Beware of false prophets – Part 2

The experience of salvation from sin is the mark of a genuine believer. Many people and groups that once preached this saving gospel have discarded it because of the influence of the spirit of antichrist, which is responsible for rebellion, opposition, blasphemy and competition for recognition in the church. The same spirit makes those who had imbibed the truth to deviate and believe false doctrine. Believers need to know that it is not every miracle that comes from God. The spirit of antichrist has power to perform miracles in order to deceive people. He will engineer the idea of ecumenism that jettisons the doctrines of Christ. Every true believer should, therefore, reject those who canvass unity without salvation and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Inspired by the spirit of their master, the antichrist, their goal is to seduce you from the path of righteousness.

To seduce is to entice someone to change his mind or conviction to do something wrong. Antichrists will try to pull the believers away from the faith and steadfastness in Christ and lead them into error. “For false christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.” While appreciating miraculous acts, believers must be alert and care to know the sources of such miracles. Christ performs miracles and that should satisfy us. Anyone who comes to make light of the word of God against sins or interprets it to give liberty to indulge in sin must be resisted; as such a person has the spirit of the antichrist.

The word of God clearly reveals that, “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.” The believer should, therefore, not receive, support such peddlers of false doctrines or give them any accommodation to start their secretly destructive work. Seducing spirits of antichrist in false prophets use revelations or visions as baits to derail the faith of unsuspecting persons. The believer must not allow anyone to seduce him, but he must make up his mind to continue to abide in Christ. Though “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived,” the believer must continue “in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.”

Apart from resisting false prophets and antichrists, the errors they peddle should not be believed, because backsliding begins with believing the false prophets and teachers. All genuine and sincere sheep in the fold of Christ must not follow anyone who comes with a strange doctrine, voice or attitude. Christ says we must separate from all antichrists and must not accept, believe, listen to or follow them. Paul the apostle, in his good fight of faith, resisted “false brethren,” who wanted to bring the church into bondage, “to who we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” The leaders in the church today, must follow the path of the Ephesian church, which “canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.”

Leaders must not give their pulpits to false prophets under any guise to minister with the spirit of antichrist to the congregation. Those who go to different assemblies to imbibe strange doctrines and practices and bring back audio visual materials and books back to their families and the church must repent, separate from them, get rid of those items and observe and obey the word of God. They are to “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” Apart from separating from the unity and amalgamation that will herald the coming of antichrist, the believer must hold firm the sound doctrines of righteousness that he has learnt to the end, so as to receive his crown. Salvation, restoration and holy living are the conditions for partaking in the rapture, and these Christian qualities will make the believer to escape the wrath of the antichrist prior to the great tribulation.

Further Reading (King James Version): Matthew 24:23-25; 1 John 2:18,19; 4:1-3; 2 John 7; Revelation 13:12-15; 16:13,14; 17:14,17; Mark 13:21-23; 2 John 7-11; 1 Timothy 4:1,2; 1 John 2:26,27; 2 Timothy 3:13,14; Matthew 24:23-25; John 10:5,6; Galatians 2:4,5; Revelation 2:2,3; Jeremiah 51:6,45; 2 Corinthians 6:17,18; Revelation 18:4; Isaiah 26:19,20.