Jesus
warned us that...
“...many false
prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because
lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
But he who endures to the end shall be saved."
Matthew 24:11
"...false christs and false prophets will
rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if
possible, even the elect. See, I have told you
beforehand."
Matthew 24:23-25
Peter wrote:
"...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. And many will follow
their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be
blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with
deceptive
words...."
2 Peter 2:1-3
Paul wrote:
“Now the Spirit
expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the
faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of
demons...."
1 Timothy 4:1
"I have not
shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock,
among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to
shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His
own blood. For I know this, after my departure savage
wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also
from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse
things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not
cease to warn everyone night and day with tears."
Acts 20:27-31
"I charge you
therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will
judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His
kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of
season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering
and teaching. For the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires,
because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves
teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth,
and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all
things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill your ministry."
2 Timothy 4:1-6
God spoke to
Ezekiel, one of the major Old Testament prophets, saying,
“Son of man,
prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and
say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: 'Woe to
the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the
shepherds feed the flocks? ...
"So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and
they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were
scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on
every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face
of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them.”
"‘Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word
of the Lord: 'As I live,' says the Lord God, 'surely because My
flock became a prey, and My flock 'became food for every beast
of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My
shepherds search for My flock, 'but the shepherds fed
themselves and did not feed My flock'— therefore, O
shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God:
'Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My
flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the
sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I
will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no
longer be food for them.”
"‘For thus says the Lord God:
“Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.
As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his
scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them
from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and
dark day. ...
"'I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,' says
the Lord God. 'I will seek what was lost and bring back what
was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was
sick; but I will destroy 'the fat and the strong, and feed
them in judgment.'”
Ezekiel 34:2-16
John wrote:
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits,
whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone
out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every
spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of
God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the
spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is
now already in the world."
"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears
us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the
spirit of truth and the spirit of error."
1 John 4:1-6