It is important then for our life as Christians that we learn how to distinguish between true and false prophets, so that we will not be deceived. Just like the elect of God do not walk around with labels on the backs of their necks, telling us whom God has chosen, so false prophets do not advertise themselves with clear name tags. They do not preach from the Qur’an on a Sunday. They do not throw out the Apostles’ Creed in order to make it obvious where their allegiances lie. Like wolves in sheep’s clothing, they give every impression of being a devoted follower of Jesus.

How then will we distinguish between the true and the false? How can we protect ourselves and our fellow believers? To answer that question, we first need to consider to whom Jesus was referring when he spoke of false prophets. He gives us this general warning, but is there some more detail that can help us to understand whom he had in mind?

In the context of his sermon, the scribes and the Pharisees seem like a good option as the target of Jesus’ warning. Though they did not recognize Jesus as the Christ so as to call him Lord, they were very influential amongst the people at the time. In fact they were the competing leaders of Jesus’ day, offering a different voice from his own. Holding on to the oral tradition, they claimed to be the orthodox teachers and interpreters of God’s Word.

But, as we have seen previously, they misrepresented God’s truth. They reduced the law so that it was more manageable and less demanding. They also promoted the idea that our half-hearted works of obedience can earn God’s favour. In particular they were known for public displays of devotion—giving in temple courts, loud prayers on street corners, pained expression to make it clear that they were fasting—actions that were meant to impress the people around them, actions that were meant to win respect. They sought the same kind of glory and awe that would come with casting out demons.

For all their impressive acts, however, there was no fruit in keeping with repentance. They spoke a good game but did not practice what they preached. Religion was all about power and prestige, the glory that comes with occupying the seat of Moses, the praise of men. There was no union with Christ, no in-grafting into the true vine, and thus no fruit.

If this is who Jesus had in mind, then there are two key marks of false prophets: First, they preach a false gospel of works righteousness—the same kind of bad news that the apostle Paul had to deal with in his letter to the Galatians. There we have the Judaizers, a group of Christians claiming that faith in Christ must be supplemented with obedience to Mosaic law. These were the Pharisees and scribes who joined the church, men who recognized Christ as Lord but then went on to lead people away from faith in Christ alone for salvation. They spoke of the need for circumcision and various food laws. A false gospel of works righteousness is the first mark of the false prophet.

A second telltale sign of a false prophet is when someone pursues various public actions that impress but there is little fruit in keeping with repentance. Typically, the standard of God’s law will be lowered or changed so as to fit human ability. There will be talk of how the Bible is time-bound so that certain sections are no longer relevant or instructive for our practice today. There will be an emphasis on social action that makes the church look good in the eyes of the world—whatever wins the praise of men. As a result, there will be little focus on the fruit that Jesus told us about at the beginning of his sermon—-mourning for sin, living in dependence on God, gentleness, and compassion, seeking to be perfect as the Father is perfect. A focus on human praise and neglect of God’s law is the second mark of the false prophet.