Jesus warned us in Matthew 7: 15: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing...." These teachers, ministers, or pastors look like Christians but they are not. Paul warned that Satan "is transformed into an angel of light." Jude warns against false teachers saying, "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to condemnation, ungodly men...." The point is that there are false teachers in the church that are really working for their father Satan. Can we know them? Yes, there are characteristics that will reveal them. Here are some (not exhaustive, more to come):
1. A preacher that preaches, peace, peace, when there is no peace. This is a preacher that does not speak of repentance. You have to repent or perish but they will not tell you. They may mention the word, but since they have never truly repented, they can not help an awakened sinner.
2. A preacher that does not get converts to the Lord Jesus Christ. They will say, "trust Jesus," "accept Jesus," or "make a decision for Jesus." However, they are not able to bring the sinner to the Lord Jesus Christ because they don't know Him themselves.
3. An unsaved preacher is a false teacher that does not understand an awakened sinner (a sinner under the conviction of the Holy Spirit). They can't tell the sinner what to do, they can only comfort him. This is a sure sign of a false preacher that comforts a sinner instead of telling him what to do to get right with God.
4. A false preacher likes to preach smooth things, like love, joy happiness, wealth and abundance. A false preacher will invent easy ways to heaven.
VERY IMPORTANT: IF YOU CANNOT GO BACK TO THE TIME WHEN YOU WERE A LOST SINNER, YOU ARE NOT SAVED."
5. A false teacher/preacher will have no fruit. Jesus said, "by their fruits ye shall know them." They will bring many distractions, speaking in tongues, water baptism, church membership, or others but these are not salvation.
God does not offer salvation to a sinner until that sinner severs relationships with everybody, with everything, and with the world. To be a Christian, you receive Jesus Christ as Lord, the full absolute authority over your heart and life. No rebellion exists in the heart once one has made Jesus Lord of all. If you are not willing to obey Christ, you are not saved! Anyone who tells you otherwise, is a false teacher. If faith in Christ does not produce a holy life, a life separated from the world, a life separated unto Christ, if your faith in Christ does not put Him first, last and always, then your faith is null and void, and you are not saved. Anyone who tells you different is a false teacher.
More to come on this important subject.
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