Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try
the spirits whether they are of God:
because many false prophets are gone
out into the world. Hereinto know
ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesseth that Jesus Christ is come
in the flesh is of God: and every spirit
that confesseth not that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is not of God:
and this is that spirit of antichrist,
whereof ye have heard that it should come;
and even how already is it in the world.
1John 4:1-3
If, and it is true, that in the days of John the apostle there were already false prophets, today there are those same types of false prophets in the world today. Yes, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other pagan religions can be considered false, that is if one takes the time to examine them, but John is not speaking of such false prophets. The false prophets that have gone out into the world were and are those who come out of the Church. Some false prophets are in some Churches today misleading people to believe what Scriptures do not teach: i.e., the Sozo Movement, Docetism, Faith healing, Prosperity Gospel, etc... all teaching a form of Christianity that is not Authentic Christianity. Here is the difficulty: How does a person know if there are false prophets among them? The word "try" has the meaning in Greek "prove," so you are to prove them, and the question is by what rubric does one prove them. John gives us help: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error" (1John 4:4-6).
It is true that many false prophets will use the words "Jesus Christ" and even say that He is the Savior, but if one listens to them they will find that they speak little of His coming into the world, and of His coming back for His children. What you do hear is psychological sermons, the type of sermons one could get by listening to Dr. Phil, or other psychologists. Lots of anecdotes, and stories, stories that they use to prove something but do not have facts to prove that they are right. You are told to prove them, so, check things out and do not be duped into believing what is false. The Gospel is missing from false prophets and even is missing in Churches that are attempting to prove their doctrine: i.e., Seventh Day Adventist are always teaching about the Sabbath, and speak of the Second Coming even in the past attempting to prove what date He is coming back. There are Churches attempting to prove their belief about dispensations, some are always attempting to prove the election of the saints, and paedo-baptism, and other doctrines, but sadly little is spoken about the Gospel. What is the Gospel? It is that God came to earth by sending His Wisdom to be clothed in humanity to die for sin, that sin that is unjust toward God but man can pay so God paid His own owed debt. Now, the Gospel goes further that you are a sinner and in need of a Savior and that Savior is Jesus Christ. Unless you come to know, to believe that you are a sinner and are judged to die, you will not accept that Jesus Christ is the one who will save you and God will judge you through the death of Jesus Christ and your belief that He is the Savior to life, life eternal. You then must live according to His commandments, you must live the life that is pleasing to God, not just hear stories that sound pleasing, not just following some acts that seem godly, but to live according to His commandments. I have been told by some who were present when a local "so-called" church allows and teaches the "tunnel of fire," the laying on of tombs to receive the spirit of the dead, and teaches the heresy of the Sozo Movement, and other such atrocities that seem and sound religious, they even at times use the words, "Jesus Christ," but their focus is on the Supernatural revelations that are not Scriptural event thought they sound Scriptural or only "proof" Scriptures to prove their theology and are not in context.
You know the truth if you are in the Bible, reading and studying it and examining whatever and whoever write or speaks about God, about Jesus Christ. Critical thinking, not just accepting is needed so that you are not led away by those false prophets. You who are Authentic Christians, not some denominational Christian, but a true follower of Jesus Christ are admonished to prove even to prove and make sure that your election is sure: (2Peter 1:10). Will you do it? Or, will you just continue on the path you are now on. It may be that you find that your Church is Authentic and speaks of the Gospel and speaks of Jesus Christ, and is leading people to Him, but if not: RUN, RUN, RUN, you are being led to be displeased to God so you have no reason to believe that God will bless you, Oh, you will go to heaven if you are a child of God, but you will not live now the life that God demands of His children and miss out on the real joy of Christianity.
O LORD, are not thine eyes
upon the truth? Thou hast
stricken them, but they have
not grieved: thou hast consumed
them, but they have refused to
receive correction: they have
made their faces harder than a rock;
they have refused to return.
Therefore I said, Surely these are poor;
they are foolish: for they know not
the way of the LORD, nor the judgment
of their God.
Jeremiah 5: 3-4
Examine your faith and if need by Change
Richard L. Crumb
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