“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24)

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24)

Jesus warned that false messiahs would come to deceive even the most faithful of His followers, ministers masquerading as servants of righteousness who have ulterior motives and objectives other than our salvation. Some of these false prophets seek power, money, or are guided by their own bizarre and perverse motives to control the minds and lives of others. And although false christs have come and gone since the first century, in recent times we have witnessed such instances with cult leaders like Charles Manson, Sun Myung Moon, Jim Jones, and David Koresh.

So how do we discern who is good or evil? The best way to spot counterfeit christs is to know Christ Himself. If you know the Word of God, read Holy Scripture, study theology, etc. you will immediately be able to distinguish between truth and fiction. In addition, Jesus also said that we would be able to judge others by their fruit. So if someone is claiming to be a messiah, but lacks the humility to give God all the glory, chances are they are not who they claim to be.

Fr. John