Fruit Inspectors

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, 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." Matthew 7:15-20

Watch out for false prophets!! Jesus gives His disciples a strong warning in these few verses. These warnings are echoed by the apostles in their writings as well. We need to understand that until the New Testament was completed and compiled, the gospel message was transmitted orally. God's prophet would show up in a town and teach about the Savior and then do a miracle or two to confirm that they were speaking the truth. (1 Cor 14:22) Ultimately, it was up to the hearer to determine if what they would believe. They couldn't open their Bibles and check out the message. 

Jesus tells us that sometimes it is difficult to know who is bringing His truth and who is bringing a lie. He says they look like sheep. They look innocent enough, but He warns that they are really wolves. They come to destroy! Thankfully, He doesn't end His message there. He tells us that we can recognize the true "prophet" and the false "prophet". He says look at their fruit. Check out their lives, their relationships, their marriages... look at what has grown where they planted. He says, "good fruit doesn't come from thorn bushes or thistles".

The identifying marks of each prophet is evident in their lives, in the lives of their followers and in their message. A true prophet will bring about good results; lives changed for the better, peace and harmony, unity and love. It is impossible for the true prophet to bring about bad fruit. The false prophet will bring division, bitterness, greed and the like. He tells us that it is impossible for a bad tree to bear good fruit. It will not happen! Maybe for a short period of time, the appearance of good will disguise the true result; but over time, the bad fruit will become obvious. You've seen it! You know exactly what I am talking about.

As a hearer of the Word, it is our responsibility to be a fruit inspectors. Understand that He is not saying that for someone to tell you truth from God's Word they must be a sinless person. Everyone sins... the preacher sins and the teacher sins. He is calling on us to look at the results of a persons life. Do they live what they teach? Do I see a life filled with blessings? Do you see joy? Today we are blessed to have His Word available to read and study. We need to be like the noble Bereans... Acts 17:10-12. We must compare all teaching with the written Word of God.

Jesus warns us that the results of the life lived as a "bad tree" is certain. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire". Death and destruction are the reward promised to that person. It is up to each of us to determine who we will listen to, who we will follow. He gives us the ability to be fruit inspectors. Let's use His Word as the standard. I have been told that those tasked with determining counterfeit currency don't spend their time looking at fakes, they only look at the real cash. When you know what the real thing looks like, the fake is easy to spot. Let's spend our time studying the truth and the lie will be evident.

Wise or foolish?