We live in an age when pretenders, wolves in sheep’s clothing, tares and counterfeits abound. The Bible predicted such times.
“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.”
—Acts 20:29
There are many ways to tell tares. The Holy Spirit will assist because the Holy Spirit is a “Guide into all truth.” But, for any who do not pay attention to the Spirit, here’s 5 ways to tell if a person is a counterfeit or not.
1- The person is involved in spiritualism, necromancy or any action which involves a familiar spirit. This includes practices from eastern false religions, such as yoga or acupuncture.
This includes those who are involved in fortune telling, horoscopes, water witching, witches, wizards, or any other activity involving a familiar spirit such as consulting or talking to the dead.
Needless to say, this also applies to anyone who sacrifices their child to a demon.
“There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD:”
—Deuteronomy 18:10-12
2- The person is involved in Freemasonry.
It’s sad to read the obituaries that begin “George So-and-so went to be with the Lord last night.” Then the obituary reports the deceased will be buried with “full Masonic honors.”
“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
—Matthew 10:32-33
Enough said.
3- Those who dismiss or ignore inconvenient Scripture.
A true believer does not ignore or dismiss the Word of God. The Word of God is a lamp to light the way for the believer.
IF two verses appear to contradict, the true believer immediately sets to reconcile them, knowing that the Word of God is one harmonious whole. There are NO contradictions: there are only unreconciled verses by those who lack the Holy Spirit.
Indignant and Offended: Real Christians do Not Dismiss God’s Word
Likewise, the true Christian does not play “dueling Scriptures.”
4- Anyone who is in a church discipleship program.
Jesus wrote the book on discipleship.
It is an extremely short one.
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”
—Luke 14:33
The churches write their own book on discipleship.
And it is one filled with excuses why a “regular person” or a “normal person” or a “modern Christian” cannot possibly do the things Jesus said were necessary to be His disciple.
They substitute their own, easier rules on discipleship. Most have to do with being a good little church member. Practically all substitute other gospels instead of the one in God’s Word. Many downplay the gospel in order to exalt their brand of “discipleship.”
IF you are in a church discipleship program, you are learning 1- a bunch of excuses; and, 2- commandments and traditions of men, not Jesus. IF you were a true believer, the Holy Spirit would be letting you know you were being misled.
It would also be making it clear to not be unequally yoked.
One of the most common excuses heard in the churches is “family obligations.”
Here is what Jesus said about that.
“And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”
—Luke 9:59-60
“And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
—Luke 61-62
Doesn’t sound like Jesus would be very popular in the churches with all their talk about “church family.”
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
—Luke 14:26
No one–including oneself–can come before Jesus if one wants to be His disciple. The unsaved do not know what this means and it sounds crazy or odd to them.
The short explanation: IF you make Jesus number one in your life, He will ensure that all your earthly relationships will work out for your best interest.
However, sometimes, you will not know it is your best interest until later.
“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”
—Luke 14:27
5- Any who are friendly with the world and the things of the world.
It’s easy to tell who is friendly with the world: just listen to them talk for a few minutes. They may say a lot of things to try and give the impression that they are one of “God’s people.” IN FACT, they will often bring it up repeatedly in the conversation.
But what worries them? What are they anticipating? Where is their attention focused? What is important to them?
Money? Power? Control? Pleasure? Politics? Pursuit of hidden knowledge? Magic?
These are among the things of the world.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
—1 John 2:15
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [money].”
—Matthew 6:24
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
—James 4:4
Loving the things of this world and making excuses for for that love is probably the #1 way to tell counterfeits.
CONCLUSION
Apostates and counterfeits are fond of pointing out that “Only God knows the heart.”
And of course, that is true. But believers are called upon to judge fruit.
Believers are to treat non-believers differently than believers.
So: to the reader who may think these are “too harsh?”
Repent.
NOTE: Jesus said to leave the tares for Him to take care of at the end.
But again, believers are to treat non-believers differently, particularly to not be unequally yoked. To fulfill the commandments of Jesus, one has to know the difference between wheat and tares.
To the tares, share the gospel and pray for them–even if they “despitefully use” you.
THE GOSPEL
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
–1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
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© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-15. © Mondo Frazier and End Times Prophecy Report, DBKP 2007-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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