Jesus strongly warns us in Matthew 7:15, saying, Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. This caution is vital at all times, but especially as the end approaches, demanding even greater vigilance. In the Olivet Prophecy in Matthew 24:24, He further warns, For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. He emphasizes this by adding in verse 25, See, I have told you beforehand. We must not take this lightly, as verse 24 indicates that deception is a real threat to all, even the elect. The apostle Paul reinforces this warning in II Thessalonians 2, prophesying a falling away from truth just before the appearing of the lawless one. He describes how, as prophecy moves toward the return of Jesus Christ, false ministers and false teaching will not only proliferate but intensify, making it very difficult to hold onto the truth. Subtle deceptions are already increasing in intensity, blinding many within the church of God through arguments that weaken understanding and faith, even leading some to break laws found in the Ten Commandments without the aid of signs and wonders. In Revelation 2:2, Christ acknowledges the Ephesian church's discernment, stating, I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars. This highlights the ongoing need to test and reject false ministers who claim authority but deceive. False ministers, whether termed prophets in the Old Testament or ministers in the New Testament, share the responsibility of speaking for God. When they deceive, their actions reflect negatively on Him, implying that God could be seen as a false minister, though this is far from the truth. The Bible clearly shows a direct link between one's actions and the perception of God Himself. As ministers serve in a special relationship to Him, their deception can blaspheme His name and distort His truth. Recent shifts in doctrine within the church of God further illustrate this danger. Contradictory teachings, both claimed to be inspired by God, create confusion and imply that one side must be representing a false god. Such contradictions suggest a double-speaking hypocrisy that does not align with the true nature of God, who does not change or lie. These false teachings, driven by the crafty serpent, aim to confuse and lead to destruction by turning people aside from the clear Word of God. We must stay alert and strong in faith to hold fast to the truth and not let deception take our crown.

At the time of the end, during the last few years of satan's dominion over the earth, a religious personality known as the False Prophet will arise and deceive the whole world through miraculous signs. This individual, also referred to as another beast, will wield tremendous religious influence, inspired by the dragon, and will convince most of the world to commit idolatry. The False Prophet is given supernatural power to perform acts like calling fire down from heaven, and the signs he performs, combined with the demonic words he speaks, will cause people to give their allegiance to and worship the Beast. The Bible does not reveal his name or the number of his name, but he must be recognized by his fruits, by what he says and does. The end time will be full of deceptions, and even the elect will not be immune to being misled, requiring careful evaluation to see through the façade and recognize satan's servants for what they are. A false prophet is defined as someone who speaks for another but does so falsely, either representing the wrong god or claiming to speak for the true God while misrepresenting Him or His words. Often, they speak out of their own human hearts or for a demon. Even if a false prophet accurately predicts events or demonstrates supernatural power, if he leads people away from the true worship of the true God, he is false. God declares that misrepresenting Him incurs the death penalty, and the False Prophet will ultimately be thrown into the Lake of Fire. False prophets do not hold the moral line that God requires, failing to connect a nation's sinfulness with calamity and focusing on things other than God's standard of righteousness. They are more concerned with their own situation, well-being, reputation, autonomy, and position than accurately representing God. Their fruits reveal them as ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing, often speaking soft, easy things to gain popularity and telling people what they want to hear. False prophets may point people to a different god or to themselves for personal benefit, driven by covetousness, a desire for power, influence, control, prestige, or importance. In contrast, a true prophet points people to God, shows them their sins, and does not draw attention to himself. The False Prophet in Revelation directs the world to worship the Beast, an act contrary to the true worship of God. Prophets are false when they fail to express God's will accurately, and their words, if contrary to God's law, will condemn them for leading people astray.

False ministers and prophets, encompassing ministers, teachers, authorities, and scholars, bear a notorious label for promoting ideas contrary to God's inspired written Word. Unlike God's true prophets who brought moral order, these self-serving individuals encourage immoral disorder by catering to people's desires and leading them down the confusing, broad way of life. They sow chaos and confusion, as seen in historical examples like the early Roman Catholic Church's inability to agree on the date of Jesus Christ's birth, resulting in ongoing misdirection by choosing a pagan winter celebration time. These false prophets falsely claim to speak for God, yet fail to reflect His character or truth, leading people away from His way of life. They steal God's words for personal gain, manipulating religious support for their greed and immorality by teaching traditions over truth. Such spiritual leaders promote spiritual darkness, lacking the exemplary faithfulness and righteousness needed, and instead compromise by accepting and teaching lies. Their motivations stem from a desire for popularity, pride, nationalism, and greed, as seen throughout history in both ancient Israel and modern times. They tell people what they want to hear, often appealing to national pride or self-interest, detached from God's reality. Jesus Christ warns in Matthew 7 to beware of these false prophets, who exist as a fact of life within and outside the church, deceiving even the elect in the last days. Scripture, from Deuteronomy to the New Testament epistles, consistently warns against these pseudo-prophets, pseudo-apostles, and pseudo-teachers who claim divine inspiration or authority but lie by not adhering to God's teachings. They come in sheep's clothing, appearing gentle and caring, but inwardly are ravenous wolves seeking to tear the church apart with selfish ambition and greed. Their true nature is revealed not by appearance but by their fruit—bad moral produce like the works of the flesh, contrasting with the fruit of the Spirit. False prophets encourage the wide gate and broad way, promoting liberty that allows sin and worldly baggage, unlike the narrow way of true discipleship. They deceive with an external image of righteousness, but lack internal spiritual fruit, leading to worthless worship and practices like Christmas, which mix pagan symbols and foster confusion, depression, and immorality. God judges such deceit, and their lies eventually expose them, showing their opposition to His purposes. These individuals often emerge from within God's church, preying on the immature and gullible, and must be tested by comparing their message and character to Scripture. Over time, their fruit—whether moral or immoral—reveals their true nature. Christ emphasizes judging them by their produce, as a corrupt tree cannot bear good fruit, and their path leads only to destruction. God's people must remain discerning, closing their minds to confusion and standing firm with true ministers who uphold sound doctrine and righteous living.