You know a Tree by its Fruit: False Teachers and Prophets
You know a Tree by its Fruit: false teachers and prophets.
How do we recognize them?
Mary Ann Wray
Matthew 7: 15-18
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
Thorns and thistles are prickly and cause pain when you expectantly come in contact with them. Canadian thistles grow up with grain and are troublesome to farmers. Jesus said that the tares grow up together with the wheat and at the end of the age He will separate them. However, that doesn’t mean we are not to discern who and where they are now.
We are commanded to test all things! False prophets and teachers are mentioned at least 69 times in the bible and false teachers 21 times. (90 times all together). If it was that important for the Holy Spirit to bring this to our attention, we should deem it important enough to learn how to discern them. To “test” comes from the Greek Word dokimazo. It means to discern, examine, try, and prove.
“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 19-22
“The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.” Proverbs 14: 15
Analogies: Everything of value has a system of weights and measures attached to it. There are tools to measure the weight of fruit and vegetables, weight loss, 18 wheelers on the highways, air pressure in tires, gas gauges in automobiles and the list goes on and on.
For example: Weight Loss tools of measurement:: 1. The scale 2. Measuring tape. The scale doesn’t always show weight loss due to muscle gain or hitting a plateau but you always have to start with a baseline. As much as we hate to get on the scale you must record your starting weight and go from there. However, at those stalled times you can use a tape measure to see how many inches you are losing. Again, you have to start with a baseline. You can also your clothing is a tool of measurement that will show inches lost. i.e., going down from a size 12 to a 10…usually a pant size is about ten pounds.
Counterfeit money analogy…as a part time bank teller years ago in training, we spent an entire afternoon learning the markings, paper, texture, ink color et al on a real dollar bill and different denominations. Then we were given a counterfeit dollar bill to compare with the real one. Since we were well familiar with the attributes of real paper money we could identify easily the differences in the counterfeit.
The more of God’s Word we become familiar with and learn the easier it will be to spot false teaching. His Word MUST be the tool we use to measure all things.
God has given us two tools of measurement to test all things: His Word and the character of an individual. God’s character is agape love. This is how can recognize a child of God. 1 Corinthians 13 spells out what love looks like in great detail. Also, Galatians 5: 22-26 lists out the Fruit of the Spirit which is indicative of Christian Character.
We all need to take the Litmus test of love from time to time…What is a litmus test? In chemistry it’s a test for acidity or alkalinity. In general terms it is a test which a single factor such as an attitude, event or fact is decisive. When something is decisive it settles an issue convincingly or produces a definite result.
Charisma is obvious and easy to detect, but character requires a closer look. Although the Father is the giver of all good gifts and delights in giving them to His children, He also expects us to steward them in humility, love and with a servant like attitude. Charisma is no replacement for character. God is not impressed by our gifts, but our character and Christlike attitude. This should be the only thing that impresses us about an individual too. Faith, Christ like character and demonstrated love of God and for others are admirable and desirable qualities that need to be emulated. Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”
The only thing that should impress you about someone is their faith, pure character & demonstrated love of God. Gifts are things God gives us, but character is something we must develop ourselves with the help and grace of the Holy Spirit.
If everything you have been given is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?” is a verse from the Bible, 1 Corinthians 4:7. The verse is a reminder that all good things come from God, and nothing good in a person comes from themselves. It can also be interpreted as a call to humility, not arrogance.
1 John 4:1 says, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world".
This verse means that Christians should not blindly accept all spiritual claims. Instead, they should:
- Consider the source and content of a teaching
- Compare what they hear to the basic truths of the gospel
- Test the spirits to see if they are from God
Look at the Bereans in Acts 17: 11 as good examples of those who searched the scriptures to see if what Paul was teaching was found within the written scriptures they had at the time.
“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”
Here is why it is so very important to know and be familiar with the truth of God’s Word…
“The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness.” 2 Thess 2: 9-12
Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever" Jude 11-13
“Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not become partners with them; for at one time, you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says,
“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5: 1-19
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4: 1-3
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God. You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness…” 2 Timothy 2: 1-10
False prophets and false teachers are similar in that they both can be destructive and lead people astray from following Christ and lead them into idolatry. They don't practice what they preach and often have hidden sins lurking in their past/ present.
· False prophets claim to have divine revelation and or speak for God, but do so for evil ends. Satan was the first false prophet when he twisted God’s word and tempted Eve with the forbidden fruit. They use these twisted words to lure people away from obedience to Christ's commandments and true worship towards God in Spirit and Truth.
· They may also use the gift of prophecy to do this, but it is to bring attention to themselves or something else other than the preeminence of Christ. They are greedy for gain, have an air of arrogance and seek attention and the accolades of men. The have an entitlement attitude; entitled to honor, wealth, respect and sometimes even reverence. They will not tolerate being called into question or corrected by anyone.
“Beware of false prophets who come to you in Sheep’s clothing but inside are ravenous wolves.” Matthew 7: 15
· False teachers on the other hand advocate different doctrines that are harmful and can take on many forms. These false teachings take scripture out of context and build doctrines not taught directly by Christ and the original 12 Apostles. These may include but are not limited to denying the Trinity, Universal Salvation, repentance is not necessary to live a Christian life, pursuing wealth over godliness, no literal Hell, Christ has already returned, God doesn't want you to suffer in any way; therefore, suffering for the gospel sake is no longer relevant, you will never hear them preach or teach against the danger of an unrepentant heart for their sins.
· 2 Peter 2: 1-3 warns that false teachers will secretly bring in damnable and destructive heresies and exploit people with false words.
· To exploit means to make full use of and derive benefit from another’s resource. They look at people as giving units and a means to their end, building their ministry, rather than building up the saints of God. They do not regard the entire well-being of precious souls whom Christ died for. They care more about what they can receive from God's flock rather than caring for and nurturing them spiritually. They seek to be served rather than to serve.
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