BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS

Matthew 7:15-20

Pastor Rick Jackson

Many professing Christians have egg on their face today because they followed the false prophet Harold Camping. Many have lost their money, perhaps their families, and some have probably lost their faith. There are thousands who will turn from the true God because of the failure of this false teacher to deliver what he said the Bible guaranteed. Never mind that the Bible said just the opposite- ignorant people won’t know that nor will many of them ever learn differently.
Camping is not the first false teacher to get a following and he won’t be the last. The word “beware” in Mt. 7:15 is prosevcw prosecho, pros-ekh'-o; and it means to hold the mind towards, in other words, pay attention to, be cautious about, apply oneself to, adhere to:--(give) attend(-ance, -ance at, -ance to, unto), beware, be given to, give (take) heed (to unto); have regard.
How can we do that?

I. KNOW THAT YOU ARE SAVED!

1. Know the Way of Salvation [Jn. 14:6, Rm. 1:16, I Cor. 15:1-4ff]

2. Know the Day of Salvation [II Cor. 6:2, 2 Corinthians 13:5]

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
I don’t mean you must know the date of your salvation- I barely know the year. But do be sure that there was a day you put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Know the Stay of Salvation [I Peter 1:5, I Jn. 5:10-13]

II. KNOW THE BIBLE! [Mark 12:24]

And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?

1. Read the Scriptures [Mark 12:10]

And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

2. Search the Scriptures [John 5:39]

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

3. Understand and Live by the Scriptures [Luke 24:45]

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

III. KNOW HOW TO SHARE THE SCRIPTURES! [Acts 18:24]

And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

1. “Preach” the Scriptures [Acts 8:35]

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

2. Reason with the Scriptures [Acts 17:2]

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

3. Show The Scriptures [Acts 18:28]

For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.