How to Recognize False Christs

In various countries around the world, in the past and present, there have been many people who have claimed to be Jesus Christ who was either reborn or reincarnated.  Is this correct according to the Bible?  Or, are these people false Christs?  By studying the Bible we can find the answer to these questions.

Acts 1:9:11 says,  “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

This passage says that Jesus Christ will return to earth in physical form in the sky.  None of the people who claim to be Jesus Christ today came to earth this way.

Revelation 1:7 says, ““Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”So shall it be! Amen.”  

So, not only will Jesus Christ return in the sky but everyone will see him.  The people who claim to be Jesus Christ have neither returned in the sky nor are known and recognized by everyone. 
 Jesus Christ warned us that false Messiahs or Christs and false prophets would arise in the future.  

Matthew 24:23-24 says. “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.  For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  See, I have told you ahead of time.”

Therefore, these people who claim to be Jesus Christ are false Christs and we should not believe them.  False Christs may even have the power to perform signs and wonders that look like miracles from God but we should still not believe them.  True miracles come from God but fake signs and wonders are either deceptive magic tricks or they may be empowered by Satan or demons.  

Another warning about false Christs comes form Matthew 24:26-27.  “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.  For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

Many times the followers of false Christs try to convince people to go and see the false Christ in some special place but the Bible says not to do this.  When the true Jesus Christ returns He will be visible to everyone and everyone will know who He is.  There will be no need to go to the wilderness or a special room to see him.  
Sometimes false teachers do not claim to be Jesus Christ themselves but still teach things about Jesus Christ and the Gospel that are not correct according to the Bible.  

Galatians 1:8 says, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”

False Christs also always teach a Gospel that is different from the true Gospel in the Bible.  

For example, John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

However, false Christs and false teachers might teach that you must perform special tasks or pay money in order to receive salvation, even though the Bible says that salvation is a free gift.  False Christs and false teachers offer false salvation which can distract us away from the true salvation offered in the Bible.​

It is important to study the Bible carefully for ourselves so that we are not deceived and so that we are able to warn others so that they will come to know the true Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.