23/04/2013
The Lord Jesus Christ warns us to be on guard for our faith! He says that just as we must be warned to enter into the kingdom the right way, through the narrow way, the way of faith and repentance, the way of trusting in Christ alone for our salvation, resting on Him, and walking on that narrow way, that way that requires us to walk in holiness and obedience by the grace of God, so also, we must be careful not to listen to the influence of those who would pull us away from the truth. Let’s hear God’s holy word, beginning in Matthew chapter 7, verse 15.
"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" So then, you will know them by their fruits. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'”
Jesus, in this passage, warns us that false prophets are both dangerous, He calls them ravenous wolves, precisely because they are dangerous, and He warns us that they are DECEPTIVE. They are ravenous wolves, but they are in SHEEP'S CLOTHING. They appear to be what they are not. And therefore, because they are both dangerous and deceptive, He warns us to be on guard against them. He offers tests by which we may DISCERN whether a teacher is true or false. We are not to judge in the sense of being hypercritical, but we are to discern, to discern true prophets from false prophets, discern true gospel teaching from false gospel teaching. Christ’s whole message to us is a call to DISCERNMENT.