Are You an Easy Prey for False Prophets?

False prophets abound. Jesus warned us

Holly Pivec writes in the Spirit of Error blog: Are You Easy Prey for False Prophets?

The Bible is clear: false prophets are wolves that devour unsuspecting sheep.

Jesus said: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)

And the apostle Paul had this to say about false teachers.

“I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29-30).

Despite these clear warnings from an apostle and even Jesus himself, many people are still naive to the threat. So, my question for you is, “Are you easy prey for false prophets?”

The answer is yes if any of the following statements–drawn from Scripture–describe you.

You think God won’t…

More about false prophets.

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it like this. But what will you do at the end of it? (Jeremiah 5:31, HCSB)
For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is making profit dishonestly. From prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. (Jeremiah 6:13, HCSB)
But the LORD said to me, “These prophets are prophesying a lie in My name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit of their own minds. (Jeremiah 14:14, HCSB)
Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (Matthew 24:11, HCSB)
Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets. (Luke 6:26, HCSB)
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. (2 Peter 2:1, HCSB)

Knowing who is a false prophet is serious. False prophets by the Bible standard fail in morality, truth, false predictions, covetousness, and leading to false teaching about God (e. g. denying the Trinity).

If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you. If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, Deuteronomy 13:1-6 NIV
But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?” 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, so do not be alarmed. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 NIV
They know Christian terms and language. “But beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15, EMTV
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, NKJV

A little skepticism, a lot of prayer, Bible study, and knowing doctrine will go a long way to protect us from all these wolves.