False Teachers

If someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

1 John 4:3-4

OUR WORLD IS filled with so-called prophets. Some of them even appear to teach God’s Word. Many, if you look deeper, appear to be genuinely interested in making the world a better place and helping believers grow in grace.

But watch out. Find out what such people believe about Jesus. Do they claim he is God incarnate, God in human flesh? Do they believe that he died for the sins of the world and that by faith in him we receive eternal life? Or do they say we have to do this and do that to get such a gift? Do they say Jesus rose physically from the dead? Or do they say something else—that Jesus was just a spirit or that he rose from the dead on some spiritual plane but not in our world? Last, do they claim Jesus is coming again? Do those claiming to be prophets believe these things, or are they people we should be wary of?

False prophets are very subtle and devious. If ever you wonder if you have met one, find out what he or she says about Jesus. That will be the testing point. But make sure you get the exact words. They will deceive you and sometimes even lie. God’s promise is that he will not allow such people to be victorious over you.