Matthew 7:15-28

About the Text

(15) Who are the "false prophets" that Jesus is warning his listeners about? All those who claim to be speaking on behalf of God, yet only bring harm upon Christians. Other parts of the Bible record that the early church was infested with what we call "Judaizers," those who forced non-Jewish Christians to follow the ancient Jewish practice of circumcision as a condition of salvation (Acts 15:1, 2Cor. 11:13-15, Gal. 1:6-9, Col. 2:20-23, 1 Tim. 1:3-7, and especially Titus 1:10-16).

Today, we have many "false prophets," seen in the many cults and in some erring writers and pastors who lead Christians astray.

(16) What kind of "fruit" is Jesus talking about? The kind of good works Jesus spoke about in chapters 5 - 7: sincerity, faith, only light attention on material possessions, loving enemies, marital fidelity, etc. This is made clear by John the Baptist's remarks about fruit (Matt 3:7-10), and Jesus' remark about "doing the will of My Father who is in heaven" in verse 21.

In these verses, Jesus pointed out that one sure mark of a false "Christian" teacher is an ungodly lifestyle. How well he/she impresses others with religious acts has nothing to do with his/her genuineness as a man/woman of God. Are there any impressive speakers, authors, or pastors whom you follow, who are of questionable character?

(21) When Jesus said, "but only he who does the will of My Father," does He mean that our good works will get us into heaven? No. Jesus is not teaching that our good works will save us. Rather, those who are genuinely saved do good works. See Ephesians 2:8-10. It is as if to state that spending money will not make you a millionaire, but that millionaires spend a lot of money.

$100 Words

Antinomianism -- lawlessness. This is the erroneous view that Christians no longer need to follow any commandments at all. Jesus accused the false prophets, as well as the Jewish religious leaders of the time, of following their own rules, but ignoring Jesus' commands. Christians have an obligation to obey God's commands - not to earn eternal life, but to thank God for the eternal life He has already given to us believers.

Insights

• Jesus recognizes true teachers by their godliness, not flashy abilities.
• Jesus measures the quality of one's life by his obedience to Christ.

The Bottom Line

Obedience is the key. Christ died for you, out of His love, so that you could have an eternal, abundant life. Now, out of gratitude, live like Christ. Be loving, be patient, be kind, etc.

Key Memory Verse

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. (7:21)















Next Week...
Does Jesus really heal sickness? Does He still heal miraculously today? Next Sunday, Pastor Randy will teach from Matthew 8:1-17, about the healing power of Jesus.