For much of my faith walk, I followed a false prophet. I believe that most who call themselves a Christian do the same.
If you are diligent in reading Scripture, you will find what is often referred to as the “Deuteronomy 13 Test.” In Deuteronomy 13, we get instruction on how to spot a false prophet.
“When there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he shall give you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder shall come true, of which he has spoken to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other mighty ones – which you have not known – and serve them,’ do not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for Yahuah your Elohim is trying you to know whether you love Yahuah your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being. Walk after Yahuah your Elohim and fear Him, and guard His commands and obey His voice, and serve Him and cling to Him.” – Deuteronomy 13:1-4
To sum up this passage, we are told not to listen to the words of a prophet that carries us away from OBEDIENCE to God. Even if that prophet speaks of miracles, signs and wonders…and those miracles, signs and wonders come true, we are not to follow that prophet or what he teaches. Yahuah is testing us to know if we truly love Him and will follow Him. We are not to go after other mighty ones or listen to the false prophet that takes us away from the commandments of God.
But for years, I followed a false prophet. Let me explain.
We are taught in the mainstream church that Jesus followed the law but doesn’t expect us to do the same. We are taught that Jesus freed us from the bondage of His Father’s commandments. We are taught that we have freedom to do as we wish but to just believe and confess His name. And we are taught that He gave us commandments that are somewhat different than the Father’s eternal law.
But that could not be further from the truth.
“For I am Yahuah, I shall not change.” – Malachi 3:6
The “Jesus” that I followed for much of my life taught LAWLESSNESS. This “Jesus” gave me permission to eat unclean, to celebrate holidays not ordained by His Father, and to disregard the instructions of God. He would not have passed the Deuteronomy 13 test. But a true prophet will always turn you away from your wicked ways and back to the commandments of God.
“To you first, Elohim, having raised up His Servant, Yahusha, sent Him to bless you, in turning away each one of you from your wicked ways.” – Acts 3:26
Here in Acts 3, Peter declares that Yahusha was sent to turn the people away from their wickedness. And what was this wickedness? Sin. The same sin that John speaks about in one of his epistles to the assembly.
“Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” – 1 John 3:4
Sin is lawlessness. The only definition of sin that we have in the Bible is the breaking of God’s law. (See this teaching for details – What is Sin?). If you remove God’s law (Torah) from the equation, you have no sin. Paul speaks of this in Romans 7:8. Here, he is not speaking poorly of the Torah (law), but rather showing it’s necessity to bring to light our sin.
Paul spends much of chapter 8 elaborating on the battle between flesh (sin) and spirit (God’s law). Those who are in Messiah Yahusha, walk according to the spirit, which he had previously associated with the law of God.
“For we know that the Torah (law) is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.” – Romans 7:14
Walking in the spirit is following the instructions (Torah) of Yahuah and keeping His commandments. Unfortunately, most churches teach that the Torah (law) is fleshly, a burden, slavery, etc. Yet Paul says it is spiritual.
We have been sold a false bill of goods, as the saying goes. The “Jesus” I grew up with was a false prophet. If your “Jesus” did away with the law, then you are following a false prophet as well. It is called walking according to the flesh and not the spirit.
“There is, then, no condemnation to those who are in Messiah Yahusha, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” – Romans 8:1
Those who are in Yahusha walk even as He did (1 John 2:6). This means following the commandments of His Father. When we walk according to the Spirit (not the flesh), we obey God’s commandments.
“If you guard My commands, you shall stay in My love, even as I have guarded My Father’s commands and stay in His love.” – John 15:10
During His time of trial prior to His death, the Messiah prayed this prayer to the Father for His taught ones.
“Set them apart in Your truth – Your Word is truth.” – John 17:17
What was the Messiah speaking of? What was this “Word” He referred to during the prayer? This prayer is a reference back to the Psalms.
“Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and Your Torah is truth.” – Psalms 119:142
The truth has always been found in God’s Torah (law). It is our instruction for living. And the real Messiah never violated it, never taught us to disobey it, and never abolished it. That is how we know that Yahusha is a true prophet. He was sent to turn us away from our wicked ways and to teach us how to properly walk in God’s law.
FAITH IN MOTION 