Yes, it was so in Jeremiah's day.
It's also so today.
Just replace the word priest
with Christian minister.
And replace the word peace with grace.
Please
continue to read all 10 parts of this series on False Prophets and Negligent
Healers
Pamphlets
#903 thru #912
When Jesus Christ finishes His "Teaching on the Mount", He gives a stern warning to His disciples concerning fake preachers and then closes with a few words of great wisdom about how to be one of the "wise" in this final generation who shall be able to withstand the onslaught of the great spiritual tribulation of the spurious messiah!
Here is that most important warning:
Did you know that the very first sign and warning Christ gave to His disciples when they asked Him on Mount Olivet what signs to look for and how to determine the "when" of the final generation just before His return, was to beware of false prophets (Mat. 24:4-5, Mark 13:5-6, Luke 21: 8)?Matthew 7:15-29
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
So "Take Heed" and stay away from "pseudopreachers" who are would-be teachers of God's Word! They have the appearance of being Christian ministers and preachers, etc., but they have another agenda which is usually to devour the flock for profit or self-glorification. You can usually tell their intent after listening to them for a little while because it seems they always get around to talking about what is foremost on their minds.Matthew 24:4-5
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.[5] For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
So do NOT let appearances, one's outer garment, deceive you.G5578 pseudoprophetes psyoo-dop-rof-ay'-tace
From G5571 and G4396; a spurious prophet, that is, pretended foreteller or religious impostor:—false prophet.
A true teacher of God's Word will always tell you to stay in the Word of God and document and test the things that you hear taught by man, because unfortunately there many more false teachers than there are true in this final generation. 1 John 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." A teacher of God's Word will also explain to you the difference between the holy and the profane and how to discern between the clean and the unclean.
Even in the Millennium God's elect will teach these differences and cause people to exercise spiritual discernment: Ezekiel 44:23 "And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.Ezekiel 22:26
Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane,neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
If after you have done your due diligence and found that what you heard was written in God's Word, then you know with certitude that He has spoken it and only then can you "go with it"! Otherwise, be very wary of those who tell you God told them this or that![27] Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.[28] And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken.
So how do you tell a true "shepherd" from a look-alike "wolf". How do you tell one who is sent from God and one who isn't? John 3:34 "For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." So take heed, for if you are one of His disciples you not only need to know how to tell the difference for yourself but also how to teach others to "beware of false prophets". To that end, Jesus Christ, the greatest teacher of all time, makes it very simple for us as He begins with an analogy of nature itself. Fruit! Hey, you simply test the "fruit" and then you will know what kind of tree it came from!
Yep, that about sums up the clergy of today. Not very many are willing to take a stand and defend the sheep. Nor do they place real food in the troughs nor "leadeth their flocks to lie down in lush green pastures" to feed on His Word.They are too busy with ceremony and cere-money. They are gutless wonders with scarcely a conviction they can call their own, and they are quick to run from controversy and truth, rather clinging to the traditions of men. They are hirelings all right! They are Judas goats!
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