Wednesday 2nd October
Read Matthew 7:15-20
“‘Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn-bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them.” (NIVUK)
There are two tests to identify a false prophet. The first flows from the context. Anyone who preaches a gospel that encourages you to walk from the narrow path, the hard path, is leading you astray. Messages of peace and comfort and a complete lack of challenge to change to one’s ways and repent are the marks of false prophets. Similarly, a message that is all about love and neglects truth, or vice versa, will usually be a clear sign of the false teacher.
The second test is a little longer term. Fruit usually takes time to ripen, from first flower through to delicious bite, so patience and a long memory is needed to work out if what is being preached is resulting in lives that honour God. If people are growing in godliness and lives are changed then the word is bearing fruit. If people are falling away from Jesus or simply not transformed by the good news, then be discerning and cut them off and incinerate them. Harsh words, but they are dangerous and the early church was constantly on guard for just such people.
Is what you are hearing or reading encouraging you to repent and follow Jesus, or is it soothing and calming and easily ignored, so easy that it matters little whether one keeps following Jesus at all? Are we were a discerning people growing in the love and knowledge of Jesus?
