Matthew 7, Part 4
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Bearing Fruit
Bearing Fruit
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
As Christ winds down his discourse on the Mount, we see again a change from the golden rule - love one another as you would have them do unto you and enter into the narrow gate to a little further in depth conversation - there will be false prophets that intentionally or unintentionally try to trick you.
What is a “false prophet”?
These are men of the cloth, those who proclaim and teach God’s Word, the prophets - the preachers. Now, they were uttering false information to those who would listen. What were they saying? Specifically, we do not know however it was contrary to scripture and the teachings of Christ.
We see those same things happening today, most prominently would be the prosperity gospel/theology. According to The Gospel Coalition, “The prosperity gospel (also known as the “health and wealth gospel” or by its most popular brand, the “Word of Faith” movement) is a perversion of the gospel of Jesus that claims that God rewards increases in faith with increases in health and/or wealth.”
In a 2014 sermon, John Piper outlined six keys to detecting the prosperity gospel:
1. The absence of a serious doctrine of the biblical necessity and normalcy of suffering, the absence of a doctrine of suffering.
2. The absence of a clear and prominent doctrine of self-denial is a tip off that something is amiss.
3. The absence of serious exposition of Scripture.
4. The absence of dealing with tensions in Scripture.
5. Church leaders who have exorbitant lifestyles.
6. A prominence of self and a marginalization of the greatness of God.
So, how do we identify a “false prophet”? We weigh their actions, deeds, and speech by scripture. Period.
False prophets are still present and they are among us. Christ tells us to “BEWARE”. Watch and keep guard ourselves. Why? Because one of the biggest things that will keep us from seeking and finding the narrow gate is being given the wrong directions.
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,
4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
What descriptions do Christ use for these false prophets?
Christ calls them wearers of “sheep’s clothing” and “ravenous wolves”. In other words, they may “look the look”, they may “talk the talk”, but deep down they do not “walk the walk”.
Ancient Jewish writers often compared the righteous to lambs and the wicked to wolves.69 In the OT, sheep often symbolizes God’s people. In Zephaniah 3:3, false prophets are compared to wolves, and this was also done by some NT writers. Wolves prey on weaker animals, no wonder wolves are used to describe people involved in violence and bloodshed,70 and dishonest gain. Although the metaphor of a wolf is associated with evil people and their activities, hope is offered for them as “sinners” who need to hear the gospel. The metaphor “ferocious wolves” in sheep’s clothing accentuates Jesus’ earlier teaching concerning the importance of the heart; the external and visible acts may not always be the best gauge of what is in a person’s heart. We must guard ourselves against those seeking to deceive us.
Paul addresses these issues in:
12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
We are reminded of the evil of Satan in:
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Jesus goes on to use more agricultural terms that would be easily understood. They do not produce good fruit. Now, how many of you would plant an apple tree and expect it to bear peaches? No! Similarly, wise and foolish speech and actions cannot come from the same source.
Matthew talks about thorns not producing grapes, and thistles not producing figs (Matt 7:16); an illustration which he briefly summarizes, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit” (7:18). This metaphor complements the previous one, because although the external and visible acts may not always be an indicator of what is in a person’s heart, they can reflect the person’s internal disposition.
How then, do we recognize true followers and proclaimers of the Gospel?
They are known by their fruit.
But there’s an even bigger issue at hand than false prophets. Those are the ones thinking they are saved and doing God’s work, but who have never been forgiven.
False Proclaimers
False Proclaimers
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Who are these people Jesus describes?
These are people who have made false professions. As I stated this morning, you don’t just wake up one morning and decide it’s a good day to follow Jesus and become a Christian.
A person must do more than profess to enter heaven. There are two kinds of people who say “Lord, Lord,” making a false profession. First, there are those who profess and do very little else. They do not hesitate to talk about their religion or church and to express confidence in it. They feel religion has its place in the lives of men and in the structure of society. They attend church, give and serve others as much as is needed in order to make them feel comfortable with themselves and acceptable to God. Some feel comfortable and acceptable attending a few services, giving a little and serving only when approached. Others need more, so they do more.
Second, there are those who profess and do a tremendous work for their religion and society. They are as sincere as can be; and they call Christ, “Lord, Lord” in all the areas of religious life. Why is this person rejected and shut out from heaven, a person who calls Christ “Lord” and labors so diligently “in His name?”
Profession alone fails to do more than profess. Profession alone is the big “I.” Note the words, “Have we not” done all these things, “many wonderful works” (v. 22). They were wonderful works, but when we stand before God, what we have done will count for nothing. In that day (Judgment Day) a genuine believer is not going to be professing what he has done. What he has done is nothing compared to what Christ has done. He is going to be worshipping Christ. This is the critical point: profession only shows just how inadequate our understanding of God and ourselves really is. It shows just how centered we are upon our own ability and goodness.
Just think and be honest: How can anyone ever stand before the Supreme Being and Intelligence of the Universe, before God Almighty, and claim anything? If such a Person as God is going to let any man enter heaven, it is going to be because He wills to accept the man, not because the man has done anything. Profession alone does not understand or else rejects the true nature of God and man—the true nature of God and man as revealed by the Bible and witnessed by history. History exposes the selfishness, greed, and evil of every nation and person of the world day by day.
Profession alone does not do God’s will. Profession alone is “a form of godliness, but denies the power thereof” (2 Ti. 3:5). This simply means that a person goes through all the forms of religious life, yet he denies the power of godliness.
What is godliness?
The power of Christ’s death and resurrection to impart forgiveness and life to him.
Anyone who denies this WILL NOT enter heaven. It doesn’t matter how good they’ve been, how much they have worked for the church, what religion they ascribe to, it is NOT the same as salvation.
Profession alone acknowledges and honors self, not Christ. Note something of critical importance. When Christ died for us, He was the One who had done all the good, all the work of salvation. We have done nothing. He was the One who died; therefore, He is the One who is to be honored and lifted up and praised. He is the Subject, the only Subject, of redemption.
This is the very thing God is after: the honor of His dear Son. It is the man who trusts Christ’s death and resurrection who honors Christ. And it is that man who shall be allowed to enter heaven and that man alone.
A person must do God’s will in order to enter heaven. Note: Christ is talking about people who are interested in heaven. He is not talking about those who are not interested in heaven. Heaven should be the final goal of every man. It should be the place every man seeks to enter. However, not everyone interested in heaven will enter heaven. There are some who call Him “Lord” who will not be allowed to enter. The people who wish to enter heaven must do the will of Him who is in heaven. Who is in heaven? Who is it that controls the entrance into heaven? The Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. If a person wishes to enter heaven, he must do the will of Christ’s Father, not the will of some other god or prophet.
What is the primary will of God?
The person who does God’s will is the person who truly believes, obeys, and loves God’s Son.
False Profession—Self-Righteousness: the plea of false profession is works. There is all the difference in the world between a man who professes that his righteousness is the righteousness of Christ and the man who professes that his works please God and make him acceptable to God.
The first man believes that Christ died for his sins and rose again to give him life; he trusts God to count him forgiven and righteous “in Christ’s death” and alive “in Christ’s resurrection” (see DEEPER STUDY # 1, 2—Ro. 4:22; note—5:1; see 4:4–5; 4:1–3; 4:1–25). This man works, yes, but he works because of the love of Christ. Christ has done so much for him by imputing righteousness and life to him that he surrenders his life in service to Christ.
The second man works also, but he works to become acceptable to God. He believes his works please God; therefore, he thinks God accepts him because he does good and lives righteously. This man has a formal religion, resting his destiny upon his good works. His confidence is in his own goodness and ability. Thereby Christ is not honored; the man is honored
The great plea to the Lord Himself: “Lord, Lord.” The problem is what a person really means by Lord. Christ said to His own apostles “Ye call me Master (teacher) and Lord: and ye say well, for so I am”.
The great plea of their profession: “Have we not … done many wonderful works?” The works are wonderful, a tremendous help to mankind. But two things are wrong with the profession of their lives: they rest in their works, and they embrace only half of the gospel.
The great plea of confidence: “Lord, Lord, have we not [done these works] in thy name?” “Lord, You know.… You know.” But they are deceived. Confidence in self is not God’s way. God’s way is confidence in Christ and His righteousness.
False Profession: the rejection of false profession is for two reasons.
Christ never knew the false professors—not personally. False professors do not know Christ personally; they do not acknowledge His redemption and their need for His redemption. They never come to Him for personal salvation. Therefore, Christ never has the chance to know them. In the Day of Judgment He is tragically forced to pronounce the truth: “I never knew you”
The professor only worked iniquity. The word iniquity (anomia) means lawlessness, wickedness. It is neglect of or opposition to the law of God; it is substituting the will of self in the place of God’s will
It is looking to self or to the world instead of looking to God.
What does depart mean?
Depart (apochoreo): to depart from; to be cut off from; to leave a place; to go away. The idea is the enormous distance, or the great gulf placed between the professor only and the Lord’s presence.
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. The Gospel according to Matthew: Chapters 1:1–16:12. Vol. 1. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2004. Print. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible.