"Look, Here is the Christ!"

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:23-24 ESV)

False christs, how could that be? We already see many false teachers, those who call themselves prophets and apostles, so why not a false christ?

In a news article yesterday, I read of a false christ with a following of “disciples” in Russia. A former traffic cop, Sergei Torop, was sentenced to 12 years in a Russian prison camp. The cult leader risked the lives of his followers by restricting their food and commanding them to stop using money, which he confiscated.

Reuters reported that Torop, “known to his followers as Vissarion," meaning "he who gives new life," and two aides used psychological pressure to extract money from his followers and cause serious harm to their morality, mental, and physical health.” 1

Torop is described as “a bearded self-styled mystic with long hair, Torop claimed to have been "reborn" to convey the word of God. He attracted thousands of followers, some of whom flocked to live in a settlement known as the "Abode of Dawn" or "Sun City" at a time when Russia was battling poverty and lawlessness." 2 This occurred at a desperate time in the lives of these people.

Brothers and sisters, our God does not lie. When we read the words of Christ Jesus, that which He prophesied will come to fruition. We must be guarded in our Christian lives. Moses wrote God’s words in Genesis, of Him telling Cain, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7) This statement is as true today as it was when God spoke it.

In a time when the economy is poor, destitution is prevalent, and sin runs rampant, people are frightened and hungry for stability. They will cling to false teachers and prophets who promise “their best life now” if they only do what they are told.

Any teacher, pastor, or other person teaching the word of God should be checked and their words verified. Their teachings should be validated in scripture. Do not blindly follow the words of anyone without checking if what you are being told falls in line with doctrine and scripture. If they tell you that you do not need to verify the truth of their words in scripture, take it as a warning sign. This is why at In Messiah, all who write for the Lord provide you with scripture and verse so that you can ensure our words are aligned with God’s Word.

Let us all pray for those who have been led astray by false teachers. Let us pray for God’s intervention that they may be made aware of the spiritual danger they are in. Pray for those who are in need, are in fear, and do not know where to turn, that the gospel message may be made clear to them. Let us be a beacon of light that will draw the misguided back to the Lord.

We pray this in Jesus name, Amen.

Grace and Peace.

[1] Lewis Casiano, Fox News, https://www.foxnews.com/world/siberian-jesus-sentenced-russian-prison-harming-followers-bizarre-cult

[2] Ibid