SIGNS OF A FALSE PROPHET

• If their prophecies do not happen, have no fear of them 

Deuteronomy 18:21–22:  

You may wonder how you can tell when a prophet’s message does not come from the Lord. If a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord and what he says does not come true, then it is not the Lord’s message. That prophet has spoken on his own authority, and you are not to fear him.

• Visions that do not come to pass happen from divination 

Jeremiah 14:14

And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.”

• God is against fake prophets who mislead people

Ezekiel 13:9

My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel.

• Prophesying, wonders, and devout profession does not mean it is from God

Luke 6:46

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice iniquity!’

• Many will believe in their false ideas

2 Peter 2:1-2

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, and because of them, the way of truth will be blasphemed.

• They prophesy falsely about Christ’s coming

Matthew 24:23–27

Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.’

• They have hidden motives and flesh based gospels

Matt. 7:15

Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.

• They claim a place of authority that belongs only to Christ

Matt. 24:4-5

Jesus answered them, “Watch out that no one misleads you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many.”

• They are fellow believers, but they twist the gospel

Acts 20:29-30

I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them

• They have another gospel other than the new covenant

2 Corinthians 11:3-4

I am afraid that your minds will be corrupted and that you will abandon your full and pure devotion to Christ—in the same way that Eve was deceived by the snake’s clever lies. For you gladly tolerate anyone who comes to you and preaches a different Jesus, not the one we preached; and you accept a spirit and a gospel completely different from the Spirit and the gospel you received from us!

• They come across as filled with the light of Christ 

2 Corinthians 11:13-15

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.

• Even if an angel from heaven comes to them, if it is another gospel, it is not from God

Galatians 1:6-9

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!