The Fruit of a False Prophet Repentance part 6

The Fruit of a False Prophet repentance part 6
By David Cox

Summary: This study will investigate what the fruit (life and ministry) of a false prophet. Part 6 of this series is simply an introduction and begins by contrasting a man of God’s fruit (piety and holiness) with the false prophet’s fruit (sin, not doing God’s will).

For an overview, see
False Prophets and Teachers Overview

The “Poison” of True Repentance

Titus 1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Titus 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

One of the keys to understanding the difference between a ministry of a man of God and that of a false prophet is the issue of repentance.

Let me define repentance for you. Repentance is when you are not obeying God’s will, and because God confronts you with his will, you submit to his will, and you confess your error and change your life to align it with God’s will, i.e. abandon sin to do justice and righteousness (what you should be doing positively instead of sin).

The identification of true sins and strong preaching of God’s wrath on those who sin without repentance and abandonment is dangerous for the false prophet. Why? Because once you start with this, it is so very easy for the congregation to “get in the groove” and start looking around and see the unrepentant sin and sinful lifestyle of the false prophet. It is not what God calls sin, but what is convenient for the false prophet to identify as sin is what they want to focus on. Usually, there is a tendency for the false prophet to be very educated (or pretend to be) and impress everybody with his spiritual discernment and exposition skills. This is a safeguard so that if there are questions about the false prophet’s own life, he will come out with the subtle seed he has been planting, that only he can truly and correctly interpret Scripture. This protects his own little empire.

God wants his men of God to preach against the sin of the people. It really does no good to preach heavily on the sins which are really not your people’s sin. In a blind colony, it would seem obvious that you do not need to preach so strongly against the sins of eye gate. Your people cannot see, so why berate that constantly?

This is exactly what the false prophet does. He is going to preach where the money is, i.e. he will seek to maintain his control and benefit from the people without touching on the sins that might cause him to lose them.

It is a special preacher and church that can regularly preach against their sins, and the people stay with that preacher. If they do, they will grow greatly under such a ministry.

Jer 1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Jer 1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

Preaching is the repeating of what God has said. We sit at God’s feet (holiness, meditation, quietness is all required here) and then we understand it, and then present the same thing to God’s people, and ultimately the world.

What is sound Doctrine/Sound Preaching?

2Tim 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

also
Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

“Sound” here means that which is “whole or health as in being of sound health” Vine 4:55. The idea then is that of things which naturally and integrally make a person a good Christian, a good son or daughter of God. In 1Tim 1:10-11 Paul equates this with the gospel. This is a theme in Titus (Titus 1:9, 13; 2:1,2,8). Within Titus this topic is expanded on to income God’s nature (Titus 1:2), eternal life (Titus 1:2; 2:23; 3:7), the grace of God (Titus 1:3; 2:11-12; 3:4-7), the elder’s work and qualifications (Titus 2:1-10), refutation of false teaching (Titus 1:10-16); personal godliness (Titus 2:1-10), home responsibilities and relationships (Titus 2:4-5), our speech (Titus 2:8), our example (Titus 2:7), etc. (truthmagazine.com)

In the article mentioned he gives the elements of Bible preaching: (1) preaches the word of God, (2) Points to God. (3) Refutes error. (4) Reproves sin. (5) Leads men to salvation. (6) Instructs in righteous living. (7) Distinctive preaching, separating truth and error. (8) Demands results or has an exhortation and urgency (call to action) to moral change. (9) Has a right attitude.

Preaching for a man of God has a clear objective, a clear substance. That is a moral change in those that hear him because the Bible says so. He exalts the authority of the Word of God, not by just saying that, but by using Scripture to move people from what sin they are into the pattern of Christ.