The role of a leader is very important because his decision affects all the people in the group, not only himself. Through a good decision a leader makes, everyone in the group can receive a benefit, vice versa. It is the same spiritually. God has set up leaders among his people so that they would lead people into the way of God. Those chosen by God to lead people are called “prophets” of God. If a prophet leads people in the right way, they would have peace and safety and ultimately receive salvation. However, if a prophet leads in the wrong way, people can face danger and destruction.
The Destiny of People Led by False Prophets
Many might think why God is rebuking me because I have done everything according to what my pastor said to me. Even though I might have done something wrong, it was not my fault but the of the leader who has led me in the wrong way. So it would be unfair if I am not given another chance to mend what I have done wrong.
However this may sound logical, this is not the will of God. God already commanded us that we should be wary of the false prophets and we MUST cultivate abilities to distinguish what is true from what is false.
Isaiah 9:16 Those who guide this people mislead them,
and those who are guided are led astray.
Those who mislead and those who are led astray both of them would face the same fate in the end. If one falls, the other will fall too, and if the one is snared, the other will be too. There would be no difference for the result.
Matthew 15:14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.
There would be no room for any excuse for neither of them. If we look at the history of the physical Israelites which was given as lessons to us, we can see many instances when many who followed false teachings got punished because of their lack of discernment. The same story is recorded even from the beginning to give us a warning. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had lived happily until they came to know the snake or Satan.
They obeyed the good teachings of God, following his commands and receiving the blessing of eternal life from God. Without knowing who the snake was, however, they started to listen to the voice of snake who gave false teachings which were contrary to the true teachings of God. Because of this lack of discernment, ultimately they were punished and driven out from the paradise and destined to go through many pains and sufferings as punishments. Adam and Eve tried to make excuses, but the judgment of God was immutable and they were punished by God.
Genesis 3:12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
How to Have Eyes to Discern False Prophets
According to the bible it is impossible to distinguish the false prophets from the true one because they look the same in the outward appearance.
Matthew 7:15 Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
Jesus compared false prophets to a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Even though a wolf is inside, with the outward appearance it looks like a sheep. In the same way, from the outward appearance a false prophet looks exactly like a true prophet and we cannot distinguish them from each other by looking at their appearance. Like true prophets, they also preach the words of God with big and beautiful smiles in neat and nice clothes, addressing to people in a kind and hospitable manner. He simply is a NICE guy.
If this is the case, how can we discern the false prophets? Why is God rebuking us for not having an ability to distinguish for indistinguishable two things? Are supposed to have spiritual laser-like eyes to scan the inside of man? Is God unfair? No way. God already gave us ways how to recognize one. Then how can we know a false prophet when we meet?
Matthew 7:16 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
What is the fruits which tells us the truth about the false prophets who looks like a true one? It is the actions they show.
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
As a prophet of Jesus they have done great thing with their great faith in Jesus. They prophesied, drove out demons, and performed miracles; however, Jesus is not happy with them even though they had great faith in him to do many great things. What is it that made Jesus dissatisfied with them? It is because they have done “evil things.” What does it mean? Did they do something evil in secret? Did they kill somebody while no one is watching? Did they steal? Did they have immoral sexual relations?
What kind of things are considered “evil” in this context? To correctly understand the meaning of “evil-doers,” let us look up the meaning in another version.
Matthew 7:23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (NASB)
In the New American Standard Bible, the evildoers are translated as people who do not follow the laws of God.
The Laws of God
Therefore, the true standard we should use to distinguish the true prophets and false ones are the laws of God. If a prophet follows the laws of God, however shabby and insignificant may he look, he should be listened to and obeyed because he is delivering the words of God. If a prophet disobeys the laws of God, however, however eloquent, good-looking, and well-educated may he be, we never should listen to him or follow him because he is the one leading us to the pit.
Then what is the laws of God and where can we find the laws of God? If we look at the customs of the world, people goes to the church on Sundays because that is the day when the prophets of God (who works in many different names and titles such as ministers, pastors, missionaries) are inviting them to come to worship God. And people celebrates the Christmas to remember the birth of Christ for the similar reason. So are the other ceremonies they keep in the church.
But are these the true laws of God? No, they are not. No where in the bible, we can see the instances when Jesus and disciples gathered on the 25th of December to commemorate the birth of Christ. Neither can we find any record where Jesus and Disciples celebrated the day of Resurrections with bunnies and painted eggs calling the day, “Easter.” Nor can we find Jesus and disciples going to church on Sundays to worship God.
Rather, we can see them having worship services on the Sabbath, which is Saturdays according to their custom. (Luke 4:16, Acts 17:2) And also we see them keeping the Passover according to its own regulations at its appointed time. (Matthew 26:26, 1 Corinthians 5:7) We can see them keeping the Pentecost (Acts 2:1), the Feast of Tabernacle (John 7) and keeping the Day of Resurrection by breaking bread. (Luke 24:30)
In these respects, who are the pastors who opens the church on Sundays to worship God? Who are the priests who celebrate the Christmas? Who are the missionaries who paint eggs to keep the Easter? Aren’t they the false ones? Their good appearance, their good education, their good speech, their vast knowledge, all these do not matter. Through their fruits, we can recognize the false ones. What should we call those who practice the lawlessness? They are the wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Conclusion
Just as Jesus came to us to reveal the true identity of the false prophets of the time through his true teachings and to destroy the work of the false prophets.
1 John 3:8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
The work of the Devil was always committing sins and the sin according to the bible is the lawlessness. (1 John 3:4) Christ came to destroy the work of Devil by preaching the truth of the new covenant so that God’s people know the true laws of God and obey them. In the same way, Devil worked again to destroy the truth, but the Second Coming Christ Ahnsahnghong came for the second time to teach us the truth of the new covenant. He saw us led by the false prophets and into the way of destruction. He had pity and compassion for the sinners and left heaven’s throne for the second time and came to us again. Up until now we have been following the ways of destruction deceived by the false prophets, but now let us following the way of truth and life according to the teachings of God Ahnsahnghong and Heavenly Mother New Jerusalem.