Word of Salvation – Vol.38 No.17 – May 1993

 

Danger – False Prophets

 

Sermon by Rev. S. Voorwinde on Mat.7:15-20

Reading: Mat.24:9-15; 7:13-23

 

Beloved congregation,

What I am preaching about today is a very unpleasant and unpopular topic, and I must confess if it weren’t in the Sermon on the Mount I probably wouldn’t be preaching on it.  None of us likes negative preaching, but sometimes it is necessary.  In our text Jesus does it and therefore I must do it too.  It’s not enjoyable but it’s terribly necessary.  In fact we will soon find out that these words of Jesus are incredibly relevant for our own day.  His warnings about false prophets are as relevant now as they have ever been and probably more so.

‘Watch out for false prophets’, he says, and it is a warning that is timely in the extreme.  Never before have false prophets had more effective means at their disposal.  Never before have we been so exposed to their influence.  If it were just a matter of keeping them out of our pulpits that would be no problem; we could cope with that quite admirably.  But false prophets not only bring their message through pulpits, they present it on printed page, through books and articles.  You can see them on television.  You can hear them on radio.  They do the rounds in the form of cassette tapes sometimes.  At other times they are doing an Australian tour and a weekend in Melbourne or Geelong isn’t out of the question.  They use all the same means that true prophets use and sometimes more.  How careful we must be!  With the variety of today’s media there is no minister or session who could possibly monitor such a situation.  And yet I hope we can all appreciate just how critical the situation is.  It is the very kind of thing that Jesus predicted: ‘Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.’ (Mat.24:11).  There is no way I could draw up some kind of black list of people you must avoid.  All we can do is to give biblical principles and guidelines so that you can judge for yourselves, so that you can discriminate between the true and the false.  Christians have had to do that since earliest times.  And it was not only the false prophets they had to look out for.  These false prophets belong to a family you might call the ‘pseudo’ (fake or counterfeit)  family.  The New Testament gives us a complete list of the members of that family.  There are not only false prophets, but also false brethren, false apostles, false witnesses, false teachers and even false Christs.  They are Satan’s counterfeits for the real thing, and we’ve got to watch them like a hawk because they are very subtle and very cunning.  Like false prophets they are wolves in sheep’s clothing.  They look ever so innocent and they are ever so dangerous.

So how do we detect them?  Without becoming suspicious of anybody and everybody, how are we going to pick out the false prophets?  How are we going to know a false teacher when we run into one?  In short, how can we do what Jesus tells us to do in our text: ‘Watch out for false prophets’?

In answering these questions it would be the easiest thing in the world for me to pick on certain people and make them look bad.  I hope I won’t fall into that trap, and the best way to avoid it is by sticking to the principles that Jesus lays down in the passage that we have just read.  Here in Mat.7 he lays down three principles and I’ll unfold them one by one.

1. The false prophet obscures the difference between the broad and narrow way. Now that should be obvious from the context.  Let me read just a couple of verses the way Jesus said them?  ‘Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.  Watch out for false prophets’.???  Do you get the point?  Where do you think the false prophets are?  They are at the crossroads.  That’s their favourite stand.  Over here on the left you have the wide and impressive gate leading to the broad way.  And over here on the right you have the small gate leading to the narrow way.  And it is at that point that the false prophets are to be found.  They are the signposts pointing in the wrong direction.  And on these signposts there are such destinations as ‘Heaven’, ‘Salvation’, ‘Happiness’, and ‘Fulfilment’ and they are all pointing towards the broad and easy way.  They are the false prophets and you could hardly imagine anything more dangerous than a signpost marked ‘heaven’ which is in fact pointing to hell.  At this particular crossroad a signpost pointing in the wrong direction can be extremely dangerous.

And I wonder whether you have noticed this too.  You are working with someone for a time and they come to a point of decision, ‘Now he must become a Christian.’  And just at that time he gets another message.  On one occasion I was talking to a father whose little girl almost died in the intensive care unit of a children’s hospital.  But literally thousands of Christians prayed and the little girl was restored to complete health.  When I visited the man again I said, ‘Now surely you must become a Christian.’  To which he said, ‘Not really.  I was doing a job for a Jewish rabbi the other day and he had a similar experience with one of his kids.  It seems that his God answers prayers just as well as yours.  He came to the cross roads and he chose the broad way.  How tragic.

And yet very often it is far more subtle than that.  The Jewish rabbi made no claims to be a Christian.  Most false prophets do.  They come in sheep’s clothing.  They look the part.  They seem like good Christian preachers.  They may come across as nice, loving, caring people.  They may even use orthodox language.  Everything they say seems good.  They may even speak of God and Christ and the cross.  But often the crunch comes in not what they say, but in what they leave out.  In all their teaching and preaching there is no reference to the small gate and the narrow way.  Some of them muddle and distort the gospel so much that they make it hard for seekers to find the narrow gate.  Others try to make out that the narrow way is in fact far broader than Jesus implied and that to walk it hardly places any restrictions on either your belief or your behaviour.  But perhaps the most harmful of all are those who dare to contradict Jesus.  They claim that the broad road does not lead to destruction and that in fact all roads lead to God.  Even though the broad and narrow ways lead in opposite directions, ultimately both end up in heaven.

It hardly needs to be said that there is an awful lot of that teaching around nowadays.  Let me illustrate.  An American friend of mine once stood on a street corner in the city of Boston.  It was at the time of the Jesus revival in the early 70’s and in his hand he held a placard with a finger pointing up and under it were written the words, ‘One Way- Jesus’.  He wasn’t there long before he was accosted by a person who said, ‘Not one way!  Many ways!  Many ways!  Many ways!  That was a brazen denial of the teaching of Jesus.

Another example comes from the Australian scene.  In N.S.W. our churches used to belong to the Council of Churches on a state level.  That seemed fair enough until the council began to sponsor a talk-back radio program.  For that purpose they employed an ordained minister who was very well spoken and had a compassionate touch in his voice.  It all sounded well and good for a while.  Then a colleague of mine gave me a tape of the program he listened to.  Again it sounded all very good and came over very well until there was a questioner who was interested in bringing the various religions together.  What could he do?  he asked.  The ordained minister then advised that this young man go to the Bahai temple in Terry Hills where they were making a sincere effort in that direction!

Well, what could we do?  We couldn’t sponsor the program, the Council of Churches wouldn’t take it off the air, so we withdrew our membership from the Council.

You see, it’s well and good to work together with other Christians and often it can be profitable and we should seek to do so wherever possible.  But we dare not compromise when it comes to the distinction between the broad and narrow way.  For then we compromise Christ himself.  He is the narrow way, and he said it himself: ‘I am the way.  No one comes to the Father but by me.’  And if there are other ways, then His death on the cross was for nothing.  It becomes entirely redundant; He might just as well not have gone to all the trouble and the pain and agony, if there are other roads by which we can travel to heaven.  Congregation, the issue is that serious.  If anyone clouds that issue or deliberately confuses the issue, then that person must be regarded as a false prophet no matter how nice and compassionate a person he or she may be..

So let’s be absolutely  clear on that point.  The first sign of a false prophet is that he obscures the difference between the broad and narrow way.

2. The second question we must ask is whether this prophecy is true. So quite simply: Is what he says true?  Jesus talks here about trees.  What grows on the man’s prophecy tree?  Does it produce the grapes and figs of truth, or does it produce the thorns and thistles of lies?

Now when the Bible mentions prophets, they can either be foretellers or forth tellers.  They can either predict the future or they can proclaim God’s message in a more general way.  Often they do both.

1. a) Anyway let’s look at the foreteller first. And all we have to ask ourselves is: Do their predictions come true?  If not, they are false prophets.  Let me give you some examples;

1)  In 1914 Pastor Russell, the founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, made this statement: “The present great war in Europe is the beginning of the Armageddon of the Scriptures’.  The fact is that it wasn’t.  It was a false prophecy.

Then in 1918 a J.W. publication made this claim: “Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews 11, to the condition of human perfection’.  Again it didn’t happen.  Another false prophecy.

2)  The children of God, a cult that grew out of the Jesus movement, also went into the business of predicting the future.  They prophesied that in 1972 the United States would collapse.  If you needed any more evidence, this should have proved they were false prophets.

3)  Back in 1974, I heard David Wilkerson speak in person.  Among other things he predicted economic disaster for the United States in 1976 / 77 and he also thought that California would fall into the sea.  Obviously these things didn’t happen.  More recently I heard from a reliable source that David Wilkerson had repented from his earlier teachings.  That is certainly cause for rejoicing and it shows that even false prophets are not beyond hope.

4)  And a few years ago in Tasmania someone showed me a prophecy about Australia.  Very basically its theme was one of doom and destruction.  Then a few weeks later someone else said to me: ‘Have you heard the latest prophecy about Australia?  I said, ‘Yes, terrible isn’t it?”  And to my astonishment the person said, ‘Oh no, it’s terrific.  We’re going to be a leading spiritual power in the world’

Now one of those prophecies has to be wrong, or both could be wrong, but they can’t both be right.  Brothers and Sisters let’s not be gullible when it comes to these things.  Don’t allow the wolves in to pull the sheep’s wool over your eyes.  What God said to Moses in Deuteronomy 18 is just as applicable today: Deut.18:22 – ‘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.  Do not be afraid of him.’

So in other words you didn’t have to be afraid of the Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Children of God or anyone else whose prophecies haven’t come true.

1. b) But then a prophet is not necessarily a foreteller. He may also be a forth teller, someone who claims to be bringing God’s message and his truth.  Here is a person whose teaching you can simply weigh up with the teaching of Scripture.  In his first letter this is what the apostle John tells us to do.  1John 4:1 – ‘Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.‘  1John 4:2 – ‘This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God:  Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.’  1John 4:3 – ‘But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.’

Again this is a principle that is very simple and very relevant.  A few years ago some learned theologians in England produced a book called, “The Myth of God Incarnate.’  And the theme of the book is exactly that – that Jesus Christ being God and Man was just a myth.  And then it turns out that these learned theologians are not alone in their opinion.  In an Australian newspaper in 1984 there was this on the front page: ‘Christians need not believe that Jesus Christ was God, according to more than half of England’s Anglican Bishops.’  Then the article went on to say that only 11 out of 31 bishops felt that Christians must regard Christ as both God and man.

So here you have wolves, not just in sheep’s clothing but in the finest merino wool.  They are bishops mind you.  J.C. Ryle, himself an Anglican Bishop, sounded this warning over a hundred years ago; “There are thousands who seem ready to believe anything in religion, if they hear it from an ordained minister.  They forget that the clergyman may err as much as laymen: they are not infallible.  Their teaching must be weighed in the balance of Holy Scripture; they are to be followed and believed, so long as their doctrine agrees with the Bible, but not a minute longer.”

So if you want to be a wolf let me suggest that you dress yourself in sheep’s clothing of the finest quality.  Get a doctoral degree.  Get ordained or even become a professor.  And there’s another piece of clothing that 1 would recommend to the would-be wolf.  This quality sheep’s clothing is designed to trick another kind of Christian.  This will fool the anti-intellectual type who isn’t impressed by academic degrees or ecclesiastical honours.  This sheep skin is the ability to work miracles.  And let me assure you that’s a favourite piece of clothing for false prophets.  What did Jesus say about the end-times in Mat.24: ‘For false teachers and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible.’

And what will the false prophets say to Jesus on the day of judgement: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?  (Mat.7:22).

And notice that he doesn’t say, ‘No you didn’t…!’  He says, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me you evil doers!’  Because a man performs a miracle, it is no indication that he is speaking the truth – no indication at all.  All groups testify to miracles.  Think of the Christian Science Church for example.  Their teaching denies the Gospel at almost every point, but people join them because of miracles.  Don’t let them fool you.  Miracles don’t prove anything.  They might just be a good covering for a wolf.  Jesus has given us fair warning.

When a miracle worker comes to town don’t be dazzled by what he does.  Listen to what he says.  Is it true?  Does it accord with Scripture?  Does the man preach the gospel or is he preaching something else.  That is the second test.  The first test is this: Does he obscure the difference between the broad and narrow way?  Is what he says true?  If he is a foreteller do his predictions come true?  If he is a forth teller, is his message in agreement with the teaching of Scripture?

3)  This brings us to the third test.  What kind of fruit does he bear in his personal life?

1. a) In other words his true character will always reveal itself. His doctrine will come to expression in his life.  Either he will bear the fruit of Christ likeness or he won’t.  Either his life will produce the fruit of the Spirit or it will produce something else.  So whenever we see in a teacher the meekness and gentleness of Christ, when we see his love and patience and goodness and self-control, then we have reason to believe that he is true and not false.  On the other hand if we see more of the works of the flesh than the fruit of the Spirit then we are justified in being suspicious.  Where we see enmity, impurity, jealousy and self- indulgence then the prophet is an imposter no matter how impressive his claims may be, or however orthodox his teaching.
2. b) But here I do believe we need to sound a note of caution. Jesus’ illustration demands it.  He is talking about fruit trees, good and bad ones.  And in the nature of the case it takes time to examine such trees.  You can’t make rash judgements.  Fruit takes time to grow and ripen.  We have to wait for it patiently.  We also need to examine it closely because you can’t always recognize a tree and its fruit from a distance.  Sometimes even-close up we may at first miss the signs of disease in a tree or the presence of worms in the fruit.  As John Stott points out, “To apply this to a teacher, what is needed is not a superficial estimate of his standing in the church, but a close and critical scrutiny of his character, conduct, message, motives and influence.’

Conclusion:

So how can you tell a false prophet?  Let me briefly run through the tests with you again:

1)  Does he obscure the difference between the broad and narrow ways?

2)  Is what he says true?

3)  Are the fruits of the Spirit evident in his life?

And how can you apply these tests successfully?  There is one simple secret and that is to know your Bible, and to know it well!  In closing I’d like to assure you that not all Anglican bishops are bad and I’d like to quote again from Bishop Ryle:

‘It is neglect of the Bible which makes so many prey to the first false teachers whom they hear.  They would have us believe that they are not learned and do not pretend to have decided opinions.  The plain truth is that they are lazy and idle about reading the Bible, and do not like the trouble of thinking for themselves.  Nothing supplies false prophets with followers as much as Spiritual sloth under a cloak of humility….Happy is he who prays over his Bible, and knows the difference between truth and error in religion!  There is a difference, and we are meant to know it, and to use our knowledge.’

Jesus said, ‘Watch out for false prophets’, and you can’t do that if you don’t know your Bible.

AMEN