Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Matthew 7:15
A Warning for Christians
Here’s something that we should be aware of. “Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven…” (Matthew 7:21).
There are those who come to us in the name of the Lord that the Lord calls “false prophets”. What makes a false prophet? At times, it is someone who says they have a message from the Lord. They profess to have received it straight from God–apart from the Bible. Then they proclaim their message as truth. It turns out that his or her supposed prophecy does not come to pass. Time reveals that it was not true.
This deliberate false message makes them a false prophet. It is not the same as error: it is deliberate.
Then, the apostle Paul warned the early church to watch for those whom he called “wolves who come to you in sheep’s clothing” (Acts 20:28-29). The thought is that they appeared to look like sheep. They were religious wolves who would tear up the flock of God with their false teachings. They came in with their false messages to capture, and carry away with themselves, weak or unlearned believers, causing the destruction of the local churches.
Dear Christian, I believe there are quite a few of these who “through covetousness shall with feigned words [attempt to] make merchandise of [us]” (2 Peter 2:3).
We are to watch out for them.
Be wise, and do not be taken in by false prophets who have ulterior motives.
(Acts 20:27)
Aug. 19, 2009