Mission Populaire Libre

Jésus-Christ est le même hier, aujourd'hui et éternellement" (Hèbreux 13:8)

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We are now experiencing the greatest deception in the religious realm that has ever been. In Mt. 24 Jesus predicted, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” (v 11). Representatives of all religions and denominations, churches and fellowships naturally present themselves as being correct. On the outside we can see a lot of decoration with scriptures, but the Lord sees the inside and says, “BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS ...” (Mt. 7: 15). We must take this warning to heart, because all suspect them to be elsewhere, but here we are dealing with the Kingdom of God, with believers, with the church. Satan himself believes, but in his own way, not as the Scripture says. In the religions of this world and also within Christianity, many believe as they please. The entire earth is filled with that type of believers. At the time of the Reformation the question arose, who the false prophet and the antichrist was. In the conclusion thereof all the reformers were united, in spite of other differences. Our concern in this exposition chapter is about the many false prophets and false christs.

Who are the false prophets? How can they be recognised for what they really are? We shall let the Holy Scripture speak for Itself. For there is no theological faculty, no preacher seminar on earth, where God’s mysterious counsel is being taught or could be learned. It takes a Divine commission, which gives Divine authority after the pattern of the prophets and apostles, to have access to the revealed Word and Will of God. They left unto us, what was said by the all-knowing God, Who foresaw the tragic developments, Who already knew the end since the beginning.

First we have to come to the logical conclusion that every falsification has to be as close to the original as possible. A counterfeit dollar note must look so much like the original, that the layman will not recognise the difference. This reminds me of a personal experience. Many years ago, I deposited some money into the account at the “Bank of Commerce”. Suddenly, the clerk held up a 100 DM note and said, “This is a forged bill, I am required to call the criminal unit of the police.” For a layman not at all visible, not suspicious, but in the hand and in the eye of the expert it was recognised on the spot. To me this was a very important lesson. I was not the forger and neither were many of the people who passed the same note to others. There are many, who pass along forged, so-called “Christian” teachings, without realising that they are passing on falsifications. They do not know the original and therefore cannot detect the imitations.

The false prophets and false christs of today are not the falsifiers, but they unknowingly pass the falsifications on to others. What they all have in common, is that they are in a recognised, leading position, but they lead others astray, they mislead, they deceive, as they have also been deceived (2 Tim. 3: 13). In Mt. 24: 4 our Lord said with emphasis, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ ...” (Mt. 24: 4-5) — “I have a special anointing!” After predicting wars and all the natural catastrophes, He once again emphasised that many would be deceived by false prophets (Mt. 24: 11).

False prophets and false christs do not compare their doctrine with the Word of God. But they appear to be genuine, so that only a Divine expert of the Word can recognise the counterfeits. The Greek word “Christos”, and the equivalent Hebrew word “Mashiach”, are known to us as “Christ” or “the Anointed”. In the Old Testament kings and priests were anointed. King Saul was anointed, King David was anointed, Aaron and his sons were also anointed. The true prophets were called the “anointed of God”. The Lord Himself says, “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” (Ps. 105: 15). Jesus was THE ANOINTED ONE, THE CHRIST. According to Lk. 4: 17-19, He read from the prophet Isaiah, chapter 61, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me ...” (Lk. 4: 18).

The Apostle Peter confirmed it, “ But those things, which God before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” (Acts 3: 18).

“... how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit, and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” (Acts 10: 38).

Our Lord warns us about the false anointed ones. They may be anointed, but are false. One mark applies to all who are wrong: They always stand together against the one who is correct, and therefore consequently against the Lord and His Anointed (Acts 4: 24-31). Not only the Egyptians, Jannes and Jambres, stood up against Moses, but from their own midst, leading brothers rose against him, namely Dathan, Korah and others (Num. 16). They united and organised themselves and made a plot, a direct opposition against God, and Moses, His true prophet.

Once again, in Mt. 24, our Lord refers to the false prophets and false christs and gives this warning, “For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders , insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (v. 24). Even that: false and great signs and wonders! Who can comprehend this? It does not belong together at all and should not be in the Kingdom of God. But as Dathan and Korah, they belong to the church, but are under false inspiration and in false doctrines. In His Church only the Lord has the right to appoint the different ministries. Everybody cannot do as he pleases, because that will lead to the fall, as it did with Lucifer, the anointed angel. The Apostle Paul warned us about false brethren. They are indeed brethren, but they are false. Today we have, as our Lord predicted, many such false prophets and false anointed ones.

They can offer signs and wonders as their legitimation. Thereby they mislead believers who are true at heart, but who are not founded in the Scriptures. They are not godless men, they are not the actual falsifiers, in their own way they believe. They are amicable and insist to be preachers of the full gospel and have a convincing appearance. They even have the marks, which were promised in connection with the Lord’s great commission. The whole picture looks genuine and good. Their meetings draw people from all denominations, and all are impressed and astonished. The Lord Himself said, that if it were possible, even the elect would be deceived . Thanks be to God, that is not possible. But the copy is so close to the real thing, that only those, who know the original and truly believe as the Scripture says, will notice the difference and see through the outer shell. The elect do not follow signs and wonders, they follow their Lord and Saviour. They verify all teachings, prophecies and the whole proclamation with the Word of God and will not permit to be carried away, but rather stay with the teachings of the apostles (Acts 2: 42; Eph. 2: 20; 2 Pet. 3: 2 a. o.).

There were always those, who were sent by the Lord, and the kind, who stepped onto the scene by their own accord. The false prophets and false christs also step forward independent from God, but within His Kingdom. They do not deceive intentionally, they are not even aware of it. They are not the falsifiers, but do pass on that, which was falsified. They are honest, but wrong, were themselves born into the religious deception. This development was also predicted by the apostles. All the falsifications have a long tradition. Whatever is not correct, meaning it does not coincide with the Bible, is automatically wrong. We have to take this warning very seriously and must ask:

Who today are the false prophets and false teachers who bring in damnable heresies, of whom the Apostle Peter warned that they would speak evil of the way of Truth (2 Pet. 2: 1-3)?

Who today are the ones who have forsaken the right way and gone astray in the way of Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness (2 Pet. 2: 12-19)?

Who today are the many antichrists of whom the Apostle John writes (1 Jn. 2: 18-20)?

Who today are the many false prophets, which have gone out into the world (1 Jn. 4: 1)?

Who today are the men of whom Paul spoke, that they would come forth from within the Church itself, teaching false doctrine, enticing disciples to follow them (Acts 20: 26-32)?

Who today are those, who preach another Jesus, who proclaim another gospel and are under the influence of another spirit (2 Cor. 11: 4)?

Who today are they, who present themselves as apostles of Christ, having the appearance of angels of light, but are deceitful workers (2 Cor. 11: 10-15)?

Who today are they, of whom the Spirit of God said, that they would appear in latter times, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Tim 4: 1-3)?

Whatever does not originate from God comes from Satan. No forgery, no lie can originate from the Truth (1 Jn. 2: 21). Indeed, it is a tragedy, what happened in traditional Christianity and people do not see it, as the right was and is being substituted with the wrong. The subjects remain, but the content has been changed.

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