JESUS WARNS US AGAINST THE FALSE PROPHETS
Jesus teaches us what is the only way in which we can ENTER the life of stability in Him. See Matthew 7:13–14, Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. Read also John 15:5, I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. See Matthew 7:15–23, Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only 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 drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!
We can only do the will of God if we know what God’s will is. For this reason, false prophets are unable to produce good fruit; they do not know, nor do they teach, the truth, so, then, we can tell who is a true Pastor or Prophet by his good fruit (what they teach) That is, it will be evident in his life that he knows and obeys the will of God not his own reasons, while the false prophet produces bad fruit because he does not do the will of God, but putting his self will as prophesy.
In Matthew 7:13–29, it says, Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few finds it. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only 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 drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers! Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash. When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of law.
Of course, Jesus was refering to His own words in the sermon on the Mount. For the believer to build his house upon the rock, means that he must build his life, day by day, upon Jesus Christ and His teaching, especially the teaching found in the sermon on the Mount. Therefore you should constantly re-examine your life by the standards of this sermon; it can serve as a means of checking your own spiritual growth. Read (Matthew Chapters 5-7)
For example, if you have fallen into the sin of worrying about tomorrow’s problems, the word of Jesus in Matthew 6:25–34 ought to help to remind you that you can be freed from such worry by renewing your faith and trust in your heavenly Father.
Matthew 6:1, Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. Although Jesus does not mention the names of the hypocrites He was talking about, it is clear that He is referring to the two groups of religious people of which He spoke in the previous chapter (Matthew 5:20) today we have popular false Pastors or Prophets and the just Pastors or Prophets. Read Matthew 6:2–5, So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
Basically there is the difference between what the world thinks is valuable, treasure stored on earth, and what Jesus teaches us is valuable, treasure stored in heaven that is, the real security. See Matthew 6 : 19 – 24, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Jesus teaches us what is the only way in which we can ENTER the life of stability in Him. See Matthew 7:13–14, Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. Read also John 15:5, I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. See Matthew 7:15–23, Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only 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 drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!
We can only do the will of God if we know what God’s will is. For this reason, false prophets are unable to produce good fruit; they do not know, nor do they teach, the truth, so, then, we can tell who is a true Pastor or Prophet by his good fruit (what they teach) That is, it will be evident in his life that he knows and obeys the will of God not his own reasons, while the false prophet produces bad fruit because he does not do the will of God, but putting his self will as prophesy.
In Matthew 7:13–29, it says, Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few finds it. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only 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 drive out demons and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers! Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against the house, and it fell with a great crash. When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of law.
Of course, Jesus was refering to His own words in the sermon on the Mount. For the believer to build his house upon the rock, means that he must build his life, day by day, upon Jesus Christ and His teaching, especially the teaching found in the sermon on the Mount. Therefore you should constantly re-examine your life by the standards of this sermon; it can serve as a means of checking your own spiritual growth. Read (Matthew Chapters 5-7)
For example, if you have fallen into the sin of worrying about tomorrow’s problems, the word of Jesus in Matthew 6:25–34 ought to help to remind you that you can be freed from such worry by renewing your faith and trust in your heavenly Father.
Matthew 6:1, Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. Although Jesus does not mention the names of the hypocrites He was talking about, it is clear that He is referring to the two groups of religious people of which He spoke in the previous chapter (Matthew 5:20) today we have popular false Pastors or Prophets and the just Pastors or Prophets. Read Matthew 6:2–5, So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
Basically there is the difference between what the world thinks is valuable, treasure stored on earth, and what Jesus teaches us is valuable, treasure stored in heaven that is, the real security. See Matthew 6 : 19 – 24, Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
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