Beware of False Prophets
from The Truth Church
Bishop Riggen opens with Matthew 7:13-14, where Jesus warns that the path to life is narrow and few find it, contrasting it with the broad way that leads to destruction. He then focuses on verse 15: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." He emphasizes that Jesus repeated this warning throughout Scripture and that Old Testament prophets like Jeremiah and New Testament writers like Paul, Peter, and John all cautioned against false prophets. Bishop Riggen notes that many false prophets appear as Christians, performing miracles and prophesying in Jesus' name, yet they are not sent by God. He provides two tests from Deuteronomy: first, if a prophet's predictions do not come to pass, he is false (Deuteronomy 18:21-22); second, even if a sign comes true but the prophet leads people away from God's Word, he is false (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). Bishop Riggen highlights the story of Micaiah versus the 400 prophets in 1 Kings 22, showing that the majority can be wrong and that false prophets may be deceived themselves. He stresses that true prophets preach the apostles' doctrine, specifically Acts 2:38—repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and receiving the Holy Ghost. He cites examples from Acts (Samaritans, Gentiles, Ephesians) to show consistency. He concludes that any deviation from this apostolic message marks a false prophet, and believers must test every teacher by Scripture.
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