The world is filled with confusion, and it appears that there are forces actively trying to burn the world down. There are countless doctrines spread throughout the world, and it is impossible to escape all of them without the knowledge of God. Today, the intention is to provide a foolproof method of escaping false prophets and doctrines.
The passages below are the most accurate and easy way to identify false prophets, teachings, churches, and religions. This is followed up with a quiz, and while fun, it brings home the point of Jesus’s words.
False prophets blueprint
The passage below provides the blueprint for identifying false prophets in all cases. There are no situations where you apply this understanding that will not identify deceivers. If you are confused about whether you are dealing with false prophets, it is because you are hesitating to apply the principles brutally.
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15. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 7:15-20 KJV
15. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
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.
Matthew 7:15-20 NIV
15. Be on the watch for the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves.
16. By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they?
17. Likewise, every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit.
18. A good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce fine fruit.
19. Every tree not producing fine fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20. Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men.
Matthew 7:15-20 NWT
15. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17. So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
18. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
19. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Matthew 7:15-20 ESV
You will recognise a tree by its fruits. You do not need to evaluate the tree by its trunk, leaves, or anything besides its fruits. The fruits it bears are the only indicator you need to discern the validity of the tree. In addition, good trees produce ONLY good fruits, and bad trees produce ONLY bad fruits.
There are no exceptions.
The Bible’s black-or-white stance puts many people in a quandary. If they continue to hold on to their groups and comfort situations, they actively refuse Jesus and his set standards, thereby remaining trapped. The idea that they can discern truth even if they compromise the scriptures is all too often their downfall.
It is easy to draw near to these comfort situations because what’s on the line is tremendous. The choice we must make is for life or death. Because the scriptures, to put it mildly, is complicated, many people are afraid to make the wrong choices. Due to this, they accept the simplicity of many doctrines fed to them on a platter. Nevertheless, what is offered differs from the truth, and the scriptures have much more to offer than what they are being told.
It is more complicated yet more uncomplicated than you could imagine.
Trees & Fruits?
The previous passage mentions trees and fruits, but what or who are they? The following passage provides more information about these and how to produce good fruits.
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1. I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
John 15:1-8 KJV
1. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.“
John 15:1-8 NIV
1. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the cultivator.
2. He takes away every branch in me not bearing fruit, and he cleans every one bearing fruit, so that it may bear more fruit.
3. You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
4. Remain in union with me, and I will remain in union with you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you unless you remain in union with me.
5. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in union with me and I in union with him, this one bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing at all.
6. If anyone does not remain in union with me, he is thrown out like a branch and dries up. And men gather those branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7. If you remain in union with me and my sayings remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will take place for you.
8. My Father is glorified in this, that you keep bearing much fruit and prove yourselves my disciples.
John 15:1-8 NWT
1. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
6. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.“
John 15:1-8 ESV
Jesus is the good tree, and the ones who continue in Jesus are the branches. Only those branches will bear good fruits because they depend on the tree. All branches in Jesus will bear fruits, and anyone who deviates from him will be cut off.
The Father is the cultivator/farmer.
What is GOOD?
Good is the standard everyone must meet. However, we live in a world of relativity, where there is no longer any absolute but according to how you feel. This deluded doctrine is spread everywhere, but with God, there is no change (Malachi 3:6).
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And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Mark 10:18 KJV
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.”
Mark 10:18 NIV
Jesus said to him: “Why do you call me good? Nobody is good except one, God.“
Mark 10:18 NWT
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.“
Mark 10:18 ESV
There is only one standard that must be followed: God’s instructions. Jesus came in the name of his Father and spoke the words of God. He provided the example of how to live our lives, which is how to enter the kingdom of heaven. He kept the commandments of God and the laws of God.
There is no other standard but God. His commands and laws.
Identify false prophets
Results
Unfortunately, you have yet to understand fully the teachings.
One of the most common reasons for failure is mixing what you have taught before, with what the instructions say.
#1. Can a tree have 99 good fruits and 1 bad fruit?
#2. Bad trees always bear bad fruits?
#3. Can you get bad fruits from bad trees?
#4. Can a tree have 99 bad fruits and 1 good fruit?
#5. Bad trees can sometimes bear good fruits?
#6. Good trees bear both good and bad fruits?
#7. Can a good tree also be a bad tree?
#8. Bad trees will bear both good and bad fruits?
#9. How do you recognise good trees?
#10. How do recognise bad trees?
Conclusion
It is easy to identify false prophets by looking at their followers, whether their teaching deviates from God, tolerates sin, and whether they are willing to walk in the steps of Jesus. Anyone who teaches not to keep the commands of God is a false prophet.
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Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:19 KJV
Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:19 NIV
Whoever, therefore, breaks one of these least commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens.
Matthew 5:19 NWT
Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:19 ESV
Also, like the parable of the talents, we are expected to produce fruits. In this war, nobody can remain neutral, and those who wish to enter the kingdom of heaven must produce fruits (Mark 11:12-14).
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And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
Matthew 21:19 KJV
Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
Matthew 21:19 NIV
He caught sight of a fig tree by the road and went to it, but he found nothing on it except leaves, and he said to it: “Let no fruit come from you ever again.” And the fig tree withered instantly.
Matthew 21:19 NWT
And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.
Matthew 21:19 ESV
Many people hide behind religions and fulfilling the requirements of these institutions, classifying these things as fruits. Sadly, each tree must stand with God and not under the thumb of earthly institutions that dictate their actions and pace.
As always, I encourage and implore you to search the scriptures, get to know God yourself and walk without compromise. He can deliver and will keep his promises as long as you abide by the covenant.
Keep his commands.