False Prophets

Something I used to hear as a young priest was the following: "Things are really pretty simple, we are the ones who make it complex and mess it up." This was generally in reference to  faith life. Then they would share with me the simple thing, "just trust" or "love one another." And, of course, "just read the Bible and do what it says."

It may be pious sounding to say "it is all pretty simple" but I do not think it is true. I think it is complex and the complexity has increased dramatically in the last few decades as technology makes the world more connected and we are confronted with a vast array of viewpoints (including many within the Body of Christ). Reading the Bible can sometimes add to the confusion.

Yesterday I shared some thoughts on Jesus' command to not judge. The command is pretty simple and there is a very concrete practice which can come from it. Hold myself to a higher standard. Criticize my own position with the same intensity I do others. Work extra hard to understand others, and have a merciful heart in doing it. But reading more makes things more complex!

Today, I want to look at what Jesus said a few verses later. "Beware of false prophets." So much for not judging, right? Obviously, false prophets don't wear a tee shirt with the words "FALSE!" on the front. How, exactly, does one know a false prophet unless one makes a judgment of some sort? Obviously, not to judge needs to be understood in a complex way.

Apparently, in Matthew's time, there were people who claimed to be Spirit-led. They advocated all manner of "freedom" (or license). We see this tension in the early church in other writings as well. Paul makes mention of those who misunderstand the true meaning of freedom and have twisted his words. In Revelation, there is mention of the Nicolatians and the followers of Balaam. In fact, as much as grace, there is a prevalence of moral demands and ethical exhortations. The NT follows the OT in saying God places behavioral expectations upon us.

Jesus says we must produce fruits (righteousness) and that we should beware of those who preach a message which negates morality (or redefines it). Matthew's church must have had people who were doing that. It should come as no surprise that in our own day such things continue to happen. Fortunately, we do have a criteria: fruits.

False prophets, claiming the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, seem much in vogue in TEC and other churches. [The "conservative" version of false prophets also exist. They generally do not populate the halls of power in my denomination. We have the left wing in super abundance.] Discipleship focuses on Jesus and what He calls us to. It defines love by His defintion, not some contemporary one. It walks on "the narrow way." Jesus is clear, the path is narrow and the way is hard and there are darn few who make it. The 'tolerance' crowd, proclaiming a wide path with diverse ways, is, based on the words of Jesus, acting like false prophets. The spirit within us which hungers for an easier way is not the Holy Spirit. The spirit guiding our bishops and our general convention has not been the Spirit of God. The fruits are not there. The righteousness of Jesus is not there. The errors being expounded as something new are not new at all. It is the same old false teaching.

Yet, in every age, God gathers those who are His faithful ones. The key is being faithful. The challenge is to not be so focused on the errors of others that we lose sight of our own errors. One can stray too far left and fall off the narrow path, but it is equally true on the right. The Sermon on the Mount is neither simple nor easy. The way of discipleship can be confusing. But Jesus promises to be with those who seek Him and submit to His word. We have hope, even if we mess up. It is a complex world and discipleship can be complex. Reading large sections of Scripture and balancing one section with another, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, in communion with the Saints (attending to their interpretations) is not easy. It is a narrow way. It is, however, the way of life in Jesus!