"Love never fails; but if there are gifts of
prophecy,
they will be done away..."
1 Corinthians 13:8
Prior to the time of Jesus, prophets delivered
the word of God to the people. But in these last
days, God speaks to us through His Son.
 "God,
after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the
prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these
last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He
appointed heir of all things, through whom also He
made the world." Hebrews 1:1-2
(NAS)
In the early church, the gift of prophecy was
encouraged (I Corinthians 14:1); although Paul, the
apostle, spoke of the day that would come when
prophecy would cease:
"Love
never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy,
they will be done away; if there are tongues, they
will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done
away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
10 but when the perfect comes, the
partial will be done away."
1 Corinthians 13:8-10
(NAS)
The need for prophecy before the written word
of the New Testament
As the words of Jesus were written down by the
apostles and Jesus' close disciples, they were
distributed to the churches by letter. The
collection of these letter written by these inspired
apostles and disciples is referred to as the New
Testament. Once the copies of these inspired letters
were being circulated among the congregations, the
need for inspired prophets diminished. Jesus told
his close disciples that He would give them the Holy
Spirit to remember His words. As the disciples wrote
what we now call the New Testament, the Holy Spirit
guided their memories and understanding:
Jesus
said to His close disciples: "But the Helper,
the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My
name, He will teach you all things, and bring to
your remembrance all that I said to you." John 14:26
(NAS)
The Rise of False Prophets
Even before the time that true prophecy would
fail, there arose false prophets to deceive the
people. This is one of Jesus' warnings that He gave
very early
in His ministry:
"Beware
of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
Matthew 7:15
(NAS)
From the Old Testament days to now, the people
of God have been plagued by the deception of
false prophets, false teachers, false gods and false
spirits.
The tests of a false prophet or teacher (or a
dreamer of dreams)
The scriptures provide a number of tests so that
we can determine a true prophet of God from a false
prophet. Let's look at eight of these below:
|
Eight Tests
of a False Prophet, Teacher or Spirit |
|
Test #1: Do all the prophet's
prophecies come true? |
"When
a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if
the thing does not come about or come true,
that is the thing which the LORD has not
spoken. The prophet has spoken it
presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of
him."
Deuteronomy 18:22
(NAS)
"The prophet who prophesies of peace,
when the word of the prophet shall come to
pass, then that prophet will be known as one
whom the LORD has truly sent."
Jeremiah 28:9
(NAS) |
| Test #2: Even if the
prophecies come true, does that prophet or
dreamer of dreams have you go after and
serve gods other than the One True God? |
"If
a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises
among you and gives you a sign or a wonder,
and the sign or the wonder comes true,
concerning which he spoke to you, saying,
'Let us go after other gods (whom you have
not known) and let us serve them,' you shall
not listen to the words of that prophet or
that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your
God is testing you to find out if you love
the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul. You shall follow the
LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall
keep His commandments, listen to His voice,
serve Him, and cling to Him."
Deuteronomy 13:1-4 (NAS) |
|
Test #3: Do prophets take their own
words or thoughts and make them seem as if
they are from God? Do they prophesy false
dreams? |
"The
prophet who has a dream may relate his
dream, but let him who has My word speak My
word in truth. What does straw have in
common with grain?" declares the LORD. Is
not My word like fire?" declares the LORD,
"and like a hammer which shatters a rock?
Therefore behold, I am against the
prophets," declares the LORD, "who steal My
words from each other. Behold, I am against
the prophets," declares the LORD, "who use
their tongues and declare, 'The Lord
declares.' "Behold, I am against those who
have prophesied false dreams," declares the
LORD, "and related them, and led My people
astray by their falsehoods and reckless
boasting; yet I did not send them or command
them, nor do they furnish this people the
slightest benefit," declares the LORD."
Jeremiah 23:28-32
|
|
Test #4: Do prophets tell of peace and
safety for those that continue to sin
against God willfully... when the Lord's
word does not provide peace and safety?
|
"For
from the least of them even to the greatest
of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and
from the prophet even to the priest everyone
deals falsely. And they have healed the
brokenness of My people superficially,
saying, 'Peace, peace,' but there is no
peace."
Jeremiah 6:13-14
(NAS)
"So My hand will be against the
prophets who see false visions and utter
lying divinations. They will have no place
in the council of My people, nor will they
be written down in the register of the house
of Israel, nor will they enter the land of
Israel, that you may know that I am the Lord
GOD. It is definitely because they have
misled My people by saying, 'Peace!' when
there is no peace. And when anyone builds a
wall, behold, they plaster it over with
whitewash; so tell those who plaster it over
with whitewash, that it will fall. A
flooding rain will come, and you, O
hailstones, will fall; and a violent wind
will break out. "Behold, when the wall has
fallen, will you not be asked, 'Where is the
plaster with which you plastered it?'"
Ezekiel 13:9-12
(NAS)
"For if we go on sinning willfully
after receiving the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for
sins, but a certain terrifying expectation
of judgment, and the fury of a fire which
will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has
set aside the Law of Moses dies without
mercy on the testimony of two or three
witnesses. How much severer punishment do
you think he will deserve who has trampled
under foot the Son of God, and has regarded
as unclean the blood of the covenant by
which he was sanctified, and has insulted
the Spirit of grace?"
Hebrews 10:26-29
(NAS) |
|
Test #5: Does the prophet or teacher
try to teach a different gospel than what
has been laid out in the New Testament?
|
"I
am amazed that you are so quickly deserting
Him who called you by the grace of Christ,
for a different gospel; which is really not
another; only there are some who are
disturbing you, and want to distort the
gospel of Christ. But even though we, or an
angel from heaven, should preach to you a
gospel contrary to that which we have
preached to you, let him be accursed. As we
have said before, so I say again now, if any
man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to
that which you received, let him be
accursed. For am I now seeking the favor of
men, or of God? Or am I striving to please
men? If I were still trying to please men, I
would not be a bond-servant of Christ. For I
would have you know, brethren, that the
gospel which was preached by me is not
according to man. For I neither received it
from man, nor was I taught it, but I
received it through a revelation of Jesus
Christ."
Galatians 1:6-12
(NAS) |
Test #6: Does the prophet or teacher
try to add to or take away from the prophecies or
other words of God contained in the Bible?
Or does
that prophet or teacher not recognize the
New Testament epistles or letters as the
Lord's command? |
"You
shall not add to the word which I am
commanding you, nor take away from it, that
you may keep the commandments of the LORD
your God which I command you."
Deuteronomy 4:2
(NAS)
"I testify to everyone who hears the
words of the prophecy of this book: if
anyone adds to them, God shall add to him
the plagues which are written in this book;
and if anyone takes away from the words of
the book of this prophecy, God shall take
away his part from the tree of life and from
the holy city, which are written in this
book."
Revelation 22:18-19
(NAS)
Paul, referring to his writings to the
church that he received by revelation from
Jesus, "If anyone thinks he is a prophet or
spiritual, let him recognize that the things
which I write to you are the Lord's
commandment. But if anyone does not
recognize this he is not recognized." 1
Corinthians 14:37-38
(NAS) |
|
Test #7: Does the prophet or teacher
perform so-called signs, wonders or miracles...and at the same time introduce strange
teachings that are contrary to what the
Bible teaches? |
"But false prophets also arose among
the people, just as there will also be false
teachers among you, who will secretly
introduce destructive heresies, even denying
the Master who bought them, bringing swift
destruction upon themselves. And many will
follow their sensuality, and because of them
the way of the truth will be maligned; and
in their greed they will exploit you with
false words; their judgment from long ago is
not idle, and their destruction is not
asleep."
2 Peter 2:1-3
(NAS)
Matthew 24:24-26 -- "For false Christs
and false prophets will arise and will show
great signs and wonders, so as to mislead,
if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have
told you in advance. If therefore they say
to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,'
do not go forth, or, 'Behold, He is in the
inner rooms,' do not believe them." (NAS)
Mark 13:22-23 -- "...for false Christs
and false prophets will arise, and will show
signs and wonders, in order, if possible, to
lead the elect astray. But take heed;
behold, I have told you everything in
advance." (NAS)
Matthew 7:15-16 -- "Beware of the false
prophets, who come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
You will know them by their fruits. Grapes
are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs
from thistles, are they?" (NAS)
Matthew 24:11-13 -- "And many false
prophets will arise, and will mislead many.
And because lawlessness is increased, most
people's love will grow cold. But the one
who endures to the end, he shall be saved."
(NAS)
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 -- "For such men
are false apostles, deceitful workers,
disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises
himself as an angel of light. Therefore it
is not surprising if his servants also
disguise themselves as servants of
righteousness; whose end shall be according
to their deeds." (NAS)
Galatians 2:4-5 -- "But it was because
of the false brethren who had sneaked in to
spy out our liberty which we have in Christ
Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage.
But we did not yield in subjection to them
for even an hour, so that the truth of the
gospel might remain with you." (NAS)
II Thessalonians 2:9-12: "...the one
whose coming is in accord with the activity
of Satan, with all power and signs and false
wonders, and with all the deception of
wickedness for those who perish, because
they did not receive the love of the truth
so as to be saved. And for this reason God
will send upon them a deluding influence so
that they might believe what is false, in
order that they all may be judged who did
not believe the truth, but took pleasure in
wickedness." (NAS)
I John 4:1 -- "Beloved, 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." (NAS)
The church in Ephesus is noted for
finding false apostles -- Revelation 2:1-2
-- "To the angel of the church in Ephesus
write: the One who holds the seven stars in
His right hand, the One who walks among the
seven golden lampstands, says this: 'I know
your deeds and your toil and perseverance,
and that you cannot endure evil men, and you
put to the test those who call themselves
apostles, and they are not, and you found
them to be false..." (NAS) |
|
Test #8 -- Does the prophet or teacher
exalt himself to being as a god? |
II
Thessalonians 2:2-4 -- "...that you may not
be quickly shaken from your composure or be
disturbed either by a spirit or a message or
a letter as if from us, to the effect that
the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in
any way deceive you, for it will not come
unless the apostasy comes first, and the man
of lawlessness is revealed, the son of
destruction, who opposes and exalts himself
above every so-called god or object of
worship, so that he takes his seat in the
temple of God, displaying himself as being
God." |
In addition tp prophecies fading away, scripture
also says that tongues would cease.
3b. Gifts given by the
Spirit that were intended to fade away.
- Prophecy.
- Tongues.
-
Knowledge.
|
Gifts That Fade |
Click on "Tongues" below to continue... |
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