Question:  Dear Greg,

            What are the qualifications for one to be considered a true prophet of God?  In my opinion, if you make predictions and you are not right 100% of the time you are a fraud.

            Ron

Answer:  Dear Ron,

            A prophet—someone who predicts the future—is almost exclusively an Old Testament, old covenant role.  Deuteronomy 13 explicitly informs those under the old covenant that whether or not the prediction comes to pass, the acid test is how the message of the prophet agrees with the Bible.

            The New Testament speaks of prophecy as a gift (1 Corinthians 12:29).  However, the Greek does not refer exclusively to the prediction of future events (foretelling).  It refers just as much to inspired forth telling, inspired preaching and teaching.  The role of prophet as someone who divines the future does not appear to be a gift in Christianity today, nor has it been in prominence since the first century.  There are those, of course who have predicted the future during these times.  In spite of huge followings, they often have been wrong (humans are always curious about the future and those who claim to know the future) and have left disheartened and disillusioned people in their wake (see Matthew 18:1-9).

            In Christ,

            Greg Albrecht