bibleprophecyaswritten.com HOW TO SPOT A FALSE PROPHET Part 2 by Phillip Goodman , https://bibleprophecyaswritten.com/ copyright, Phillip Goodman TKC Newsletter, Jul - Aug 2006 "And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.” (Mat 24:11) Jesus Refutes All False Prophets IN ONE VERSE Every false prophet, every false religion, rejects Jesus Christ as God in the person of the Son of God. But the Name of Jesus commands a fear and respect from them all, just as Jesus elicited fear and respect from even the unbelieving demons, ...and crying out with a loud voice, [the demon] said, "What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!" For [Jesus] had been saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" (Mk 5:6 - 8) It is this fear and respect of Jesus Christ that, in my opinion, makes John 4:10 the most powerful Scripture for refuting a false prophet — and thus any false religion. This verse contains the essentials of the Gospel. And it is in the very words of Jesus. The context is the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." (John 4:10) Jesus & The Samaritan Woman “If you knew the gift of God, and Who [I am]...you would ask...and I would give you Eternal Life” John 4:10 Jesus Refutes All False Prophets IN ONE VERSE continued In one verse, Jesus' own words presenting the Gospel, can also expose false prophets and false religions. The essentials: 1. "If you knew...” — knowledge of Jesus and the Gospel comes from the Bible Alone , which false prophets deny. 2. “the gift of God...” — Eternal Life is a gift, not something earned. (see “ Gift ,” below) 3. “and who it is ...” — ”Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15) is central to the Gospel; false prophets deny Jesus is God the Son and Savior, while He Himself affirms it. (see “ Who ,” below) 4. ”you would have asked Him...” — one can repent and ask Jesus for forgiveness and Eternal Life. 5. “He would have given you...” — Eternal Life is given as a gift by Jesus, not earned. 6. “living water." — Living Water is Eternal Life (v14). The verse serves both to witness to the Gospel and to counter false prophets. For example ...read on... Jesus Refutes All False Prophets IN ONE VERSE continued TO THE MUSLIM: Jesus said that if you ask Him, He will give you Eternal Life. Jesus said it is His gift to you. Muhammad can’t do that. Allah can’t do that. TO THE MORMON: They teach, “We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.” ( Articles of Faith , 3) But Jesus says Eternal Life is “the gift of God.” (Rom 6:23 TO THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESS: They teach, “Jesus Christ is not One God with the Father .” ( Make Sure Of All Things , p. 485) But Jesus says "If you knew...who it is,” speaking of His identity as essential to Eternal Life, and then in John 20:28 - 29 accepts Thomas’ identification of Him as “Lord and God.” TO THE CATHOLIC: They teach , “We can merit for ourselves and others all the graces needed to attain eternal life.” ( Catechism Of The Catholic Church , paragraph 2027) But Jesus says, “you would have asked Him, and He would have given you” Eternal Life! John 4:10 is the One - Verse standard given by the Savior Himself by which we can “know them by their fruit.” “If You Had Known WHO!” Jesus told the Samaritan woman that "If you knew ... Who it is [Himself]” who was speaking to her she could ask and He would give her eternal life. (John 4:10) The question of WHO Jesus is, then, is essential to salvation. When Jesus asked His disciples “But who do you say that I am?" , it was the most important question ever asked in the annals of history. The answer to this question is one of two responses that determine the destiny for every person ever born. (for the second, see “Gift,” below) The Bible shows Jesus to be God the Son through the association of His nature with the attributes of God, through His miracles, the resurrection, and through His use of divine prerogatives (forgiving sin, etc.) But did Jesus ever SAY that He is the One God in the person of the Son of God? YES! Let’s begin with Peter’s answer to Jesus’ question “But who do you say that I am?“ The two most important questions asked of every human being are also the two most important criteria to test the “Fruits [message]” of a Prophet [Spiritual Leader]”: 1. “But who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:15) 2. “What must I do to be saved?” ( Acts 16:30) “If You Had Known WHO!” continued And Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Now look at Jesus’ response to Peter’s answer, And Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:15 - 17) Jesus said that only God Himself could reveal the true answer to that question, and Peter GOT IT RIGHT! But what exactly does the title “Son of God” mean? Again, we have Jesus’ response, this time to the unbelieving Jews, The Jews took up stones ... Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God ." Jesus answered them...do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God' ? (John 10:31 - 36) Here Jesus answered the charge that He was guilty of blasphemy, making Himself out to “be God,” Notice “If You Had Known WHO!” continued that in His answer He equated His declaration “I am the Son of God” with “[You] make Yourself out to be God." Therefore, another way of saying “the Son of God” would be “God the Son” (similar to “God the Father” ). “But who do you say that I am?" The Sanhedrin at the trial of Jesus posed their unbelieving answer in the form of this question, "Are You the Son of God, then?" Jesus’ answer — " Yes, I am." Their response — ”For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth." (Luke 22:70 - 71) Remember, these Jewish religionists knew that “the Son of God” was equated with “God.” Furthermore, to the Samaritan woman, Jesus said that He was the Messiah, The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming ...when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." (John 4:25 - 26) The Messiah is called “God” in Isaiah and personally identified as one with the “Father,” For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God , “If You Had Known WHO!” continued Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) Jesus also said He was God to Thomas and the other disciples after His resurrection. This is the single most important verse in Scripture where Jesus flat - out says that He is God. This verse should be readily employed in both witnessing and pointing out the heresy of False Prophets! Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed." (John 20:28 - 29) Note that Jesus promises you and I (we have not seen Jesus!) that we are “Blessed” if we believe the same thing that Thomas said to Jesus — "My Lord and my God!" To the cultist and False Prophet we say, “Deny WHO Jesus is if you insist, but as for me, when I say to Jesus "My Lord and my God!", Jesus says to me, “Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed." Yes, Jesus !!! Note that Jesus promises you and I, ⚫ w ho have not seen Jesus ⚫ that we are “Blessed” if we believe the same thing that Thomas said to Jesus — "My Lord and my God!" “If You Had Known THE GIFT of GOD!” Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “If you knew the Gift of God,” she could ask for it. (John 4:10) This is the answer to the question in Acts 16:30 - 31, “What must I do to be saved?” (one of the two most important questions for every individual; see “Who” above for the other) The answer — “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved,” essentially the same answer that was given to the Samaritan woman. (Note that believing WHO Jesus is, is essential to receiving the GIFT of salvation!) Here is another place where we have the direct statement from Jesus that salvation is a free GIFT, “Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink...of living water.” (John 7:37 - 38) Jesus was quoting Isaiah 55:1, which goes on to say, “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters... without money and without cost.” And again, in the very words of Jesus Himself, “let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost ” (Revelation 22:17) A GIFT UNEQUALED! TESTING THE FRUIT of “Prophets” When Jesus said “You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15 - 16), the question naturally arises, “What are their fruits?” We learned earlier (in Part 1) that their “fruits” are both (1) their message, and (2) their actions. Most often, it is their message that will be apparent to us. But what exactly is the content of their message that is to be judged in terms of “good” or “bad” fruit? To answer that, we must first answer the question, “What is the central message of the Bible that affects every person ever born?” The answer is best framed in two questions posed by the Bible itself! 1. "But who do you say that I am?" (Jesus, Matthew 16:15) 2. "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Philippian Jailor, Acts 16:30 ) Since the Biblical Gospel, by which the destiny of every single human being is determined, answers these two questions, then the answer the Biblical Gospel provides is the most important criteria by which a “prophet’s” message (fruit) must be judged. Does the prophet, the religion, or the teaching declare TESTING THE FRUIT of “Prophets” continued that Jesus is God (see ‘ Who ,” above) and that Salvation is a Gift (see “ Gift ,” above) received through faith alone? Every other issue is secondary. A false prophet will try to deceive by making secondary issues primary. But we must insist on sticking with that issue that matters the most to every person, bar none! You will indeed “ know them by their fruits ” when the false prophets deny Who Jesus Really Is and/or How We Are Saved By Jesus. (Another important criteria for discerning false prophets is found in Deu 18:20 - 22; the prophesied event must come true, and if it does, it still must point people to the God of the Bible and cannot contradict any part of the Word Of God) BELIEVERS in the CHURCH FALSE PROPHETS Wolves in Sheep’s clothing "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (Mat 7:15) “The whole sacrifice mentality needs to be expelled from Christianity” Episcopal Bishop Spong, Q&A, May 2006 (Note the cross he’s wearing!) 3 SATAN ANGEL of LIGHT appears as ANGEL of LIGHT 2 Cor 11:14 “HOLY” DISGUISES Satan appears as an Angel of Light (2 Cor 11:14); False Prophets appear as Wolves in Sheep’s clothing (Mat 7:15 BELOW: Satan’s Path to False Prophets 1 2 My friend, if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, then remember daily to thank Him, and tell others, so they also may know Jesus as their Savior. If you do not know Jesus as your personal Savior, here’s how you can. Peter was asked a question and gave this answer, ONE SIMPLE, COMPLETE QUESTION — ..."Sirs, what must I do to be saved?“ (Acts 16:30 ONE SIMPLE, COMPLETE ANSWER — ..."Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved ... Acts 16:30 Friend, if you want the Eternal Life Jesus offers, believe in Him and ask Him, and He will give it to you as 1 — a free gift, (Rom 6:23) 2 — immediately, (John 5:24) 3 — and irreversibly! (John 10:28) Yours in Christ, Phillip Goodman https://bibleprophecyaswritten.com/