The standards that determine eternal
judegment are not a person’s standards, not a church’s standard, not a
preacher’s standard, but only God’s standards set forth in His
Bible.
Matthew 7:15-23 ‘Watch out for false prophets. They
come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
By their fruits you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn
bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit,
but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a
bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will
recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in
heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy
in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you
evildoers!’”
In the course of my college education, I ran
across an inscription posted at the top of the college library entrance that
read, ‘Read not to believe or take for granted, nor to refute or contradict,
but to weigh and consider’. That inscription has had a huge impact on my
life. I try to embrace that attitude when I read, listen and
observe. A similar attitude shows up in the book of Thessalonians.
A directive was issued to the Christians in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians
when he admonishes them to test all things to the scriptures so that you will
not be led astray.
Again, Matthew 7:15 says ‘Watch out for false prophets. They
will come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.’
Verse 16 says, ‘By their fruits
you will recognize them.’ Scripture says that the wolves will
come in sheep’s clothing. The wolves can be ever so clever. They
will wear the sheep’s clothing of doing good deeds and intentions for the cause
of something good or for the cause of Christ, but beneath it all, their true
intentions or desires are to do something that will serve their own best
interests. And that is the deal killer for Jesus. The false prophet
can wear the cloak of religiosity and represent itself in the form of a person,
preacher, teacher, church, missionary, evangelist, and many other ways.
Here is the rule that will test a false prophet in my judgement. If a person or entity is
acting on behalf of God and only God’s standards of righteousness and serves to
glorify God, then he/she is a true prophet for the purpose of God. If, on
the other hand, he/she has any self-serving motive, like pride, prestige, power
or possessions, then he/she becomes a false prophet that dilutes God’s purpose
and leads many astray. The scripture says cursed are those who lead one
astray.
Matthew 7:16 says, ‘By the fruits you will
recognize them’. All fruit comes from a nourishing source like a
tree, vine, etc. Matthew 7:17-18 tells us that good fruit
comes from good nourishment (like God’s truth), but bad fruit comes from
deception, which is anything other than God’s truth. Bad fruit leads to
bad things. Matthew 7:19 says, ‘Every
tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire’.
Jesus is telling us to get out into the world and bear good fruit, fruit that
will truly represent His plan and purpose. If the tree does not get out
into the world and does not bear good fruit, it will be cut down and thrown
into the fire.
Matthew 7:21-23 says ‘Not everyone who says to
me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the
will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons
and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew
you. Away from me, you evildoers’. These scriptures are
self-evident. If you were a false prophet and stood before Jesus He would
say, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evildoer’. Jesus is the
only way into heaven. Not knowing Jesus is the only way into hell which
is eternal damnation of suffering and pain.
Remember, the standards that determine eternal
judgement are not a person’s standards, not a church’s standard, not a
preacher’s standard, but only God’s standards set forth in His
Bible. We are responsible for our own choices.
Author:
David Leatherman
May God bless and enrich your life
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