Have you ever heard of Simon Magus, or maybe Marcion? How about Jim Jones or David Koresh or Marshal Applewhite? What do these men and people like them have in common? They are all false prophets and exactly what Christ Jesus warned His followers about in Matthew 7:15.
After presenting the true way of access into His awaited kingdom, Christ Jesus gave a warning about false prophets. He referred to these advocates of the broad way as ferocious wolves who appear harmless as sheep.1
“Be careful of false prophets. They come to you looking gentle like sheep, but they are really dangerous like wolves.” Matthew 7:15
Beware - Meaning “be alert” or “be watchful,” “watch out.” Keep your Bible handy when at church or Gospel meetings. Don't just rely on an overhead or printed notes, these can be tweaked just enough the wrong way that you don't notice it.
If something doesn't sound just right to you double check it. Sure pastor make mistakes, some times we misquote a Scripture or the point we were trying to make doesn't come out quite right. But when misquoted Scripture, or things are not lining up Biblically becomes the norm then it's time to ask some serious questions.
Warnings against false prophets is rightly based on the conviction that not all prophets, pastors or teachers preach or teach God's truth. God's truth can be violated, and the enemies of the Gospel usually conceal their hostility and try to pass themselves off as fellow believers at first. At first they use all the right “Christian Speak”, show biblical righteousness, and are indistinguishable from true Christians. This makes it vital to know how to distinguish sheep from wolves in sheep’s clothing.
False prophets, false speak—that is, of teachers coming as authorized expounders of the Word of God and as guides to His kingdom. By the time Matthew was writing this Gospel, the significance of this warning was even more evident in the early church, where they were confronted with Gnosticism and with Jewish legalisms, like dietary laws and circumcision.
In the end false prophets and teachers neither acknowledge or teach that Christ Jesus is the way and the only way to a restored relationship with God. They have never really come under kingdom authority and felt conviction for their sins. And since the only alternative to eternal life is destruction they jeopardize the eternal destination of their followers.2
Which come to you in sheep’s clothing—They come with a normal, gentle, plausible exterior. No one would know that they are not a Christian, but are instead from Satan. Outwardly they portray innocence and they preach and teach a substance free feel good Gospel. And after awhile they start persuading you that the gate is not strait and the way narrow, and that to teach so is narrow-minded and bigoted.
They are ravening wolves—bent on devouring the flock. The description of such unfaithful speakers coming in sheep’s clothing being ravenous wolves is to show the danger of the influence of a false prophet or teacher. More harm is done to the Christian church from within than by persecution from without. Vance Havner has said, “More harm has been done to the church by termites on the inside than by woodpeckers on the outside!” Zephaniah wrote of false prophets in Israel: “Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow. Her prophets are light and treacherous persons” (3:3–4, kjv).3 These wolves, false prophets and false teachers; seek to undermine Christ Jesus’ teaching for their personal gain.4
How can we determine the character of false teachers? How do we protect ourselves from the wolves. Christ Jesus warned us as His disciples to be discerning and not accept everything that is presented under the guise of being the Gospel. If what you hear being taught contradicts Christ Jesus’ teaching, then the person teaching is a false prophet or teacher. Just look at the fruit these people produce. Grapes and figs do not grow on thorn bushes or thistles. Good fruit trees produce good fruit, but bad fruit trees produce bad fruit. Is what is being taught good fruit (does it line up with God's Word) or bad fruit (it does not line up with God's Word). Does what you hear bring glory and honor to God or to the one preaching or teaching?
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...10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed...12 These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 4; 10; 12-13).
Wow! How scary. But with Holy Spirit’s guidance we can navigate these perilous times. So stay alert, and lean not on your own understanding. And may our Lord and Saviour keep you and yours safe and well.
Biblesurfer
1 Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 34). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
2 Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 191). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
3 Augsburger, M. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Matthew (Vol. 24, p. 18). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.
4 Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Mt 7:15). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
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