Introduction: The cautionary advice that one cannot necessary trust someone who appears kind and friendly has been with us for many centuries.
“Once upon a time a wolf resolved to disguise his appearance in order to secure food more easily. Encased in the skin of a sheep, he pastured with the flock deceiving the shepherd by his costume. In the evening he was shut up by the shepherd in the fold; the gate was closed, and the entrance made thoroughly secure. But the shepherd, returning to the fold during the night to obtain meat for the next day, mistakenly caught up the wolf instead of a sheep, and killed him instantly.”
Fake ministers had crept into the house of God, trying to devour the sheep of the Lord Almighty, they shall be caught one day like the case of the wolf explained above and they shall be utterly destroyed.
Outline
1. Deception. Matt. 24:4: The first sign that Jesus talked about was deception. The major instrument the devil uses is deception, he deceived Eve in the Garden of Eden Gen.3:6, he tried the same with Jesus after a long fast of forty days and forty nights but he was unsuccessful. Matt. 4: 3-4.
2. Seven ways false prophets are known
a. By outward general conduct. Matt. 7:15, II Tim. 3:5
b. By inward state Mk. 7: 21 – 23
c. By the kind of fruit in works produced. II Cor. 11: 13 – 15,Matt. 7: 16 – 20
d. By the kind of fruit in doctrine taught I Tim. 4: 1 – 3
e. By professing to do, not doing the will of God Matt. 7:21
f. By Satanic backing Acts 8: 9 – 13
g. By their destiny Matt. 7:23
3. Seven ways to test fake prophets
a. Their confession of Jesus I John 4: 2 – 3
b. Their relationship with the world I John 2: 15 – 17
c. How they received Christianity I John 4:6
d. Their attitude towards the commandments of God John 14: 15 & 21
e. Love of the brethren I john 3: 11 – 16
f. The indwelling Holy Spirit I John 4: 4 – 6
g. The word of God II Tim. 3:16, II Cor.4:4
Conclusion: The wolf was eventually caught by the Shepherd. The same way Christ shall catch up with the fake ministers one day and will end in hell fire with those that run after them except they repent. Matt. 7:23. Repent today, tomorrow may be too late.
