False prophets here, false prophets there, false prophets everywhere

A friend and I are reading through Jeremiah. We read about a chapter a day (I am always at least one chapter behind him) and then try to briefly discuss what we read.

I have really enjoyed this. We have seen and discussed some interesting and challenging things. One thing that really sticks out is the number of false prophets around in Jeremiah’s day. As I was pondering this, I realized how utterly confusing this must have been for the people. On the one hand there was Jeremiah: “Judgment, destruction, captivity. You are wicked sinners and you must amend your ways.” On the other hand, there were several powerful prophets: “Peace, peace. You are wonderful and beautiful people just like you are.”

Jeremiah said they were false. They said Jeremiah was false. How were the people supposed to know who was from God and who was speaking lies?? My friend and I have discussed this a couple of times, even trying to apply this question, and any answer, to our own day.

Apply this to our day? Yes. Whatever you think about prophets and spiritual gifts (whether they are for today or not), there are different versions of the gospel being preached today. Radically different. How do we tell who is true and from God and who is not?

As I was thinking about this, I came across 1 John 4:1

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

That’s right, try or test the spirits: test, examine, prove, scrutinize, to see whether a thing is genuine or not, and recognize as genuine (only) after examination. 

As I meditated on this verse, I remembered that ALL of 1 John would be applicable for this. He wrote to some believers because they were being harassed by false teachers, and he told them how to recognize them. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. It would seem that not every preacher/teacher out there is from God.

I am persuaded that there are three tests that we can apply to determine whether a preacher/teacher is from God or not

1. What do they teach about Jesus? 
Jeremiah spoke of those prophets in his day who drew the hearts of the people away from the Lord. So today: Do they preach Jesus? They all talk about Him, so more accurately, Do they preach the faith which has been held since the beginning? Or are they preaching something new? Do they exalt Him, promote Him, and draw your hearts toward Him? Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.

2. Are they personally living a righteous life, or are they openly living a sinful lifestyle?
In Jeremiah’s day, the people, the priests, the prophets, the princes were wholly given over to ungodliness. The prophets were guilty of idolatry, immorality, greed, and injustice. I’m not talking about occasional failures, I’m talking about a pattern of life:

For among my people are found wicked [men]: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so [are] their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so Jer 5:26-28, 31

3. Do they call you to obedience to Christ and conformity to His Word? Or do they encourage and endorse a sinful lifestyle?
The prophets in Jerusalem did not urge the people to return to God and amend their ways. They didn’t think anyone was doing anything wrong. Well, except for Jeremiah. They were having a party and he was bringing them down with all his talk of judgment.


I have been working on this post for awhile now, and while I have been thinking on it I came across an amazing article -   “A Christless Pentecost: Is Christ Becoming A Stranger Among Us?” by David Wilkerson. I highly recommend it.

I realize that some of you reading this may not be familiar with Azusa Street, and if you are, or as you realize that it has something to do with Pentecostal/Charismatic churches you may say, “I ain’t no charismatic, so this can’t be for me.” I assure you of two things: (1) this is not a Pentecostal apologetic and (2) this is a powerful word that speaks volumes to all of us today! His three points are:

I. We Make Christ A Stranger - By Giving The Holy Spirit Pre-Eminence Over Him!
II. Christ Is Made A Stranger When People Praise Him, But Will Not Pray To Him!
III. Christ Is Made a Stranger In Our Midst - When We Want His Power More Than His Purity!

We have a problem with false prophets in the Church today and we need to test the spirits, to see whether they are of God. But there is a another problem amongst Bible believing churches, that of carnal and worldly prophets and this article speaks to that.

I hope you read the article by David Wilkerson. And I hope you read 1 John.