While people often fear things like terrorism, war, or epidemics, from an eternal viewpoint, these threats pale in comparison to false doctrine. These physical dangers can only destroy the body, not the soul. Jesus’s warning in Matthew 10:28 tells us to “fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell.” Therefore, the ultimate danger is anything that can lead a person to eternal destruction.
False teachers are the agents of this destruction. They are instruments of the devil who, through their teachings, lead people away from the narrow gate of life and onto the broad way of damnation. They succeed because they present a counterfeit gospel that appeals to our sinful nature and is easier to follow.
The Deception of False Prophets
False prophets are not easy to spot. As Jesus warns, they “come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” Their deception is subtle, and they often speak “in God’s name,” as Jeremiah 14:14 points out. They may even perform signs and wonders (Matthew 24:24), leading many to believe they are from God.
Their core deception is to offer a less strict and easier version of the Christian faith. They appeal to the human desire for comfort and popularity by:
- Making the way to heaven seem easy: They tell people they can be a disciple of Christ without denying themselves, taking up their cross, or mortifying the deeds of the body.
- Telling people what they want to hear: They speak “smooth things” (Isaiah 30:10), prophesy “peace” when there is no peace, and heal the wounds of sinners superficially. They offer comfort and promises without the necessary commands and conditions for true salvation.
- Appealing to the worldly self: They appeal to a person’s pride and ego, offering a way of salvation that doesn’t require us to deal with our sin, deny our self-will, or let go of our love for the world. In this counterfeit faith, the goal is not to glorify God, but to use Jesus for our own happiness and gain.
Identifying False Prophets
The Bible is filled with warnings against these deceptive teachers, from Deuteronomy to the New Testament. The chief identifying mark of a false prophet is their message. They preach a gospel that is wide and easy, contrary to the narrow and difficult way that Christ himself prescribed. They prioritize popularity and worldly success over the pure milk of the Word, leading people to believe they can have both God and their sin.
The next time you hear a sermon or a spiritual message, ask yourself: Does this message confront my sin and call me to genuine repentance? Does it make me uncomfortable by challenging my love for myself and the world? Does it tell me to deny myself and take up the cross? If the answer is no, then be on guard. It may sound appealing, but it is not the narrow way that leads to life.
What is a false prophet?
A false prophet is a person who claims to speak for God but has no true commission or message from Him. Unlike a true prophet who preaches God’s Word, a false prophet deceives people with their own fabricated stories, false miracles, and “feel-good” teachings that appeal to an unregenerate heart. They do not preach according to the true meaning of the Bible, because there is no spiritual light in them (Isaiah 8:20). Jesus said that because He spoke the truth, people would not listen to Him, but they would listen to lies because their father is the devil, who is the father of lies (John 8:45). Many will follow them because they love to have it so (Jeremiah 5:31).
Why are false prophets so dangerous?
False prophets are extremely dangerous because they lead people astray to damnation, often without their victims even realizing it. The Bible warns us to beware of them, which means to hold our minds back from their influence. It is a continuous warning to be alert and on guard because false prophets pervert the mind and poison the soul.
They are dangerous because they are not just misguided; they are like “natural brute beasts” (2 Peter 2:12), “filth spots and scabs,” and “beguilers of unstable souls.” They are dangerous like a cobra or a hungry lion. While those things only harm the body, false prophets harm and destroy the soul, blinding people to the truth and twisting their minds until the narrow way to heaven seems wrong and the wide road to hell seems attractive.
How do false prophets deceive?
The danger of false prophets lies in their deception. They are not easily identifiable because they appear to be the exact opposite of what they truly are. Outwardly, they look like shepherds in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly, they are ravenous, devouring wolves. This is the most frightening picture: a wolf, the mortal enemy of a sheep, disguised as a shepherd, who is supposed to be their protector. These wolves come to rip, tear, and destroy the flock, and the sheep, being completely defenseless, trust them because of their disguise.
There are two kinds of false prophets:
- Open heretics or apostates: These are people who openly deny the Bible and its teachings. They are easy to spot because their doctrines are obviously, flagrantly false.
- Subtle deceivers: This is the type of false prophet Jesus is warning us about. They are not open cultists; they are people who operate within the framework of evangelicalism. They use the language of the Bible, talk about Jesus, and even seem to have “Christian-ese” down pat, peppering their speech with phrases like “Praise the Lord!” and “Hallelujah!” They may even quote the Bible and seem to have a clean life. However, they are subtle because they often avoid talking about difficult topics like sin, hell, repentance, or self-denial. They focus on what people want to hear: how to be happy, how to be blessed, and how to be successful.
They deceive people in many ways:
- They seem sincere and caring. They have pleasant personalities and are often gifted speakers.
- They appear to have a large following. This leads people to believe that if so many people are following them, they must be legitimate.
- They use the right words but with the wrong meanings. They may talk about “salvation” or “repentance” but define those words in a way that is not biblical.
What is the end of false prophets?
The ultimate end of false prophets is damnation. When they face God, they will claim to have prophesied, cast out demons, and performed many miracles in His name, but He will say to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23). They will be cast into everlasting fire and destruction. The Bible says that they will “utterly perish in their own corruption” (2 Peter 2:12).
The most tragic part is that they do not go to hell alone. They lead many people down the broad road with them. Because they have led so many souls astray, their blood guiltiness is immense. Jesus said it would be better for a man to have a millstone tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea than for him to lead just one person into sin. The punishment for false prophets, who have led millions astray, will be the worst place in hell.
The warning is clear and urgent. The only thing that can protect us from false prophets is the Word of God. We must be vigilant and not be like children who are “tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). We must test all things against Scripture and unmask the false to protect the Church.
Do you understand the danger of false prophets
Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Bangalore 