How does one test the spirits and identify false preachers?
score:10
The Bible gives several ways.
One of the easiest is if their predictions don't come true:
When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him (Deuteronomy 18:22).
Another is if they speak contrary to Scripture:
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? 20 To the Law and to the Testimony: if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no Light in them" (Isaiah 8:19-20).
and
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8)
Along the same vein, if you know your Scripture, you'll know what Christ-Like behavior and attitudes are, and will be able to use your malarkey detector to sniff them out.
You will know them by their fruit. Grapes aren't gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles, are they? (Matthew 7:16)
Upvote:0
The question is about false preachers - not prophets. Who are preachers? Are they not anyone who explains or teaches about God?
We could put the 'church fathers' (CF) in this category - them and their writings which have become the creeds largely accepted by Christendom the world over for many centuries.
How do we know if they represent God at all?
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 1 John 4:1
Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true. Acts 17:11
the NIV puts it, "to see if what Paul said was true."
How did they test the teachings of Paul? By comparing to the scriptures. When we compare the CF to the scriptures we find divergent beliefs and doctrines being espoused, taught and eventually made the new 'law'. Things which have no foundation in any verse, let alone the whole bible that offers a consistent narrative about one God the Father and His human son Jesus and their presence with us in spirit.
We know here are different spirits at work in this world - God and His spirit for good and the devil and his spirit and power in the world in this age for evil.
Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God 2 Cor 2:12
you used to walk ... conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. Eph 2:2
Clearly, any may be directed to follow either spirit. Unless God expressly acts to draw a new believer into His realm, they will remain in the realm of the world and under the governance of the devil. (until such time as they are made fully aware of Jesus and the kingdom he presides over)
So any one who teaches about God may also be subject to the 'world' and not even know it. If we compare to the word - the truth once delivered, we will soon see if they speak truth or not! (This comparison is of course based on the premise that any errors introduced into the text are made apparent and accounted for)
We examine the word to see if what is taught is true. Only God can lead this endeavour. The Apostles taught consistently that there is one God - He is the Father. They taught of the human Jesus who is the Christ. They did not teach of the person of the Holy Spirit (this is answered elsewhere)
They certainly did not insist that this doctrine of a trinity - a 3in1 God become the mandatory doctrine necessary for salvation!
To even the untrained mind, this presents a mystery worth pursuing to see if the CF speak the truth or are false teachers as we have been warned about already.
You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. 1 John 2:18
For many will come in My name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. Matt 24:5
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits 1 Tim 4:1
We must compare to the word of God, His son's words, His appointed Apostle's words. If a teaching in contrary to these - we are required, warned, to examine and decide for ourselves.
There is a slightly humorous yet important incident described in Acts 19, an imposter was made known, and subsequently, they began burning books of things not of the word of God - a lot of them!
some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, “I order you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!” Now there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, doing this. But the evil spirit responded and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know of Paul, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit, pounced on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. Also many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. And many of those who practised magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they added up the prices of the books and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord was growing and prevailing mightily.
More post
- 📝 How many 'Books' never made it to the Bible (Old and New Testament)?
- 📝 Is the 'Ho' in Hosanna! connected in any way to the 'ho' in Jehovah?
- 📝 According to the Church of God (Cleveland), are children sin-free?
- 📝 According to proponents of Believer's Baptism, can an infant be saved?
- 📝 Demon Possession in the Old Testament?
- 📝 According to Catholic sources, what is the "Leviathan" in the Bible?
- 📝 Keep the law OR nail to the cross?
- 📝 Are there "rational" criteria for which books appear in the Bible?
- 📝 Are any Greek or Roman gods mentioned by name in the Bible?
- 📝 What are indulgences and when and why were they used?
- 📝 Is there an example in the Bible of a human ever praying [a prayer] to someone other than one assumed to be God/god?
- 📝 Did the experts and authorities behind the King James Version believe that their work was divine, inspired and inerrant?
- 📝 How to suggest more reasonable themes/paradigms for Covid-19 homilies (sermons) to Catholic priests and bishops?
- 📝 What is the earliest Christian use of a worship leader?
- 📝 If Jesus is God, who/where does Jesus pray to?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for the logical Problem of Evil?
- 📝 What is the basis for the idea of a seven year peace treaty with Israel in the end times?
- 📝 How do Bible scholars view the accuracy and reliability of the Aleppo Codex?
- 📝 How are the soul and the body related to each other according to the RCC?
- 📝 How did the author of Jonah know about this conversation?
- 📝 How could the Egyptian magicians do what God did through Moses?
- 📝 What does the quote from the Old Testament in Luke 2: 23 refer to?
- 📝 Is salvation acheived by faith alone, or does it in fact require some works?
- 📝 In which scriptures are Jesus' Words?
- 📝 How do Catholics view physical and digital copies of the Bible?
- 📝 Why do Greek Orthodox venerate icons and Roman Catholic statues?
- 📝 If A = x and B = x and C = x then why isn't A = B = C? (Trinity)
- 📝 Are there any Catholic medieval directives (rubrics) about what to do/pray/think during Eucharist Adoration?
- 📝 According to Catholic teaching, was Joseph and Mary's marriage a true marriage?
- 📝 What are the core differences between Protestants and Eastern Orthodox Christianity?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 How does one test the spirits and identify false preachers?
- 📝 How does one discern between thoughts inspired by the Holy Spirit and those produced from themselves
- 📝 How does the Catholic Church identify and collect relics?
- 📝 How does Matthew 25:31-46 ("The Sheep and the Goats") reconcile with salvation by faith?
- 📝 How does one reconcile the sinlessness of Mary with her sin offering in Luke 2:24?
- 📝 What is the Lutheran doctrine of consubstantiation and how does it differ from transubstantiation and a more general protestant sacramental view?
- 📝 If the Bible is open to interpretation, how does one know which one is right?
- 📝 When and how was the doctrine of the one divine will established?
- 📝 How does one become an Apostle in the LDS Church?
- 📝 Why does the Old Testament never mention unclean spirits and demon-posessed people?
- 📝 How does the Bible differentiate between sickness and sin?
- 📝 Does God want things? What are some of the things He wants, and how did we find out?
- 📝 How does Jesus fulfill the offices of Prophet, Priest and King?
- 📝 Does the theology of Arians and Jehovah's Witnesses admit that God was at one point ἄλογος?
- 📝 How does the ancient Jewish Wedding tradition foreshadow Christ and the church?
- 📝 How does the New Testament define a Christian and a non-Christian, a brother in Christ and not a brother in Christ?
- 📝 How does the trial of Jesus compare to the judicial standards of the epoch and of the modern times?
- 📝 How does the LDS Church handle verses that imply there is no one like God?
- 📝 How does one "leave his wife" for the Kingdom of God?
- 📝 If one's entry into the church is solemnized by baptism, then how does one leave the church?
- 📝 According to the Bible how does one receive the gift of the Holy Ghost?
- 📝 How does C. S. Lewis define the "natural" and "supernatural" in his book Miracles?
- 📝 How it is possible to be one God in three persons (Jesus, Holy Ghost, and God the Father)?
- 📝 How does one go to Confession before receiving the Eucharist if I am not Catholic?
- 📝 What does it mean to say the Bible is the "Word of God" and how is it justified?
- 📝 What is Typology in the context of Christianity, and how does it help understand doctrinal matters?
- 📝 How does the loss of Wesleyan perfectionism differ from Catholic distinctions between mortal and venial sins?
- 📝 How does one discern a calling to the vocation of priesthood?
- 📝 According to LDS, do all non-LDS Christians lack the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and if so, how does this lack manifest itself in the lives of non-LDS?
- 📝 In light of grace, How does a Christian consider the devotedness of Muslims and Jews?