We need the authentic. We need what is real. There are only two kinds of religion in the world – the true and the false. The true is authentic. The false is dangerous and has the curse of God upon it. It is a great crime to tell a lie about God. False prophets in the Old Testament were to be put to death.

1 – You need to realise their presence

Don’t think that they don’t exist. They have always existed. We should not be surprised. There are false prophets in the Church. See 2 Corinthians 11:13ff. When you look for Satan, don’t forget to look in the church. They will bring in damnable heresies that will cause division in the church. They are not to be welcomed. It is better to be divided by truth than united in error. In the last days there will be many false teachers and prophets. If there were no false teachers and prophets then the Bible would not be true.

2 – You need to recognise their pretence

How can you tell a false prophet? By their looks? They may be sincere?

• By their message – false. It is like counterfeit money. You need to know the authentic so you can recognise the counterfeit.

1. The source test – Do they use the Word of God as their source.
2. The saviour test – What do they believe about the Lord Jesus Christ? Do they believe in the Virgin birth, etc?
3. The subject test – What is the subject of their preaching. Is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Is it a saving message?
4. The salvation test – How does he say that you are saved? Do you have to send money?
5. The sanctification test – Does that person leave a holy life and teach others to do so?

• By their method – they will secretly bring things in by laying something bad alongside something good. This is how they sell drink and cigarettes! These people can mould their words like plastic.
• By their manner (vs. 2) – pernicious – “unbridled lust”. The word “grace” means they can do whatever they like. The false prophet will normally lead to gross immorality. They are living ungodly lives. See 2 Timothy 4:3. People may not want sound doctrine. They have an “itch” that they want scratched.
• By their motive (vs. 3) – Their motive is to merchandise the gospel. They are “prophets” out to make a profit. They are damned in God’s eyes.

3 – You need to remember their past

• Arrogant angels – We are not angels and man is made lower. If God did spare the angels then he will not spare mankind.
• Noah – God destroyed the whole world apart from eight souls. God destroyed the many and spared the few.
• Sodom & Gomorrah – This was because of sexual perversion. God will not overlook spiritual perversion. Look at the world today. Is it that far removed from Sodom and Gomorrah?

The God who spared not the angels, the world in Noah’s time and Sodom and Gomorrah, did not spare Jesus. See Romans 8:32. God is unsparing when it come to sin and he is also unsparing when it come to love.

Categories: 2 Peter