Matthew 7:15-29

Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. How do we know if a Bible teacher or preacher is telling us the truth or not? Jesus uses two word pictures here to help us to understand. Some Bible teachers look good on the outside, but they are preaching things against the Bible. Jesus calls these people false prophets. They may sound nice, but their teaching is dangerous. Jesus says that they are like wolves in sheep’s clothing – they look harmless, but they are actually very dangerous. And Jesus goes on to tell us how to identify these false prophets. The proof is in the results of their teaching. If people are Godly teachers, their teaching will be Spirit-filled and from the Bible. But if people are false teachers, their teaching will be worldly and not even based on the Bible. The proof is in the result. Jesus put it like this: if a tree has apples on it, what kind of a tree is it? Right, an apple tree. If a tree has pears on it, what kind of a tree is it? Right again, a pear tree. So Jesus says, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” An apple tree has apples and a pear tree has pears. And so false teachers have what kind of teaching? That’s right, false, worldly teaching.