How can we distinguish between true and untrue prophets?

Question

A prophet is a messenger of God. He is an ambassador of God to mankind. An ambassador is supposed to have some credential papers, some signs which demonstrate his truthfulness. No one should be received as an ambassador on his own claim. Therefore, we find that those individuals who are believed to be prophets were equipped with some unusual powers which could not be found with other people.

Moses was empowered by God to convert his staff into a serpent, to transform water into blood, and to split the sea with a strike of his staff. Jesus was empowered to cure the sick without medicine, to make the blind see, to bring the dead back to life, and, according to the Holy Qur'an, to speak to the people while he was in the cradle. Mohammad was equipped with the superb speech, the Holy Qur'an, which challenged mankind to produce its like in the Arabic language.

Answer 1

The message of a true prophet will resonate within our conscience. We were all created by God, so we all have an intimate knowledge, we just are unaware. But if this intimate knowledge is ignored, it can become so quiet as to be nearly indistinguishable.

If the message that this person brings is the same as the accepted prophets before, he is worthy of considering if he is a prophet. If his message doesn't agree with what has gone before, it would be doubtful that he is a prophet. God never changes.

Answer 2

It is written to test the prophets to see if they are hearing from God. One test is if they are leading one to other gods. One is that they say the LORD God told them something and that something doesn't come to pass it the time it was to happen.

The Holy Bible prophets have been tested, tried and found true. All the OT Messianic prophecies have come true in Christ Jesus. (I can give you a list of them if you write & ask me.)

Then in 1-3 John it writes how to discern the antichrist. If one denies Jesus Christ came in the flesh one is antichrist. If one denies the Father & the Son person is antichrist.

Also, regarding the coming Son of Perdition (Antichrist). Standing in the temple claiming to be good as God. Doesn't regard the desires of women or God, but does honor an Alyh of Forces.

Answer 3

Jesus warned us that “false Christs and false prophets” will come and will attempt to deceive even God’s elect (Matthew 24:23-27; see also 2 Peter 3:3 and Jude 17-18). To best guard yourself against falsehood and false teachers - know the truth. To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing. Any believer who is, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), and who makes a careful study of the Bible, can identify false doctrine. For example, a believer who has read the activities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:16-17 will immediately question any doctrine that denies the Trinity. Therefore, “step one” is to study the Bible and judge all teaching by what the scripture says.

Jesus said “a tree is known by his fruit” (Matthew 12:33). When looking for “fruit,” here are three specific tests to apply to any teacher to determine the accuracy of his or her teaching:

1) What does this teacher say about Jesus? In Matthew 16:15, Jesus asks, “Whom say ye that I am?” Peter answers, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and for this answer Peter is called “blessed.” In 2 John 9, we read, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” In other words, Jesus Christ and His work of redemption is of utmost importance; beware anyone who denies that Jesus is equal with God, who downplays Jesus’ substitutionary death, or who rejects Jesus’ humanity. First John 2:22 says, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”

2) Does this teacher preach the gospel? The gospel is defined as the good news concerning Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). As nice as they sound, the statements “God loves you,” “God wants us to feed the hungry,” and “God wants you to be wealthy” are NOT the complete message of the gospel. As Paul warns in Galatians 1:7, “There be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” No one, not even a great preacher, has the right to change the message that God gave us. “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9).

3) Does this teacher exhibit character qualities that glorify the Lord? Speaking of false teachers, Jude 11 says, “They have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.” In other words, a false teacher can be known by his pride (Cain’s rejection of God’s plan), greed (Balaam’s prophesying for money), and rebellion (Korah’s promotion of himself over Moses).

For further study, review those books of the Bible that were written specifically to combat false teaching within the church: Galatians, 2 Peter, 2 John, and Jude. It is often difficult to spot a false teacher / false prophet. That is what a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” is all about. Satan and his demons masquerade as “angels of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14), and his ministers masquerade as servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:15). Only by being thoroughly familiar with the truth will we be able to recognize a counterfeit.

Answer 4

The true prophet does not change his mind every time things doesn't go his way. The true prophet does not follow the bad example of the people of his time like the marriage between 6 years old and 51 years old. The prophet should be a leader not a follower.

Answer 5

Actually it is really easy-if you know the Bible. If what they say lines up with the Bible-they may be okay. if what they say is against what is already written in the Bible-then they are phony as a 3 dollar bill.

Answer 6

Wolf in sheeps clothing,
By their fruits. (Evil works)
Matthew 7:15-20.

Answer 7

those that recoin their holy books

Answer 8

from their fruits
:)