What percentage of false doctrine does a speaker have to have to be considered a false prophet? If a speaker is deemed a false prophet because he speaks 1% false doctrine, then wouldn't EVERY pastor and speaker be deemed a false prophet? I mean, EVERYBODY has said SOMETHING ignorantly (false) at least once in their ministry, haven't they? (Except for Jesus, of course!)
An honest error - one made in ignorance is vastly different from one that is explained and taught.
My understanding....
hi, why on these forums do people always speak to the negative? they look down their sinfull,proud noses at others who are not perfect and listen to every word just waiting for the misstatement that is bound to happen and opine on it;somewhat reminding me of the accuser of the brethren.we need to be known by our love for one another and not our perfection in doctrine and speech. len ravenhill told me not to listen to him without checking what he said by the word because he said he was as dumb as any other preacher.a conduit is a conduit and should not be praised or put down. God is the only annointed One and he uses conduits to bless people. we are all sinners who without Jesus would be destined for a eternity in hell.jimp
False prophets are known by their FRUIT, we have all done things in ignorance, and until we receive light on it, we will continue to do so..So let us seek Him while He may be found..For we are all unrighteous without His guiding arm..
Though if it is not done in ignorance, but knowingly leading the sheep astray then this I think would be considered a false prophet, a wolf.
Your hunger for truth is commendable. I am interested also in some of the questions you asked denem.
Hi denem777 I too sense that you ask an honest question, although you seemed to have been rebuked for it :) Consider this ....
Gal 2:4 But because of those false brothers stealing in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus; they desiring to enslave us;
Gal 2:5 to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
It is good to use discernment. Paul did not rest, night and day for three years warning the Body of wolves in sheeps clothing that would come in to scatter the flock. There was obviously a reason why he spent so much of his time warning the folks. A very obvious example would be Jim Jones and the Jonestown massacre. There were warnings about this man but sadly they were mostly ignored by the people who attended his church and they paid the ultimate price.
There is a very real difference from a preacher and a prophet, they are different offices although at Gods good pleasure He can overlap it. And so many preachers hold to different doctrines, so many of which have been thrashed out here on this very site. Holding to a different interpretation does not make someone a false Prophet. Here is a pretty good rule of thumb brother, if someone tells you that they are are a Prophet, in other words, a self proclaimed Prophet, you can pretty much be sure that they are not...........brother Frank
hi, i perceive you are a true prophet. i did not rebuke the writer,as i have seen more and more watchmen with no walls and no sheep and no commision to watch.paul was responsible for the sheep he apostled.if you are a pastor you have every right to protect your sheep as God leads.self appointed watchmen who do not weep and pray for those they blog about being false teahers and false prophets without having to face these men and women face to face and offer biblical discipine is gossip at best.i know a lot of the men who have been demeaned as heretics and liars and know a lot of them are off the track in a lot of different areas but for the most they love the Lord and are decieved of satan .have mercy on stupidity and pray and avoid those whose fruit do not add up to christian living .we wrestle not against flesh and blood.
what I don't understand on these threads is why certain ones feel the need to constantly correct the rest of us with personal attacks instead of answering the question. I think this is a legit question and have pondered it myself. I feel this example from experience is a good one. Once while at a sidewalk cafe with a pastor friend we discussed the way many misuse scripture. I mentioned the way many use "good measured,pressed down,shaken together and running over will men give into your bosom' as a money scripture. When in context it follows a discourse of Jesus' on loving your enemies, forgiveness and judging. He agreed. two weeks later while visiting his church I heard this same man use this scripture to extract a bigger "offering" from "his people".
This to me is a false teacher/prophet. one who has seen but refuses to walk in the light while also hindering or forbiding others from walking in the light. I as a Pastor taught things in the past (WOF) that were false doctrine.I did this because I was blind, deceived. But when the light came I refused to teach those things any longer. had i continued the I as well would have been a false teacher.
Enochh wrote:
"I as a Pastor taught things in the past (WOF) that were false doctrine.I did this because I was blind, deceived. But when the light came I refused to teach those things any longer. had i continued the I as well would have been a false teacher."
Enochh, what you did is rare. Many false teachers will get angry when confronted, will work to defend their 'doctrine'. For a preacher to be teachable by another or a lesser is rare. God bless you, brother. Your testimony is an encouragement...you see I do not know of any false teachers who have repented of their apostasy.
ginnyrose
jimp...hi, why on these forums do people always speak to the negative? they look down their sinfull,proud noses at others who are not perfect and listen to every word just waiting for the misstatement that is bound to happen and opine on it;somewhat reminding me of the accuser of the brethren.
My only "guess" would be even some Christians like drama.
Enochh wrote.........
" I as a Pastor taught things in the past (WOF) that were false doctrine.I did this because I was blind, deceived. But when the light came I refused to teach those things any longer. had i continued the I as well would have been a false teacher."
Well that was a breath of fresh air, God bless you brother for your humility. It reminds me of Peters reaction to Paul who rebuked him publicly. Peter calls a council to see if he may be wrong, awesome, especially when you consider what kind of personality Peter had. Truly a work of the Spirit to change the very naturE of a man.....brother Frank
Satan needs a few good men to transmit false doctrine. Much of the time they are very sincere and believe what they are teaching. That is why it is called "deception".
Peter was sincere and God sent Paul to straighten him out.
Julius
Peter was not teaching false doctrine. He was teaching one thing and acting another. He was a hypocrite, not a false teacher.
Krispy
Removed by poster
(The Holy Spirit compelled me to...)
"Peter was not teaching false doctrine. He was teaching one thing and acting another. He was a hypocrite, not a false teacher."
The comment on Peter was in regard to Enoch's humility in admitting that he was wrong. Peter was rebuked, publicly, and responded in a way that could only have been directed by the Spirit, especially when you consider Pater's nature. Just as an aside Krispy, it was a doctrinal matter, but this is not what this thread is about.
Gal 2:14 But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before all, If you, being a Jew, live as a Gentile, and not as the Jews, why do you compel the nations to judaize?
In the context of Galatians 2 and especially Gal 2:4 , this was certainly a doctrinal matter, enough to call a council over it, the first council ever. Yet again, and back to the original posters question, there is a difference between doctrinal differences, interpretations and a false prophet. One can be wrong doctrinally and not be a false prophet, which is what Enoch so humbly alluded too................brother Frank
You are correct that it was a doctrinal matter. Peter had taught the proper doctrine, but he failed to live it out 100%. With one group of people he taught it and lived it, but with another group of people he hid it and lived opposite.
:-)
There is a difference between a pastor who teaches something that can be debated, and has been debated for centuries... and a pastor who preaches against orthodoxy. And we all change in our theology over time. Thats called growth and sanctification.
As for so-called "prophets"; if you presume to speak for God with a "thus says the Lord" then what comes out of your mouth had better be 100%.
Krispy
hi krispy, you hit it on the head... i had a couple weird things the Lord led me to speak and one took 25 years to come to pass. i repented of this for many of those years for it had no logic to it at all.i told a pastor of a small church that if he would continue to send people out to bless other churches around the city.God would bless him with a church in the south and inthe west.that was 40 years ago when multi campuses was unheard of.it has come to pass.
Well, thats not really what I was talking about.
I'm saying that my theology evolved and grew over the past 10 years. When we're babes in Christ we say all kinds of ignorant things... and as time goes by and we grow up in the Lord and gain more understanding into scripture we begin to speak from knowledge and not from ignorance.
I wasnt speaking of prophecy. People come here and lay out these loooong prophecies that the Lord is supposed to have given them... "things will wax worse and worse" and so on and so forth... and I bite my tongue because my usual reaction is "Duh! Thats what the Bible says! We're already told that!"
Krispy
Sherid,
I read your testimony...all I can say is that God was/is merciful to you and for that we can praise the LORD!
"When I first heard a Christian warn me, I laughed them off, thinking to myself that they were a Pharisee and judgemental and so I opened myself up to the teaching that I was warned about."
Nothing new about this...
"I guess what I am trying to say is that there are many who judge others for trying to discern when it is a necessary gift to use."
Absolutely true.
If we would only take heed to the red flags that pop up, we could spare ourselves a lot of grief. Too many times we argue with the voice that is within and go our own way to our own hurt.
God bless you for sharing, Sherid.
ginnyrose
Sherid,
I am going to be praying for you. Please pray for me as well. I live by Redding and was also caught up in what Bethel had to offer. I was delivered from it by God. Praise his name. We must be discerning. These are perilous times. I am so thankful that Jesus is coming back soon to establish his everlasting kingdom that will smash Satan's kingdom of darkness, like a Rock smashes a brittle clay statue.
Peace in Christ,
Travis
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