Bad News for Bad Fruit

Last week we saw that Jesus gave the picture of how everyone is on one of two roads: The broad-way or the narrow-way. Jesus gave a stern warning to take “The Way” that leads to life, “God’s way.” He said that we are to enter by the gate that is narrow, which is Jesus Himself. It’s not taken by many. It is not one that is like the “broad-way” of the world, but it is the only that leads to eternal life

There are two warnings that are posted at the junction of the two roads:

1. A warning about those who preach a false gospel

2. A warning about those who believe a false gospel

This morning, we are going to look at each of these warnings in detail and how we can know how to heed the warnings given by Jesus.

Warning #1: A Warning About Those Who Preach a False Gospel

“It’s a Wonderful Life” is a story of how the life of one man, George Bailey, made a huge impact on the lives of those who came in contact with him. He made a difference in the life of his childhood boss, a Pharmacist, who was distraught over the death of his own son that he almost filled someone’s prescription with poison. George saw the mistake and corrected it.

I think a good moral to this story is that if you’re going to have poison on the same shelf as medicine, you better have it clearly labeled.

There are many false prophets out there today who look like the real thing. They look like true preachers and teachers of God’s Word. They may even sound like true teachers on the surface. But, not all teachers and preachers who claim to be so are not from God.

Deuteronomy 13:1-4 1“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, 2and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ 3you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15

14And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

The number of false teachers are on the rise and will continue to be so.

Matthew 24:3-5, 24

3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray…

24For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

If we are going to heed Christ’s warnings about false prophets, we must understand three things:

1. What are false prophets and what they do

2. How to know if someone is a false prophet

3. How to not be deceived by a false prophet

A. What false prophets are and what they do

False Prophets are deviants, deceivers, and diluters. A false prophet is classified by what they do with God’s Word

1. False Prophets are Deviants.

False Prophets deny the doctrines that are taught in the Bible. They seek to deny or change the truth that is given in Scripture

There are cultists who under the guise of being “Christian” (i.e. Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses). Many cultists prey on Christians who don’t know what they really believe

2. False Prophets are Deceivers

False Prophets who use the Word of God, but deceive others by taking what the Bible says out of context. They promote experience over truth of the Bible. They also focus on the blessings of here and now above the hereafter. They seek to deceive by the Bible and use it push their own agenda. These are all over television

The Preachers of Health and Wealth- They preach that it is God’s will that you be healthy & wealthy. If this is true then Jesus and the disciples were wrong

Preachers of Name It and Claim It- They preach that if you have enough faith, you can have anything your heart desires. But the Bible says we must ask according to God’s will, not our own.

3. False Prophets are Diluters

False Prophets who allow the opinions of man and trends to dictate what they say in the pulpit.

These are ear-ticklers that Paul warned Timothy about:

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, 4and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

These False Prophets are some of the most dangerous. They tend to say good things, but the omit very important truths that are given in God’s Word and things that people need to hear.

Would you want to go to a doctor who only wanted to tell you the “good news” about your health? If you had cancer, you would want to know about it. If you were on the verge of a heart attack, you would want the doctor to prescribe you the right medicine or the right lifestyle change to help. God forbid you get a doctor who was afraid to tell you what may not be easy to hear but could otherwise save your life. These False Prophets don’t tell the truth that people don’t want to hear but need to hear.

Some of the fault lands at the feet of those who sit in the pews.

(Isaiah 30:9-11)

For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; 10who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, 11leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

(Jeremiah 5:30-31)

An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: 31the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?

Every church must demand that their preacher preach the Word of God! The Word of God isn’t always easy to hear, but it is your life!

B. How to know if someone is a false prophet

Inspect Their Fruit (v.16-20), “you will know them by their fruit.” Their fruit is their teaching, lifestyle, and the followers they produce.

C. How to not be deceived by a false prophet

Know what real fruit looks like.

Law enforcement officers who help prosecute those who counterfeit money don’t study “funny money” or counterfeit money in order to know what to look for. They study the real deal. They study every millimeter of a real one hundred dollar bill so that when they come upon a fake one, they will clearly see that it isn’t real.

How do you know when someone is teaching false doctrine? How do you know when someone isn’t giving you the full story from God’s Word? You spend time in God’s Word. You know what you believe and hold on to it. You surround yourself with sound, Biblical preaching.

Be like the Bereans and match real fruit with that of those who teach you

(Acts 17:11)

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.

Warning #2: A Warning About Those Who Believe A False Gospel

Jesus’ teaching here contains some of the most difficult, most hard to hear words He said. If you want a good example of the teaching of God’s Word that the false prophets seek to dilute or omit, here it is in verses 21-23.

These words were repeated again as Jesus taught the crowds and His disciples in Luke 13:22-30.

Notice what the excuse of some of the people will say to try and convince the Lord that they were true believers: “We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.”

It isn’t enough to have sat with God’s people and fellowshipped with them. It isn’t enough to have heard the Word of God taught and even enjoyed it. One must obey the Word of God:

Turn from your sin and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ!