Watchout For WOLVES: Keys To Discerning Authentic Ministries & Evaluating Doctrinal Trends

false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 Therefore if they say to you, “Look, He is in the desert!” do not go out; or “Look, He is in the inner rooms!” do not believe it. Matthew 24:23-26 It is interesting that Jesus uses the term “inner rooms” here. So often those who seek to infiltrate the church with their questionable teaching s call people to some “secret place.” False ministries love to operate in secret to avoid detection by the true leaders of the flock. They use secret meetings with special invitations often assembled under false pretenses without the knowledge or approval of local church leadership. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter 2:1 The fourth characteristic of God’s people as s heep is that they love to hear what they want to hear (Jer. 5:31). They are not as concerned about what they need to hear as they are what they want to hear. They are wanting a word that is non-confrontational, does not require any change on their part, makes them feel good about themselves and, as a bonus, is entertaining. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end? Albert Barnes suggests that this could be read, “the priests govern according to their false prophecies, guidance, and directions.” And the people love it because their words do not really challenge them to change. Barn es adds, “False teaching lightens the yoke of God’s Law, and removes His fear from the conscience: and with this, man is ready to be conte nt.”

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