"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
Watch Out For Wolves! (7:15-20)
INTRODUCTION
- Many people like to think that you can trust religious leaders...
- Ministers normally rank high in polls concerning people you can
trust
- People will often accept whatever a preacher, priest, or rabbi
says as the truth
- Yet Jesus told His disciples to beware of false prophets - Mt 7:15-20
- They may appear like sheep, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves
- We need to be able to identify them, knowing what to look for
- Are you concerned about false prophets today? You should be!
- The great diversity of teaching suggests that many are being
misled
- We need to be reminded of the danger, and know how to spot any
"wolves" that might come our way!
[With the words of our Savior in Mt 7:15-20 fresh on our mind, I wish
to use this opportunity to remind us to "Watch Out For Wolves!" Let me
first re-emphasize the point that...]
- THERE WILL BE FALSE PROPHETS
- AS PAUL WARNED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS...
- To the Ephesian elders - Ac 20:28-31
- Telling them to take heed
- For even from among themselves would men arise, misleading
people
- To the church at Corinth - 2Co 11:13-15
- Referring to false teachers present even then
- Appearing as ministers of righteousness, even as Satan
appears as an angel of light
- To the young preacher Timothy - 1Ti 4:1-3; 2Ti 3:1-9
- Warning of the apostasy that would come
- Describing the character and tactics of those who would
mislead others
- AS DID OTHER NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS...
- Peter, in telling of the rise of false teachers - 2Pe 2:1-3
- John, in calling for people to "test the spirits" - 1Jn 4:1
- Jude, in writing of some who had already come - Jude 3-4
[With so many warnings, this is not a subject to take lightly! But how
can we spot such "wolves" when they appear so disarming (like sheep)?
Thanks to Jesus and the Word of God...]
- WE CAN IDENTIFY FALSE PROPHETS
- BY EXAMINING THE FRUIT OF THEIR LIFE...
- We can know them by their "fruit" - Mt 7:16-20
- What is truly in their heart will eventually come out
- For from the heart proceeds any sin that may be there
- cf. Mk 7:21-23
- Thus false teachers and false prophets are often betrayed...
- By their greediness (e.g., as manifested by their lavish
lifestyles)
- By their immorality (e.g., as manifested by adulterous
relationships)
- By their lust for power (e.g., as manifested by religious
empires)
-- Given time, the true character of many false prophets will be
exposed by the fruit of their life!
- BY EXAMINING THE FRUIT OF THEIR TEACHING...
- Taking notice of their methods
- Working secretly - cf. 2Pe 2:1
- Their ministries (especially finances) will be shrouded
in secrecy
- Rather than being open to one and all - cf. 2Co 8:20-21
- Appealing to covetousness - cf. 2Pe 2:3
- They draw people with an appeal to what people often
covet (such as health and wealth)
- Rather than preparing people for what Christians can
expect - cf. Ac 14:23; 2Ti 3:12
- Using deceptive words - cf. 2Ti 3:13; 2Pe 2:3
- Twisting the scriptures to support their message (just
as Satan did in trying to tempt Jesus)
- Rather handling the word of God rightly - 2Ti 2:14-16
- Taking notice of their doctrine
- How they twist and pervert the scriptures - cf. Ga 1:8-9
- Their gospel may start out right, but becomes twisted
along the way
- Their teaching often expressed in the terms of man, not
Scripture
- How they teach that which is clearly contrary to the
scriptures - cf. Deut 13:1-4
- Even if they appear able to perform signs and wonders!
- The final test is how their teaching compares to the
word of God and that of His apostles - cf. 1Jn 4:1,6
CONCLUSION
- It is not necessary to judge the hearts of those who claim to speak
for God...
- We need only to be "fruit-inspectors"
- The fruit of their life and teaching will become apparent soon
enough
-- This is how we can "Watch Out For Wolves!"
- Of course, this presumes that our knowledge of God's word is
sufficient...
- To know what to look for in the life of a false prophet
- To know what to listen for in the teaching of a false prophet
-- Otherwise we will be no different than Israel, of whom God said:
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge..." - Hos 4:6
Are you equipped to identify a wolf in sheep's clothing if you saw one?