Jesus says that the sheep know the voice of the shepherd (John 10:4). How do they know his voice? The theologian Carl Olof Rosenius has explained it like this: “The voice of the shepherd includes everything that is characteristic of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, both what He said and did, and how He was in Himself. Someone who knows Him as the Good Shepherd can test whether something is in keeping with the voice of Christ, the attitude of Christ, and the teachings of Christ or not. He can also test if something fits with the way Jesus was dealing with sinners and speaking to them or not. By testing in this way, a person can recognise who are genuinely servants of Jesus and who are not. Satan and his servants can use many words that seem to fit in with what Christ has said. But when it comes to the underlying attitude, they cannot imitate Him. On the other hand, even true servants of Christ can sometimes fail in their words — as it is, indeed, possible to find failures in anyone, or else they would not be human — but the ‘voice’ itself must never be lacking.” 9
The Apostle John wrote in his first epistle about the Gnostic heretics who were the greatest threat to early Christianity. In the second chapter, he gives three signs by which we can recognise if someone is preaching true doctrine: First of all, Obedience to Christ and His Word (vs. 3-6). Secondly, Love (vs. 7-11), and finally, The apostolic faith that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed, the Only Begotten Son of God) and that He has become a man (vs. 18-27). This means that Jesus is fully God and fully man. This is a cornerstone of the Christian faith, and to deny this point is something very serious (I John 2:22). Jesus Himself claimed that He was the Son of God and the Messiah while He lived on this earth (Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:70; John 10:36 and 14:9).
Jesus did not leave His listeners in doubt. The Jews wanted to kill Him for making Himself equal with God. A denial, or even a compromise of the truth that Jesus is both fully God and fully man is something most heresies have in common, and this is why the apostle John is sharp in his judgment.
In his epistle to the Galatians, Paul defends the true Gospel against what he says is another gospel. His emphasis is on the preaching of the grace of God through the death of Christ on the cross. He contrast grace with works of the law, and he emphasises that the cross is the centre of the true Gospel.
In the epistles to the Corinthians, Paul is defending himself against those who question his status as an apostle. In order to show that he is a true apostle, he points out his physical sufferings and persecutions (I Corinthians 4:9-18); II Corinthians 11:23-27).
A genuine apostle will also care for his church. If a member falls, he will not remain unmoved. If, for instance, a member of the church had attempted to take his own life, I do not think that Paul would merely have been praising God and looking happy as though nothing had happened; and particularly not if he himself had been the cause of the person losing his will to live. If he had really thought that someone had died on account of resisting God, Paul would certainly not have laughed.
Paul grieved deeply over the Jews who refused to follow the call of God (Romans 9:1-5 and 10:1-3), and he would never have been merely amused that some were still resisting God.
Paul continues his defence in II Corinthians 12 by mentioning the visions and revelations he has received from the Lord, and he mentions a messenger of Satan that is buffeting him. The thing he is boasting in is his own weakness (II Corinthians 12:5 & 9).
When Jesus was giving His disciples power over demons and sicknesses, He said that it is important to have a healthy attitude to this power and not to let that be one’s greatest joy. Rather, it is a sign of spiritual health to let it be your greatest rejoicing that you are a child of God (Luke 10:20).
Signs and wonders are characteristic of a true apostle (II Corinthians 12:12). Paul says about the Jews that they demand signs (I Corinthians 1:22). It might have been very tempting for him to draw the crowds around himself by signs and wonders; but Paul, on the contrary, emphasised something very different. Instead of that, it was Christ and Him crucified that was the centre of his message (I Corinthians 1:22-24). The message was that Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and rose again, and showed Himself to His disciples (I Corinthians 15:1-8).
Paul took great care to point out his own human weaknesses in order to make it clear to everyone that the power came from God and not from himself (II Corinthians 4:7). He didn’t project himself as a superman that could never get sick (Galatians 4:13-14). Neither did he use hidden knowledge and craftiness (II Corinthians 4:2).
People who use magic, operate in a way that is completely contrary to Paul’s attitude. They trust in the hidden power within themselves or in their access to “cosmic power.” But according to the Bible, we are taught not to trust in ourselves, but in God (II Corinthians 1:9 and 4:7). Neither are we supposed to trust in cosmic power (Colossians 2:8). When someone who is practising magic is using supernatural powers, the energy they are partaking of is not the power of God, because God forbids magic (Leviticus 20:6 & 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:10-12; I Chronicles 10:13; Revelation 21:8). False prophets are also characterised by their arrogance and scorn against angelic authorities (II Peter 2:10; Jude 8).
Jesus tells us to beware of false prophets. He says that we can recognise them by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-27). Even confession of Jesus as Lord, prophecies, casting out of demons or working miracles are not infallible signs when we have to distinguish between the true and the false.
The First Epistle of Corinthians chapter 13 (about Christian love) gives us another sign of the good fruit of a genuine prophet. Rosenius writes the following comment on this chapter: “If you know someone who is speaking and preaching powerfully, and who has all knowledge and knows all the secrets, but who is, himself, nevertheless, the opposite of being kind and patient but rather generally unkind and harsh, quick to anger, speaks bitter words, and is one who is tearing and abusing the sheep more than he is keeping and guarding them — then you can put aside the words, the position and anything else that belong to the ‘sheep’s clothing,’ no matter what it is, because the fruit shows what is inside (Matthew 7:15). If the Spirit of the Lord was dwelling in the heart, it would become apparent by the way he would regret his mistakes, confess his sin and humble himself.” 10
Whenever something happens spiritually and supernaturally, it has to be discerned according to how it presents Jesus, and according to the fruit that it brings. Is it saying that Jesus is the Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, truly God and truly Man, or is it something else that is said? And, what are the consequences, is it love or something else?
Footnotes
9. Carl Olof Rosenius “I Guds hjärta.” p 438.
10. Carl Oluf Rosenius: “I Guds hjärta,” p 444.
