by their bitter fruit.

  

(Mat 7:21-23 KJV)   Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that  doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.   Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

 

Jesus said that some will call Him Lord and not enter heaven. It is not the profession of Jesus and doing mighty works for Him that saves a person. It is not the hearers of the word that are justified but the doers of the word. Doing the Lord's work with out a holy life is vane. One must live a Holy life, of love and humble obediences to be a servant of Jesus.

  

Fruitfulness Consistently used of acts which flow from and reveals ones character.

 

 

(Mat 12:33 KJV)  Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

(Mat 12:33 NLT)  "A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad.

 

 Throughout the Word, fruit is often a symbol of God's transforming work within believers. While our relationship with God is in secret, the product of that relationship is highly visible, fruit; one character.

 

Jesus spoke of recognizing people by their bitter fruit.

 

(Mat 12:34 KJV)  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

(Mat 12:34 NLT)  You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.

 

(Mat 12:35 KJV)  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

(Mat 12:35 NLT)  A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart.

 

(Mat 12:36 KJV)  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

(Mat 12:36 NLT)  And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak.

 

 

Idle word are “careless words”  they are words that slip out when you speak casually to your family, coworkers, or friends. What is in  your heart will come out your mouth.  Be filled with good treasure; the word  of God, allow the love of God to flow trow you.

 

(Mat 12:37 KJV)  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

(Mat 12:37 NLT)  The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."

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