I believe that everyone is pretty sure that we are living in the end times. Even people who do not believe in God, think that the world as we know it is coming to an end. In this particular study you will see what the Bible has to say about the end times and false apostles (People who claim to represent God). It will tell you how to figure out the difference between the true child of God and the false one who claims to be a child of God. In 1 John 4:1 the word tells us to test the spirits, that means to see if the person claiming to be a child of God truly is. In verse 2 it says that every spirit that confesses that Jesus came in the flesh is of God and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus came in the flesh is not of God. In 1 Corinthians 12:3 it says that no one can say Jesus is Lord without the Holy Spirit. Now in order to have the Holy Spirit you have to be a child of God. As you can see there are ways to test the spirit of a person to see who you are really dealing with. You see we have been warned in Scripture that the Evil One is going to try and trick us into believing a lie so that he can steal from us. So be diligent in keeping an eye out for false teaching and greed. According to Scripture it says that Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. We do not have to be paranoid about every person who claims to be a Christian, the one thing that I have noticed myself, is that you will just seem to know that there is something wrong in your spirit about that person who claims to be a child of God and is not. If they are not truly a child of God and you are, then their deception will eventually show itself. For the Word of God tells us that your sin will find you out. There are some clear cut signs about these people according to Ephesians 4:18-19, it says that their hearts are hard, that they have lost their sensitivity, that they live for sensuality and are greedy for more and more. In Titus 3:10 it tells us how to deal with these kinds of people. It tells us to warn them once, then twice, and if they do not listen to the correction, we are to have nothing to do with them at all. I hope that this study helps give you discernment about the last days and that God gives you wisdom of how to recognize these kind of people and what to do with them in your life, so that you will not be deceived by them, but will live out the rest of your days as a wise child of God. May God bless you and remember what the Word of God tells us, some of these people are among you in your own congregations. As long as you recognize them and rebuke them when necessary you will not be deceived. Satan is here to kill, steal, and destroy and he does his best work right inside churches where he sends his very own people to get the young Christians discouraged into not going back to church due to some offense from some supposed Christian, which was actually really a child of the Devil. Test the Spirits!!!!!!!! For a better understanding of the Christian walk and how the Devil works in our lives read the blog on Walking with the Lord.
I John 4:1-4
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
I John 2:18-26
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is a liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist- he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father: whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us- even eternal life. I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
II Peter 2:1-3
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them- bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
II Corinthians 11:7-15
Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achia will stop this boasting of mine. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do! And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Ephesians 4:14-19
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves; and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
Philippians 3:18-19
For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
I Timothy 4:1-3
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
I Timothy 6:3-5
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
II Timothy 3:1-8
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth- men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.
James 3:13-16
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
Titus 3:9-11
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, then warn him a second time. After that. have nothing! to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
I Corinthians 12:3
Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 1:6-10
I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who in his love and mercy called you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ. You are already following a different way that pretends to be the Good News but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ.
Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including myself, who preaches any other message than the one we told you about. Even if an angel comes from heaven and preaches any other message, let him be forever cursed. I will say it again: if anyone preaches any other gospel than the one you welcomed, let God’s curse fall upon that person.
Obviously, I’m not trying to be a people pleaser! No, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant.