Daily Devotional For Monday, November 18, 2024
Well, we are all either back to school or work or both or if you are retired, resting from the weekend. We are making our way through Jesus’ Sermon On The Mount. We come now to Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:15-20:
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (16) You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? (17) So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. (18) A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. (19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) So then, you will know them by their fruits” (NASB).
After giving the invitation to “enter by the narrow gate,” to come to God by the only way He has provided, we come to one reason so many people choose the wide gate instead of being diligent and intentional to find the narrow gate – false teachers. It is as if Jesus is saying, “As you choose the narrow gate, be on alert because there are spiritual predators out there who will do everything they can to mislead you. False teachers were not new to Jews. Look at Deuteronomy 13:1-5:
“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, (2) and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ (3) you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (4) You shall follow the Lord your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. (5) But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you” (NASB),
Why are false prophets or false teachers so successful? Because they prey upon believers who do not like the limitations of going through the narrow gate. We are by our very nature rebellious, even the best of us. Due to our sinful nature, we have a bent towards resisting God’s will and plan for our lives.
So, to beware of a false prophet or teacher, we first need to define what one is so that we can be on alert when we encounter one. As Christ’s disciples we are characterized by two qualities: we are divinely commissioned to go and make disciples and second, we are to declare the Gospel message. One of the dangers of a false prophet is their claim they are from God and speak on God’s behalf. Pastor and author John MacArthur writes this:
“One of the most frightening discoveries about the People’s Temple Christian Church was that a large majority of its members had been raised in Christian homes of one sort or another. Most of those who joined that church did so in the belief that it offered a higher and more genuine experience of Christian fellowship and service. Yet the church dissolved overnight when its leader, Jim Jones, and nearly a thousand of his most loyal followers committed mass suicide at Jonestown, a remote church settlement in the jungles of Guyana, South America” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 462).
In his book, Deceive, by Ron Mell, John MacArgthur quotes what Melll writes this about why so many people were deceived by Jim Jones:
“He [Jim Jones] knew how to inspire hope. He was committed to people in need; he counseled prisoners and juvenile delinquents. He started a job placement center; he opened rest homes and homes for the retarded; he had a health clinic; he organized a vocational training center; he provided free legal aid; he founded a community center; he preached about God. He even claimed to cast out demons, do miracles and heal.
But on the other hand we find all the marks of a false prophet. He promoted himself through the use of celebrities, a very common vehicle for false prophets to gain credibility. He manipulated the press; he wanted certain favorable stories; he was big on playing the press . . And he used the language and the forms of faith to gain his power” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 462).
John MacArthur continues to provide insight into why so many people were unaware and followed this false prophet:
“Jim Jones created a warm, purportedly Christian community. But he replaced Jesus Christ as the authority and more and more garnered loyalty to himself. He began demanding money for every service he offered and was preoccupied with sex, in both its normal and deviant forms. He would lie convincingly about anything in order to gain an advantage or make a desired impression. Before his bizarre death he had managed to gain the admiration and praises of countless church leaders, governors, senators, congressmen, and even the president of the United States.
The greatest tragedy of Jonestown was not that nearly a thousand people died, but that they died believing they were serving God. In truth, of course, they were serving satan, and were on their way to hell if they did not know Christ. Any believers who may have been among them incurred great loss of reward” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 462).
We are warned repeatedly in Scripture against false teachers, preachers and prophets:
- Matthew 24:24, Jesus said, “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (NASB).
- Jude 4, “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (NASB).
- On time Jesus was talking to the religious leaders of His day and how they were dedicated to teaching false theology. Look at John 8:43-35, 47, “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. (44) You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (45) But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me . . . (47) He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God” (NASB).
- Ephesians 5:6, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (NASB).
- Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (NASB).
Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll, writes this:
“Jesus began with a startling warning: “Beware of the false prophets” (7:15). Though they look like soft, gentle sheep on the outside, their true nature is that of ravenous wolves. They appear with soothing smiles, sweet words, and caring attitudes. They’re approachable, thoughtful, interesting, charming, suave, and clever. Charismatic, attractive, and toting an impressive résumé of education and experience, these “sheep” have qualities that are merely fleece-deep! Peel back the fake veneer and you’ll find a vicious monster that wants to gobble you up! The apostle Paul similarly develops this theme in 2 Corinthians 11:13–15, where he writes, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. (14) No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds” (NASB) – (Source: Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary, “Matthew 1-15,” Vol. 1A, p. 136).
When it comes to false teachers, we can’t immediately detect their true nature. However, by closely observing their “fruits,” we can see through the disguise: “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16, 20). Thorn bushes don’t bring forth grapes, and thistles don’t produce figs. Jesus appealed to the self-evident fact of nature that plants produce fruit “after their kind” (Gen. 1:12). We know that good fruit will only come from good trees and that bad trees will produce bad fruit—useless and only to be discarded and destroyed (Matt. 7:17–19).
Questions To Consider
- There are many false teachers, preachers and prophets out there. Some go by the title, “faith healer.” Some are known for their heretical teaching on health and wealth. Some are more subtle and seductive. They engage in illicit sexual advances with other Christians and then act as if they did nothing wrong. Have you ever met or encountered a false teacher, preacher or prophet? If so, how did you know they were one and how did you respond to them?
- False prophets, teachers, and preachers are all about themselves. They promote themselves, their books, their podcasts, etc to deceive and to extort. I am well aware that there are biblical teachers and preachers who may promote their teaching tools, but they promote Jesus Christ first and themselves last. Why do you think so many believers, who have the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit, get deceived? Have you ever been deceived by one?
- One of the greatest tragedies of following a false teacher, preacher or prophet, is you believe you are serving God by following them. Why is this such a tragedy?
Scripture To Meditate On: 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, give me discernment to be able to spot a false teacher, preacher or prophet. Convict me to know Your word so that I can refute and reject them when I encounter them. Jesus, I do not want to be that vulnerable that I can be influenced so easily. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly