True and False Prophets - Matthew 7:15-19
True and False Prophets
15 “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 recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, 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 recognize them.
Reflection: Jesus now teaches the disciples to be on guard, or on watch for false prophets. They would also fall under the category of false teachers. Someone proclaiming to speak for God but falsely so. Whenever God's kingdom starts to grow there will always be forces that oppose it. One of the enemy's great tactics is to cause confusion, and in no way does he try this more than infiltrating the Church with false prophets and teachers.
So how to we recognize and discern false prophets and teachers? First, we know the challenge in this is that some by outward appearances or even words, might purport to be a man or woman sent from God. Jesus tells us by their fruit we will recognize them. What is this fruit? The fruit really is a authentic disciple of Jesus Christ who goes on to bear more fruit by discipling others. In fact, a good tree, someone who is in a right relationship with God through Jesus, cannot help but bear good fruit, just like the good tree. It is organic. We can't make good fruit artificially. We can't change ourselves. The only road to transformation is through faith in the One who can set us free from ourselves to live lives for God and others.
A false prophet's message is all about what we can do to better ourselves or become more successful. A true prophet points to the One who laid down His life for us so that we might have life to the full. A false prophet is about my kingdom come, my will be done. A true prophet urges people to lay down their lives so God's kingdom can come, and God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Finally, a true prophet, like John the Baptist, always points to the one who is greater than them, Jesus Christ. John said, "I must decrease so He can increase." A true prophet realizes they need what they are preaching as much as the ones they are preaching too. They come as one beggar leading another beggar to a loaf of bread. And their message is characterized by, "If not for the grace of God there go I". I think you get the picture!
Jesus help us to discern the true prophets in our midst by their fruit. As we are called to speak truth into people's
lives may we be humbly and wholly dependent on You! Amen.
15 “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 recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, 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 recognize them.
Reflection: Jesus now teaches the disciples to be on guard, or on watch for false prophets. They would also fall under the category of false teachers. Someone proclaiming to speak for God but falsely so. Whenever God's kingdom starts to grow there will always be forces that oppose it. One of the enemy's great tactics is to cause confusion, and in no way does he try this more than infiltrating the Church with false prophets and teachers.
So how to we recognize and discern false prophets and teachers? First, we know the challenge in this is that some by outward appearances or even words, might purport to be a man or woman sent from God. Jesus tells us by their fruit we will recognize them. What is this fruit? The fruit really is a authentic disciple of Jesus Christ who goes on to bear more fruit by discipling others. In fact, a good tree, someone who is in a right relationship with God through Jesus, cannot help but bear good fruit, just like the good tree. It is organic. We can't make good fruit artificially. We can't change ourselves. The only road to transformation is through faith in the One who can set us free from ourselves to live lives for God and others.
A false prophet's message is all about what we can do to better ourselves or become more successful. A true prophet points to the One who laid down His life for us so that we might have life to the full. A false prophet is about my kingdom come, my will be done. A true prophet urges people to lay down their lives so God's kingdom can come, and God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Finally, a true prophet, like John the Baptist, always points to the one who is greater than them, Jesus Christ. John said, "I must decrease so He can increase." A true prophet realizes they need what they are preaching as much as the ones they are preaching too. They come as one beggar leading another beggar to a loaf of bread. And their message is characterized by, "If not for the grace of God there go I". I think you get the picture!
Jesus help us to discern the true prophets in our midst by their fruit. As we are called to speak truth into people's
lives may we be humbly and wholly dependent on You! Amen.
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