The answer
The bible warns us of false prophets:
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves (Matt 7: 15)
And advises us to test the spirits
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)
To differentiate between a false prophet and a true prophet is not difficult...
First:
A true prophet testifies to Jesus Christ as the Incarnate God, Redeemer and Savior; the false prophet denies the divinity of Jesus Christ, drawing people to philosophies and ideas far from the Truth that is found in Christ only …
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. (Col 2: 8 - 9)
Second:
The false prophet could deny the Incarnation and the creed of the Christ having had as mentioned in 1 John 4: 1 - 2 and …
For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” (2 John 1: 7)
Third:
A false prophet could call for the worship of other false gods
- “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” (Ex 20: 3 - 4)
- “ If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, (Let us go after other gods’— which you have not known—(and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deut 13: 1 - 3)
Fourth:
A false prophet accepts to work with mediums, demons and evil spirits.
There shall not he found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer.” (Deut 18: 10) The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 The 2: 9 -10)
Fifth:
The false prophet is drawn to strange teachings that may allow immorality and evil and denies godliness and virtue …
- “ Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” (1 Tim 4:1-3)
- “ For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1: 4)
Sixth:
The false prophet tells false prophecies that mislead people and which they keep waiting for but they are never fulfilled …
But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which / have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. ’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken? ‘— when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." (Dent 18: 20 - 22)
Seventh:
The false prophet seeks his own glory whereas a true prophet seeks nothing but the glory of God and endures all hardships for the sake of spreading the message of Truth.
- “I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? (John 5: 43 - 44)
- “Jesus answered them and said, (‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether / speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.’’ (John 7:16-18)
Eighth:
The false prophet often behaves inappropriately and might have hidden sinful behavior.
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?’’ (Matt 7:16)
Ninth:
The false prophet refuses the collective beliefs of the one Apostolic Orthodox Church with its regulations and sticks out with his own individualistic opinions that are not in accordance to the teachings of the Apostles and Early Church Fathers.
- “Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law” - to whom we gave no such commandment.” (Acts 15: 24)
- “Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20: 30)
- “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4: 6)
- “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” (1 John 2: 18 - 22)
Tenth:
The false prophet refuses to submit to the Church and is more interested in people following his teachings due to a spirit of pride and arrogance that leads him astray.
- “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.” (2 The 2: 9 - 11)
- “Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But / will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power.” (1 Co 4:18 - 19)
- “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6: 26)
Eleven:
The false prophet may focus on particular dates, especially the Second Coming of Christ or even may claim that he is Christ.
- “Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying: Send to all those in captivity, saying, Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I have not sent him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie— therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his family: he shall not have anyone to dwell among this people, nor shall he see the good that / will do for My people, says the LORD, because he has taught rebellion against the LORD.” (Jer 29: 30 - 33)
- “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?” And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He, ’ and will deceive many.’’ (Mark 13: 4 - 6) “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, Lie is there!’ do not believe it.” (Mark 13: 21)
Twelve:
The false prophet may cast doubt on the Cross or the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, or the Second Coming and the Resurrection of the dead, for it is through the Cross and Christ’s Resurrection that we are saved.
- “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (ICo 15:12)
- “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” (1 Co 15: 34)
Thirteen:
The false prophet could claim for himself miracles or wonders or speaking in tongues to confuse and deceive those around him.
- “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt 7: 22-23)
- “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.” (1 Co 14: 37 - 38)
- “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Mark 13: 22) Also read (Matt 24: 3- 5; 11 - 12; 23 - 25). (Luke 21:7-8)
Fr. Daoud Lamei