1Abraham Maslow, a noted psychologist, believes that the second most basic of all human
needs is safety or security. Today that need is threatened more than ever before. In the
absence of security, fear—one of the most powerful of all emotions—becomes dominant,
and finds a haven in the weary hearts and minds of humankind. A critical consequence of
fear is escape and avoidance. Fear stifles the spirit of courage and initiative, and keeps
people prisoners within their own comfort zones. Relate the stifling force of fear to
religion, attach it to hell-fire and the ominous thought of “being deceived,” and you will
have the most powerful and paralyzing weapon against the spirit of search and inquiry.
No doubt the literal-minded Pharisees were well aware of this weapon and used it to
prevent the pure-hearted Jews from paying any attention to their Messiah. The Gospel
shows that the fear of being deceived was as rampant in Jesus’ time as it is today. Note
Jesus’ kindly words to the fearful:
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the
kingdom. Christ (Luke 12:32)
What is the source of fear? Lack of faith:
Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Matthew 8:26
O thou of little faith… Matthew 14:31
O ye of little faith… Matthew 16:8
Where is your faith? Luke 8:25
Many Christians assume that if Jesus comes like a thief, they will not be wise enough to
recognize Him, because any human being can come like a “thief,” but none from the sky.
If this is what you think, if you feel you lack confidence to separate the Heavenly Thief
from earthly thieves, consider these points:
First a brief response: Jesus came as a thief the first time. How did you know Him? If you
could know Him the first time, why would you be incapable of knowing Him the second
time?
Now a detailed response:
• The one who lies and deceives is also selfish. He is not willing to sacrifice everything
for God. From this sign alone you will be capable of recognizing 99.999 percent of
liars.
2• A liar and deceiver has a level of wisdom similar to other human beings. The
difference between the One sent by God and the wisest human being is like the
difference between the sun and a candle.
Further, the wisest person you can name has acquired his knowledge from others, from
his environment. The One sent by God receives His knowledge from God. From these
two signs alone you will recognize 99.999 percent of liars.
• In the life of the One sent by God you will find absolutely no trace of sin. From this
sign alone you will recognize 99.999 percent of deceivers.
• In the life of the One sent by God you find the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies—
prophecies about many events of His life, events that are totally beyond His control.
From this sign alone you will recognize 99.999 percent of deceivers.
• When you listen to His Manner of Speech, you will learn that He speaks with such
authority and in a language that you have not heard from anyone else. You will find
that He speaks spontaneously, in a novel way, and with absolute certainty, without any
change of mind.
Further, He declares repeatedly that His Word is the Word of God, that He says
absolutely nothing without His permission. From these two signs alone you will
recognize 99.999 percent of deceivers.
• You discern many other distinctions in Him. For instance, you will realize that His
fruits are perfect, and His influence on His followers is positive. You will see that He
will gradually transform the lives of countless people. You will note that He has the
power to turn sinners into saints. You will realize that His Words are ahead of your
time, that He resolves all the mysteries of the Bible, that He will gradually create a
new world of justice and peace. From these signs you will recognize 99.999 percent of
deceivers.
Now put all these signs together. Do you still feel you are incapable of knowing the
Heavenly Thief? Do you still fear that you may be deceived? If you are fearful of saying
“yes” to Him, what do you think that indicates? A lack of faith on your part, or a lack of
evidence on His part? Ponder what Jesus told the Jews:
If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. John 5:46
How does this statement apply to you? If you had known Jesus as a Heavenly Thief the
first time, you will know Him the second time. If you can’t know Him the second time, it
shows that you did not know Him the first time.
“Fear” may look innocent, but it has the power to lead us to the gravest of all sins and the
most severe punishment. It can prevent us from entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus
spoke the Parable of the Talents to prepare Christians for His Return. What is the parable
about? Courage and fear. What did the Master say to the fearful Christian who failed to
invest his “talent”?
You wicked, lazy servant!…throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness,
where there will be weeping… Christ (Matt. 25: 26, 30)
3Can any action from a Christian, other than a failure to pay attention to the news of the
coming of his Lord, justify such a severe punishment—being thrown into darkness? Can
any action, other than choosing to be spiritually drunk instead of being watchful, justify
the punishment of hell?
Consider also the following warning:
But the cowardly…their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Revelation 21:8
Again, why should a fearful Christian go to hell? No fear would justify such a severe
punishment except the fear of leaving one’s comfort zone in search of the Heavenly
Thief—the One who rides upon and remains hidden in the Clouds of Illusions, in the
Night of Unawareness, and in the Darkness of Spiritual Drunkenness?
For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine… Revelation 18:3
As the preceding prophecy indicates, the epidemic of “Spiritual Drunkenness” is so
widespread, so potent that it does not stop with the Christians. It encompasses, overtakes,
and desensitizes the conscience of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Let us now look at the stifling forces of fear in action. Let us see its devastating impact
on our lives, let us see how it can even undermine our everlasting destiny. Consider this
simple example. Suppose you say to a fellow-believer: “I have heard that someone claims
to be the return of Jesus. Should I test his claim? Should I find out who he is and what he
says?” What do you think he will say? Most likely: “Don’t you remember Jesus’ warning
that many false prophets will come? I am sure if Jesus had come, we would all have seen
Him. As you know, Satan is all around us. You don’t want to put your faith at risk! You
don’t want to lose your soul!”
What is the root cause of this fear? Where does this paralyzing attitude originate? Mostly
from the Literal Theory of Heavenly Descent. By far the most damaging consequence of
this theory is the absolute state of passivity and avoidance it has generated in the hearts
and minds of virtually all Christians. It has completely destroyed the spirit of openness
and inquiry. Believers say to themselves: “If Jesus is supposed to come from the sky, and
if my eyes will be blessed by seeing Him, why should I bother to pay attention to the
news of His coming in any other way? All I need is to hope, wish and wait. I do not need
to look for Him; He will look for me.”
The inevitable and unique consequence of the Literal Theory is this: It is so powerful, so
all-encompassing, so awesome, that it conceals or distorts any evidence that fails to
satisfy its demands. Like a mighty torrent it uproots any thought or any proof that stands
in its way.
Consider Jesus’ critical pronouncement on the ways of separating true prophets from
false prophets. First of all, its relevance to the Return of Jesus is ignored; and second, the
meaning of its guidelines is distorted. Jesus’ statement as recorded in Matthew 7:7-28,
contains the most significant, the clearest, and the most critical counsels on this topic. Yet
seldom has it received the attention it deserves. Let us do what others have failed to do—
let us put it to the test of critical analysis.
In His discourse on false prophets, Jesus included seven critical instructions that, like a
chain, are intertwined and interrelated. Together they give us a clear Picture or Image of
4both a true Prophet and a false prophet. To do justice to Jesus’ counsels, we must look at
the whole Image with all its interrelated links. They are so interconnected that even if we
remove one of them, everything falls apart and crumbles.
Consider this analogy. Suppose you are concerned for your safety and you purchase an
alarm system for your house. Now suppose you review its manual of instructions, but
ignore all of them except this one: “Thieves are very tricky and clever. They come
suddenly and catch you by surprise! You must be extra careful!”
What will happen if you focus on that warning alone, but ignore all the other instructions
for staying safe? You may become a prisoner in your house. You may not feel it is safe to
step outside the house. This example is not an exaggeration. It portrays the state of the
mind of today’s Christians.
Let us now look at each of the Seven Links that Jesus specified to guide us and to give us
the wisdom to tell the difference between a Prophet inspired by God and a prophet
motivated by self-interest. Let us also test each of those links by this standard: does it
confirm or contradict the Literal Theory of Heavenly Descent?
Before reviewing the instructions, let us settle one question: Are they relevant to both
Advents of Jesus? Some Christians assume that many of the instructions apply only to
Prophets. They do not apply to the First or Second Advent of Jesus, because Jesus is not a
Prophet. Such an assumption is totally unfounded. First of all, according to both
testaments, Jesus was called a Prophet:
For Moses said, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from
among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does
not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.” Acts 3:22-23
Note that the verse from Acts does not say “a prophet greater than Moses.” It simply
says, “like Moses.”
Some of the Jews were astonished at Jesus’ supreme wisdom. They could not believe that
the son of a carpenter could be so wise. Yet they refused to honor Him as a Prophet. Jesus
offered a reason for their refusal:
Only in His own town and His own house is a Prophet without honor. Matthew 13:57
It is obvious, in the preceding passage, Jesus applied the word “Prophet” to Himself.
“Prophet” was perhaps the most common title by which people in Jesus’ time referred to
Him:
A great prophet [Jesus] has appeared among us. Luke 7:16
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.” John 4:19
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Matthew 21:10-11
“Prophet” is perhaps the only title for Jesus that is confirmed:
• In the Hebrew Scriptures
• In the words of Jesus Himself
5• In the writings of a distinguished Apostle of Jesus
• In the words of the people who listened to Jesus
To confirm Jesus’ uniqueness as the Son of God, seldom Christian authors refer to Him as
a Prophet. The following statement by Tim LaHaye, one of the authors of best-selling
series Left Behind is a rare exception:
Who is the greatest biblical Prophet of all?…Jesus. I admit, we don’t normally think
of Jesus as an unsurpassed Prophet. Much more likely, we call him by other titles:
Savior, Lord, Son of God, Good Shepherd. And he is all of these things, of course—
but he is also the greatest Prophet who ever walked on earth.1
It is ironic to note that the literal-minded Jews believe that Moses is greater than Jesus.
Why? Because Moses defeated His enemies, but Jesus was defeated by His enemies!
If Jesus was a Prophet like Moses, why should the instructions not apply to Him? Second,
whether Jesus is called the Savior, the Son of God, the Lord, the Word, Immanuel, or a
Prophet, one principle links all His titles: His Message came from God and was the
absolute truth. His title does not change the validity of His Message.
The purpose of Jesus’ counsels on true and false prophets is not to introduce His titles,
but to give us God’s standards for separating truth from falsehood. The word “prophet”
used in His instructions does not in any way alter the message.
Therefore, if a man calls Himself both a Prophet and the Return of Jesus, the instructions
definitely apply to Him. A true Prophet speaks the Word of God. If such a Prophet
declares that He is also the Return of Jesus, then we must accept His Word because He is
in touch with God and follows His commands. That is exactly what Jesus did. He was a
“Prophet like Moses” but He claimed many other titles. Since He was a true Prophet, we
accept all His other titles.
Jesus’ instructions are universal principles that will never change. They come from the
Mind of our Creator Who does not alter His principles and standards of knowing Him.
They apply to both Advents of Jesus and to anyone else who claims to speak for God.
Let us now examine the Seven Counsels of Jesus in the next chapter.
6The Seven Counsels, Laws,
or Links that Lead us to our Lord,
and Protect us from False Prophets
7Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find. Christ (Matt. 7:7)
This instruction is in perfect harmony with all the others that Jesus gave about the way
we can find Him on His Return. A thief does not come and knock on the door. Only by
remaining spiritually awake and alert, only by seeking, searching, and watching for Him
can we detect His Advent:
…Christ…will appear a second time…to those who are watching for Him.Hebrews 9:28
The instruction to “seek and knock” confirms God’s unchanging and everlasting way of
offering His gifts:
Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the
water of life. Revelation 22:17
See also John 7:38
This first principle shows that we must take the initiative, that we must step out of our
comfort zone to search for our Redeemer. If we fail to taste his fruits and to test the
spirits, we have disobeyed our Lord:
…test the spirits to see whether they are from God. I John 4:1
Question: If Jesus came from the sky and every eye saw Him, what would be the purpose
of asking, seeking, knocking, and looking for Him? Even a glimpse of His heavenly
descent would be so awesome that it would overwhelm us. Seeking and finding would
have no relevance.
8Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?…how much more will
your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Christ (Matt. 7:9-11)
God promises to give us His divine gifts in response to our prayers and pleadings. The
honor of knowing our Redeemer at His return is so divine that we must pray and plead
9with Him every moment of our lives to make us worthy of that honor. This instruction is
also in harmony with Jesus’ other commands:
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to…stand before the Son of
Man. Christ (Luke 21:36)
Question: If Jesus came from the sky, we would instantly recognize Him and follow Him.
Why would we need to pray?
10Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads
to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road
that leads to life, and only a few find it. Christ (Matt. 7:13-14)
Why did Jesus ask us to find safety in a “narrow gate” rather than a “wide gate”? Because
He knew that at the time of His Return only a few would behold His hidden glory. This is
a clue that what happened in the First Advent will be repeated in the Second.
The preceding instruction is also in harmony with the message of several parables. They
show that when Jesus returns, most Christians will offer excuses to avoid entering the
gate of His Kingdom. Consider this parable among others:
The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He
sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but
they refused to come. Christ (Matt. 22:2-3)
It is helpful to note that Jesus also used the analogy of a “small gate” or a “small door” in
relation to His First Advent, but with some more details:
Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to
Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He
said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I
tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up
and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door
for us.’ But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you
will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will reply,
‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’ There
will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People
will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the
feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and
first who will be last.” Luke 13:22-30
Let us briefly review Jesus’ statement. These principles are universal; they apply to both
Advents:
• At the beginning, when “the Mustard Seed” is just planted, when God’s Redeemer
has little if any honor in the eyes of the masses, only a few will respond to His call.
At that time, the big gate overwhelms the small gate.
11• In this life, people have full freedom to choose their gate, but at death they lose that
freedom.
• The gate they choose here will lead them to the same gate hereafter.
• Entering heaven does not depend on “eating and drinking with Jesus,” or
membership in a given church. It does not depend on physical connections or
labels. What matters is spiritual, the “flesh is of no avail.”
• Many Christians have grand illusions about their goodness. They think all the
angels of heaven are waiting to carry them to their mansions.
• Many of them will be disappointed after they pass away. When the veil of death is
lifted, they will only see the angels of wrath. They thought they would have the
highest rank in the Kingdom of God. They will find themselves to have the lowest
rank.
• Others will have just the opposite experience. They thought they would be
positioned last in the Kingdom of God. They will find themselves placed among the
first.
Let us look at one more prophecy about the size of the gate:
The coming of the Son of Man will repeat what happened in Noah’s time.
Christ (Matt. 24:37)
Question: When Noah came, how small was the gate that led to salvation? Did many
enter that small gate? The example of Noah is just one of many clues that point to this
fact: when Jesus returns, very few Christians will pay attention to the news of His
coming. Only a few of them will enter His gate.
Question: If Jesus came from the sky and people saw His awesome Advent with
thousands of His mighty angels, it is hard to imagine that the masses of humankind would
hesitate to follow Him. His “gate” would be the biggest gate. Why then would that gate
lead to destruction?
12Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly
they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick
grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good
fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad
tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and
thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Christ (Matt. 7:15-20)
The preceding passage is the heart and soul of all of Jesus’ counsels about the ways of
knowing Him. It declares God’s absolute standard and ultimate guide for separating right
from wrong.
Earlier we noted the need for prayer. The purpose of praying is to reach out to God and to
ask for His blessings. The purpose of “tasting the fruits” is to reach out to our own hearts
13and souls, to our own spiritual and mental resources, to use the gifts that God has already
given us.
We must use all the resources at our disposal to be in harmony with God’s Will. We must
use what we have and what He is willing to give us. Testing without praying, or praying
without testing is like trying to fly with one wing.
To help us understand His guiding principles, Jesus used two metaphors: that of “a
ferocious wolf ” and that of “a bad fruit.” How can we tell the difference between a wolf
and a shepherd? Simply by looking and paying attention. If we “watch” with our hearts
and souls, our work is quite easy. If we pray, it will be even easier, because the difference
between a true prophet and a false prophet is far greater and more evident than the
difference between a shepherd and a wolf. The only requirement for seeing the obvious
difference is a little supply of “oil,” a little bit of Spiritual Wisdom.
God has given to every pure and sincere soul the power to detect deception. Think of
some of the people you consider to be “phony.” How did you recognize that
characteristic? By paying attention to their deeds, not to their words. Now suppose John,
an ordinary person, falsely claims to be the return of Christ. Do you not think it will be at
least a thousand times easier to detect the deception in John than in other phonies? Why?
Because you expect far more from someone who claims to be the return of Christ.
As you can see, telling the difference between a Redeemer from God and a deceiver is
quite easy. If we rely on God’s standards and His guidance, we can separate them as we
can separate day from night. Yet many Bible teachers pretend that the differences are
quite fuzzy. This false assumption casts fear in the hearts of believers and undermines
their confidence. Instead of confirming Jesus’ command to seek and watch, many Bible
teachers encourage avoidance and inaction. They instill doubt in people’s God-given
ability to know the difference. They destroy their initiative. They make people totally
dependent on “experts”—theologians, authors of Bible books and Bible teachers who,
without permission, keep “prophesying in the name of the Lord.”
Question: If Jesus came from the sky with His mighty angels, why would we need to
taste His fruits? We would instantly recognize Him!
14Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but
only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on
that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive
out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never
knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Christ (Matt. 7:21-23)
Why does Jesus emphasize obedience? Because He knows many Christians will
disregard His instructions. He knows they will act against every guidance and every
counsel He has given them. He knows that neither His command, nor His encouragement
is sufficient to lift them from their state of passivity. He knows that they will not look for
their Lord, they will not pray, nor will they pay attention to the news of His coming as a
thief. He knows that they will seek their security from “the wide gate” rather than “the
15small gate,” that they will focus on miracles and demons rather than His tangible and
testable fruits, and that they will engage in prophesying in His name without knowing the
true meaning of the prophecies. He knows that they will take advantage of His name, and
then offer their private, personal interpretations of prophecies as the truth.
We should note that some Christian authors and orators who have been using the Bible
“to prophesy in the name of the Lord” have gained global fame and enormous fortune.
Since Jesus knows that most Christians of the last days will disobey His counsels, He
warns them of the most severe punishments in store for them. He informs them that they
will not be allowed to enter His Kingdom. What will they hear when they plead with their
Lord to let them in? The Lord will say:
I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers! Christ (Matt. 7:23)
By saying, “I never knew you,” Jesus means: “You were not Christians! You were not
members of my household! Because a true member of my household knows me, respects
me, and obeys me.”
If Jesus came from the sky, visible to all, then there would be no need to taste the fruits.
No one would dare to disobey Him, and any choice between the ‘narrow’ and ‘wide’
gates would be irrelevant. These instructions and warnings are only relevant if Jesus were
to come again as a humble man just as He came the first time. Only then would people be
required to ask, to seek, to pray, and to taste the fruits, rather than depend on their flawed
and literal interpretation of metaphoric prophecies. Only then would they be in a position
to obey or deny their Lord. Only then would the most glorious reward or the most severe
punishment be applicable.
16So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up
the Law and the Prophets. Christ (Matt. 7:12)
On the surface, the preceding statement does not relate to knowing a Prophet of God or a
Redeemer. As a rule, we relate it to the way we treat others as individuals. But a little
reflection shows that it has another implication: the standards that we apply to the Second
Advent of Jesus must be comparable and compatible to the standards that we apply to the
First Advent. This is called “intellectual integrity.” Let us consider several examples of
this universal Law of Justice:
• What standards do the Jews apply, and what standards do Christians ask them to
apply? The Jewish standards require worldly powers from their Savior. We know
that standard is wrong.
How do Christians explain the Jewish disappointment that they did not receive a
powerful King? By saying that they expected the wrong kind of king. That they
should look at Jesus’ spiritual glories rather than His worldly powers.
• We say to the Jews that without the help of their Messiah, they cannot understand
the prophecies of their Scriptures concerning the First Advent. To be fair, we must
say to ourselves: as they failed to understand the meaning of their Scripture, we too
17are quite likely to fail. We too need the help of our promised Redeemer to come and
to explain the true meaning of prophecies of the Second Advent.
We cannot use double standards, yet claim to be just. We cannot tell the Jews, “You
did not have the Spiritual Wisdom to decode the prophecies of the First Advent, but
we do have the Wisdom to interpret the prophecies of the Second Advent.”
• Can a Jew know Jesus without searching, seeking, and praying? Of course not! We
expect him to go through all those steps. Why then should we feel that we are
exempt from seeking, searching, and praying?
• Would it be fair if a Jew in response to your invitation to learn about Jesus simply
said: “Sorry, I am afraid, I have been warned of false prophets.”? You would expect
him to at least read the Gospel first. Why, then, should the rules of being a true
seeker change between the two Advents?
As we noted, a fundamental rule of sound thinking is Intellectual Integrity defined by
scientists as:
Recognition of the need to be true to one’s own thinking; to be consistent in the
intellectual standards one applies; to hold one’s self to the same rigorous standards
of evidence and proof to which one holds one’s antagonists; to practice what one
advocates for others; and to honestly admit discrepancies and inconsistencies in
one’s own thought and action.1
If we, as honest believers, do not practice Intellectual Integrity, what can we expect from
others? Should not our standards be even higher than those of scientists? Should we
expect less integrity from religion than from science?
Question: If Jesus came from the sky, why would we need to be reminded that we should
adopt and apply a single standard of justice?
18Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is
like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams
rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it
had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and
does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.
The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that
house, and it fell with a great crash. Christ (Matt. 7:24-27)
What qualities is Jesus describing? Wisdom and foolishness. Do you remember the
parable of the wise and foolish Christians? What did that parable teach us? That there will
be two kinds of believers. The wise Christians will find the Bridegroom; the foolish
Christians will miss Him.
Question: If Jesus came from the sky with great glory and power, would not all
Christians—both wise and foolish—see and recognize Him?
19Are today’s Christians obeying all the preceding instructions? By no means! The majority
of believers disobey every one of them:
• They neither ask, nor seek and knock. They refuse to search for their Lord. Instead
they are passively waiting for Him to come and look for them. They do not take the
news of His coming seriously.
• They fail to pray to God to help them find their Redeemer.
• They seek their safety in numbers, by knowing that they have walked through “the
wide gate.” They shy away from any “narrow gate.” Evidence of this attitude is the
rejection of any interpretation that is non-traditional, such as the one offered in this
book.
• They refuse to taste the fruits of anyone. Since they have already decided that Jesus
will come from the sky, every earthly being has to be a deceiver. No test is needed.
• They think that a good sign of being loyal to Jesus is to go to their churches, to sing
His praise, and keep saying, “Lord, Lord.” They fail to remember Jesus’ warning
that simply saying, “Lord, Lord” is not enough. The sign of being a sincere
Christian is to obey all of Jesus’ counsels and admonitions about His Second
Coming and the ways of finding Him.
• They use double standards in relation to the First and the Second Advents. They
acknowledge that the Jews did not understand the prophecies. Yet they claim that
they themselves do.
• Jesus’ warning about the two groups of Christians—the wise and the foolish—
does not awaken them from their dreams. They have fixed their hopes and eyes on
the skies. They do not consider that there is any possibility that they may miss
their Lord. They brush aside or misinterpret His promise that He will come “like a
thief.”
Today’s epidemic fear of false prophets is excessive and mostly unjustified. Sincere
Christians need not fear false prophets. What they must fear is fear. Can you imagine a
threat more serious than the following?
But the cowardly…their place will be in the fiery lake… Revelation 21:8
Think for a moment. What kind of fear would justify the punishment of hell-fire? Does
anyone deserve such a severe punishment except a believer who hears the news of the
coming of his Lord, but, out of the fear of being deceived, refuses to use his “talents,”
fails to seek, to knock, to taste His fruit, and to pray to God to guide him and give him the
Spiritual Wisdom he needs to recognize the Heavenly Thief? Does anyone deserve
everlasting separation from his Lord except a believer who allows his excessive and
unjustified fear of being deceived, rather than his trust in God, determine his destiny?
Jesus knew that at His Second Coming, many Christians would be like prisoners in their
churches. He knew they would be gripped with fear and would pay little if any attention
to the news of His coming like a thief. To pacify their phobias and to awaken them to the
grave consequences of remaining passive and fearful, He offered a remarkable parable—
that of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30).
20According to the parable, a Master gives some capital—called “talents”—to three of His
servants. Two servants invest their “talents,” the third one hides his share. Later, the
Master returns and asks His servants to show what they had done with their “talents.”
Two of the three servants declare that they increased them by investing their shares, but
the third one says that he kept his share hidden out of fear.
How does the Master respond to them? The two servants, who had displayed courage by
investing their “talents,” receive the most glorious gifts. The third one—the fearful
servant— hears these ominous words from the Master:
And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth. Christ (Matt. 25:30)
What does the Parable of the Talents teach us? First, that there are two kinds of
Christians: the fearful, and the courageous. What separates them? Initiative and a lack of
initiative. Since this parable is about the Return of the Master, we should ask: initiative
about what? About making an effort to find the Heavenly Thief, the Spirit of God, the
King of Kings, who conceals His divine identity in a human temple, who comes as a
humble human being.
It is said that courage defines a human being more than any other quality. In a way, Jesus
confirmed this fact by showing the unimaginable difference between those who live by
unjustifiable fear and those who live by courage. The vast difference between the two
types is this: The believer who is too cautious descends to hell; the believer who shows
courage and initiative ascends to heaven. That is the difference! Can a spiritual weakness
or strength exert more power, can it make more difference in determining the destiny of
an individual?
What does “fear” indicate? Lack of faith. It leads to a clear violation of our Lord’s
command. Why? Because in order to tell the difference between right and wrong, we
must first approach the issue. If we escape from reality, if we fail to test the fruit, how can
we know it is bad?
Millions of people continue to call Jesus a false prophet. Why? Because they fail to test
His Spirit, because they refuse to search for truth with a pure heart—pure from fear and
prejudice.
As we noted, the Hebrew Scriptures call Jesus a “Prophet like Moses.” The Gospel
confirms this (Acts 3:22-23). The Jews should be proud that one of them, a Jew, was a
Redeemer and a Prophet like their Prophet—Moses—but with many more followers. Yet
their official stance to this day is that Jesus is a false prophet. Otherwise why do they not
follow Him?
Why then have the Jews failed to acknowledge Jesus? Because of a lack of evidence or a
lack of initiative? Obviously, because of a lack of initiative. “Let us reason together, says
the Lord” (Isa. 1:3). If a little fear, lack of initiative, or attraction to tradition, can exert
such power on the lives of the Jews, could not those qualities exert a similar power on the
lives of Christians?
What makes the two Prophets—Moses and Jesus—alike? What concrete evidence do we
have that they both were true Prophets? By what testable and objective standards can we
know them? The Seven Counsels of Jesus offer the most comprehensive guidelines.
21They apply to Moses, to the First Advent of Jesus, and to the Second Advent of Jesus.
God’s standards are constant. They do not change from age to age.
As we noted, Jesus did not use miracles as evidence of His station. In fact He condemned
Christians who assumed that by engaging in supernatural acts, they were doing a service
for their Lord. When they asked “Lord, Lord, did we not…in your name drive out
demons, and perform many miracles” (Matt. 7:22)? Instead of appreciating them for this
service, He called them “evildoers.” The implication is clear: engaging in the
supernatural is an evil act. Why did Jesus condemn such people? For many reasons. First,
miracles turn religion into a magic show. Second, claiming miracles as proof is by far the
most common evidence cult leaders and deceivers have used, and continue to use, to
make themselves credible. Claiming a miracle is by far the most abused of all evidences.
Consider this question: Would you accept as your Redeemer a person who claims to have
walked on water and then hands you a list of testimonials as his evidence? Why not?
Because our relationship with God is spiritual, not material. Miracles may force us to
believe, but they do not transform our hearts; they do not make us more loving and
spiritual. Miracles are so worthless as evidence, so undependable that they may even
deceive the very elect, the ones who are the hardest to deceive:
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and
miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead
of time. Christ (Matt. 24:24-25)
Unlike miracles, other evidences cannot be faked. For instance, deceivers cannot falsely
show that they have fulfilled prophecies, that they have produced good fruits, that they
have made great sacrifices, that they have loved their enemies, that they have infinite
knowledge and wisdom, that their love for God is boundless, that they have no fear, that
their trust in God is beyond measure.
Human beings can readily fake miracles, but they cannot fake spiritual qualities for very
long. They cannot demonstrate self-sacrifice through selfishness. They cannot prove
honesty through deception. They cannot show detachment from the world by living in
luxury. They cannot show courage by being fearful. They cannot show knowledge
through ignorance, even as “a bad tree cannot bear good fruit” (Matt. 7:18).
Therefore, false teachers can “bear” or produce miracles, but they cannot bear or produce
good fruits. Miracles can come from the mind of a genius; but good fruits can come only
from the heart of the righteous.
The difference between a Redeemer or a Prophet inspired by God and a false prophet
motivated by selfishness or ignorance is like the difference between day and night, or in
Jesus’ words, like the difference between a shepherd and a wolf. If you can tell the
difference between day and night, or a shepherd and a wolf, you can also tell the
difference between a Prophet of God, and a prophet of deception.
Now suppose that instead of opening your eyes, you run into a closet and close the door
and your eyes. Could you still tell the difference between day and night? Therefore what
is the key that unlocks the door of true knowledge? That key is made with “the oil of
wisdom.” That was the key that allowed the wise Christians to enter their Lord’s Banquet.
In His discourse on true Prophets and false prophets, Jesus analyzed “the oil of wisdom”
22into its seven components. Only if we obey Him are we true Christians, and only then can
we enjoy fellowship with Him.
Let us now look at some of the obvious signs of a false prophet.
• He is selfish. He devotes his efforts to worldly gains.
• Deception is manifest in his life. Lying is the weapon he uses to make himself
credible.
• He nurtures prejudice and pride in the hearts and minds of his followers.
• He cannot show that he has fulfilled any prophecies.
• He cannot change himself, let alone others.
• He gives his followers a false sense of security.
• Instead of uniting people, he divides them.
• Instead of proving His claim by spiritual qualities—wisdom, love, knowledge, and
patience—he tries to attract people by worldly evidence: miracles supported by
questionable testimonials.
• He does not respect human freedom. He manipulates people’s beliefs.
• He cannot show us knowledge of the things to come.
• He manifests lust for power and control.
• He is fearful and constantly tries to protect himself. He hides in “inner chambers”
or in deserts and mountains.
• He tells his followers what they like to hear instead of teaching them the truth.
• He has little if any tolerance for pain and suffering.
• His knowledge is limited and what he knows comes from studying the works of
other people.
Even by using one or two of these fifteen signs, we can readily recognize a false prophet.
If we use all of them, the difference between a false prophet and a true Prophet becomes
as clear as the difference between darkness and light. Why then should so many people
fear deception? Can they not depend on all these signs and more?
To conclude: If we are sincere in our claim that we know and love the Lord, we must put
all His counsels to work, not just the one that teaches us caution. Fear and avoidance will
not lead us to the One we love. They will only lead us away from Him. We must have
courage to test every spirit who claims to be the Spirit of God, even if he has not come
down from the sky:
…test the spirits to see whether they are from God. I John 4:1
Let us explore in the next chapter the role and responsibility of religious leaders in
preparing Christians for the Return of their Lord.