Beware of false prophets who come to you as wolves in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Matthew 7:15-16 NKJV

Years ago, my friend purchased a Louis Vuitton purse on eBay only to find it was a knockoff. It was a fake or a phony, not actually made by the famous designer, but an imitation that looked just like the real thing. She filed a complaint with eBay and was able to get her money back.

Some people are very content to pay much less for an imitation product rather than pay full price for the real deal.

Sadly, many people are that way with their religion these days as well. They seek out pastors who tell them what they want to hear. They want their ears tickled. We are told in 2 Timothy 4:3 that there will come a time when men will not endure sound doctrine but instead will choose to gather around teachers and preachers who tell them what they want to hear.

There are many problems with this, but basically, the biggest issue is that it leads to false salvation. It leads one to believe they are doing well by believing the lies these false prophets tell them. They believe them because this is what they want to hear. They want to hear that it’s all good. They want to hear that God will just overlook their sin and they don’t have to give up their sinful ways. They want to believe they can commit intentional sin and God will be okay with this. These are lies of the devil.

Sadly, in Matthew 7:33, Jesus goes on to say that many people who believe they are saved will find out, when it’s too late, they are not. They will find themselves being cast into hell and will be in disbelief. They will cry out about the things they did for the Lord, and God will say, “Depart from me, you evil doers, for I never knew you.”

False prophets lead to false teachings, which lead to false salvation. It’s that simple. To avoid false prophets or recognize false teaching, pray to God for wisdom and discernment. Study your Bible so you can know when someone is twisting God’s word. Don’t be afraid to question anything that doesn’t line up with what the Bible says.

If you want to save a lot of money and buy a knockoff purse or sunglasses, or a watch, suit yourself. But don’t settle for a knockoff religion that tells you it’s okay to sin because in the end it’s way more costly than true surrender to your Lord and Savior. You will pay the price for an eternity.

Turn to God, trust in Him. Stay close to Him through prayer and Bible study, and ask Him to guide you in choosing a good Bible teaching church where his true word is taught. And whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to become a counterfeit Christian.

Have a great day!