 |
| FALSE PROPHET |
| One of the first things that comes to the devout Christian's mind when hearing about another religion, or another religious leader other than Christian, is "False Prophet". Unfortunately, this way of thinking does not consider Jesus' complete message about discerning the False from the True Prophet. |
| Mt 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. Mt 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Mr 13:21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: Mr 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. Mt 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Mt 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Mt 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Mt 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Mt 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Mt 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Mt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Mt 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Mt 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. |
| Matthew 7 vss. 16 and 20 both say that by their "fruits" ye shall know them. So what is a fruit? We know from Mark 13:22 that great signs and wonders (miracles) are not a proof, and therefore not a fruit. So what can we agree on that is a fruit? I don't think Christians have really sat down and decided, what is a "fruit" and what isn't. But I think there is at least one thing that can be agreed upon: A True Prophet would never deny Christ. That isn't to say that False prophets wouldn't either as Matthew 24:5 says, but we can at least reason that anyone worthy of consideration to be a Messenger of God, must accept Christ. |
| Baha'u'llah testified of Christ, calling all to "turn unto Him": Know thou that when the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was infused into all created things. Its evidences, as witnessed in all the peoples of the earth, are now manifest before thee. The deepest wisdom which the sages have uttered, the profoundest learning which any mind hath unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands have produced, the influence exerted by the most potent of rulers, are but manifestations of the quickening power released by His transcendent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent Spirit. We testify that when He came into the world, He shed the splendor of His glory upon all created things. Through Him the leper recovered from the leprosy of perversity and ignorance. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified. Leprosy may be interpreted as any veil that interveneth between man and the recognition of the Lord, his God. Whoso alloweth himself to be shut out from Him is indeed a leper, who shall not be remembered in the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. We bear witness that through the power of the Word of God every leper was cleansed, every sickness was healed, every human infirmity was banished. He it is Who purified the world. Blessed is the man who, with a face beaming with light, hath turned towards Him. |
|
 |