To guard ourselves against the many false prophets who have gone out into the world, we must be able to prove whether or not any teacher (teaching) is of God. In the seventh chapter of Matthew Jesus describes false prophets as such who come to the sheep in sheep’s clothing (outwardly lovely and disguised so as better to deceive and devour them), but inwardly are ravening wolves (according to their real nature and way). Now by their fruits we are to know them, by the kind of people that go forth from their teaching, whether they have actually been converted from idols to the living God. For if preaching has not a converting, saving power of decision, it is but deception and seduction and not God’s word. For, though conversion of sinners depends not upon men but upon the Lord, Christ has, even so, reserved unto Himself those teachers whom He finds in His name, for the affixing of this seal of the truth; so that “through their word,” always and in all directions, some are saved; the rest, however, are hardened and lost. False teachers who make no breach with Satan the world, of course, will tolerate, but not Christ and His servants. -Samuel Froehlich
