Written ~ 10-04-2023
Matthew 7:15-20 (The New Living Translation – NLT)
15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.
16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.
18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.
19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.
20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
Matthew 7:15-20 (The Message – MSG)
15-20 “Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity.
Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other.
Don’t be impressed with charisma; look for character.
Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say.
A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook.
These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.
I decided to write out both the NLT and MSG versions of our verses today, their message is very important, and I want us to understand the significance of what Jesus is telling us here.
Whether you are a brand-new believer, or someone who has followed the Lord their whole life or you’re just searching for some answers, it is imperative to know what the Bible teaches. Finding someone who you trust completely, to teach you the Word of God is of upmost importance. If you aren’t sure, maybe ask someone who you know to be a sincere Christian and see who they trust to teach the whole truth from the Bible.
If we don’t know the Scriptures ourselves, if we don’t read it, it we don’t study it, the truth can get a little muddled if we aren’t sure if what a pastor or teacher is talking about is actually from the Bible. We need to know the Word of God! So, if we are listening to a pastor preach an eloquent message, but some things are not ringing true to what the Bible actually says, RUN! With discernment from the Holy Spirit, you need to find a pastor who will teach the entire Bible, no matter how difficult the subject might be. Watered down Scripture is not what Jesus teaches! Some of His lessons are difficult, not everything taught from the Bible is easy! Don’t look for a pastor who skips over the parts of the Bible that are difficult to swallow. You should feel convicted, you should feel grateful for Salvation, not take it for granted. We need to realize that Satan will plant his false teachers in the church to stumble and lead astray the members of God’s family, his sole purpose is to confuse and destroy. So be on guard!
Verse 7:16a says,
“You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.”
Think about where you are right now in your walk with the Lord, your knowledge of Scripture. Would you be able to distinguish between the false teacher and the upright, sincere teacher? If you’re not sure, please find someone who can lead you to a good, solid Bible teaching pastor. Verse 7:16 says we would be able to “…identify them by their fruit…” Do you know what “fruit” you should be on the lookout for? Watching the actions of Bible teachers behind the pulpit and out in public should match with the characteristics of the “good fruits” listed in the Bible. The fruits given to us by the Holy Spirit are:
Love ~ Joy ~ Peace ~ Patience ~ Kindness ~ Goodness ~ Faithfulness ~ Gentleness ~ Self-Control
Galatians 5:22-23
Now, remember, we are all human and we all will make mistakes, even teachers and pastors, so we need to give every believer some grace if there is a miss-step. But we should expect a repentant heart, and the wrongdoing should be taken care of swiftly. The false preachers spoken of in Matthew 7:15 will not have a repentant heart, they will not be remorseful for their actions. They may even try to condone what they are doing as Biblically sound doctrine, by taking verses out of context and twisting it around to make it useful for their sinful actions. That’s why the first word in verse 7:15 is BEWARE! Time to reiterate the importance of knowing the Scriptures. Nowadays, we have so many resources at our fingertips. Sometimes that’s a good thing, sometimes it’s not. The discerning quality we receive from the Holy Spirit is what will help us recognize the Truth.
Our verses for today speak of false prophets, teachers, preachers. But we need to be careful of anyone we decide to listen to, there are tons of Christian authors, podcasters and musicians that have their own ideas as well… but distinguishing the truth will become easier when the knowledge of the Bible becomes more ingrained in your life.
Mathew 7:20…
“Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”
Pray that your heart would be sensitive to the words being spoken from your pastor or other Bible teachers. Hopefully, with knowing there is a great threat of false teachers out there, we will dig that much deeper into our own study of God’s Word. I know that’s my prayer. I want to know what God says and what Jesus teaches and the pastors I listen to must line up to Scripture.
Thank You Father for giving me Your Holy Spirit so I can discern the information if spoken by a false teacher. Help me to always be alert to the guidance I receive from any teacher or pastor. Thank You Father for Your love and concern over my wellbeing and giving me these kinds of warnings so I can be careful to what I allow my heart and mind to be filled with. I love You Lord!
~AMEN~