The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 7 Part 9 Two Trees, Two Kinds Of Fruit and Two Outcomes

Chapter 7 of Matthew's gospel began with Jesus strongly encouraging us to pray to our Father because He loves and cares for us.

As parents, we would give our children good things such as bread or fish if they asked it of us.

The premise for praying to our Father is that He is perfect and will always give what He knows is best for us.

Next, Jesus began teaching us about two gates, two paths and two very different destinations, in order to teach us about heaven and hell.

He showed the distinction between a true Christian and one who merely professes faith in Christ but fails to keep His commands.

A strong warning to diligently guard against false prophets who pervert God's truth.

Matthew 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 

Jesus then gave a sober warning to His disciples about false prophets.

As we study through Matthew's gospel we will see that Jesus gave many more warnings about false prophets. 

Church history records that they did arise even while the apostles lived. 

False prophets and false teachers have vexed the church with false teachings in every generation of believers in Christ.

A false prophet is a teacher of incorrect doctrine, or one falsely and unjustly laying claims to divine inspiration.

Jesus' warning about false prophets is very relevant today because televangelists use false doctrine to fleece the flock and enrich themselves.

Thus, a false prophet does not take the Bible and open up heavenly treasure for Christians to feed upon.

Rather, they twist the truth into a lie so that they can live a lavish lifestyle by using a false message to entice people to give them money.

A sheep is an emblem of innocence, sincerity, and harmlessness. 

A false prophet appears in sheep’s clothing to assume the appearance of sanctity and innocence, when their heart is corrupt and evil.

Thus, Jesus taught us that false prophets will arise from within the church, an internal enemy who does great damage to the cause of Christ. 

The redeemed children of God are consistently called sheep and Jehovah is our Great Shepherd.

Psalm 23:1-3  A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2)  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3)  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Psalm 78:52  But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 

Psalm 80:1  To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

Psalm 100:3  Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 

There are too many texts to look at that illustrate this truth, but knowing we are the sheep in God's pasture is a most beautiful and comforting picture of life as a Christian.

A shepherd guarded his flock and protected them from predators.

A shepherd led his flock to good pastures and clean waters.

A shepherd bound up the wounds of any injured sheep and nursed them back to health.

A shepherd found safe places for the flock to rest, sheltered from storms or predators.

The role of a shepherd pictures the lovingkindness of God toward all who repent and trust Christ for salvation.

Jesus commanded Peter to feed the sheep in His flock, which means preaching the gospel and teaching sound doctrine to all the churches (See John 21:15-19).

Pastors, elders and teachers must feed God's Word to the sheep in His pasture.

Acts 20:28-30  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29)  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30)  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 

Christ spoke through the apostle Paul who mandated that elders in the church feed the flock of God with sound teaching from the scriptures.

Paul also foretold that false prophets would arise from within the church perverting the truth into a lie to deceive people and sow discord among the brethren.

Like Jesus, Paul compared false prophets to grievous wolves who relentlessly attack the flock to satisfy their ravenous hunger (See Jeremiah 23:1; Ezekiel 34:2-3; Micah 3:5; 2 Peter 2:1). 

Jesus said we can know if someone is of God by examining the fruit in their lives.

Matthew 7:15-16  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 

"Beware" is a strong verb which means to turn our full attention to what Jesus said, to focus our mind an thoughts upon His warning against false prophets.

The action of maintaining constant vigilance for false prophets is like the helmsman putting all his strength to the rudder to guide a ship safely into harbor.

Jesus gave the church and all believers a clear litmus test to detect a false prophet.

"Do men harvest grapes from a thorn bush?" This rhetorical question requires and answer of "No it is not possible that a thorn bush can produce grapes."

A second rhetorical question is "Do men harvest figs from thistles?" and the answer again is "No, it is impossible for a thistle plant to produce figs."

Two kinds of trees, two kinds of fruit but the corrupt trees will be burned.

Matthew 7:17-20  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18)  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19)  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20)  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

Jesus set the stage for a test to determine if a person is a false prophet.

Born again believers in Christ are compared to "good trees" and a good tree will bring forth good fruit.

The born again believer is a good tree and good fruit should be evident in their lives.

Just as good fruit is harvested and brought into the barn to be used in the future, so a Christian's life should be marked by fruit used to advance the gospel.

False teachers are compared to "corrupt trees" and a corrupt tree can only produce corrupt fruit.

The word "corrupt" literally means putrefied, rotten, worthless and not fit for anything.

The lifestyle of a false teacher will be filled with corrupt fruit.

The test is that we are to examine the lifestyle, the moral choices and the conduct of a person claiming to speak for God.

If they profess faith in Christ but do not keep His commandments,  they are liars.

1 John 2:4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 

Faith in Christ is always marked by obedience to His Word.

If we claim we know Christ but we ignore His commands than we are self deceived and the truth of God did not take root in our heart.

If they profess faith in Christ but walk in the world's darkness, they are liars. 

1 John 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 

There are many who profess faith in Christ but their life is never changed, there is no evidence of spiritual transformation in them at all.

If they profess to know Christ but walk in darkness, they are liars.

1 John 2:9  He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 

There are those who claim they know God and still  curse, still go to places they should avoid and still imbibe pleasure from the cultural depravity around us. 

If they claim to be children of light but hate their brothers, they are liars.

1 John 2:22  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 

There is a lengthy list of heresies that deny Jesus is the virgin born Son of God, that deny He is Emmanuel which means God with us, or deny that Christ is God manifest in the flesh.

Heresies sprang up even while the apostles were still living and false teaching springs up in each generation of Christians.

If they claim to speak for God but deny that Jesus is the Messiah, they are liars.

1 John 3:8  He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

If they claim to be born again but their life is marked by consistent sin, they are liars.

1 John 4:1-2  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2)  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

If a person claims to speak for God but they deny that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, they are liars (See 1 Timothy 3:16).

A believer in Christ is like a good tree producing the good fruit of God's Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23)  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

In addressing false prophets, Jesus said we would know them by the fruits (good or bad) that we observe in their word and actions.

Paul gave us a clear list of the fruit of the Holy Spirit who indwells each believer when we trusted Christ for salvation.

God's Spirit will seek to work this holy fruit into our lives as He leads us day by day and as we learn to yield to Him.

If someone claims to be speaking for God but they do not love God and others, if they lack joy in the Lord, if they cause strife rather than promoting peace, then they are liars.

If they claim to be God's anointed spokesman as the televangelists do but they are short tempered with people, harsh rather than gentle, and do not exhibit goodness and faith in their conduct, then they are liars. 

If they claim to know God but are arrogant and proud rather than meek and if they lack self control, they are liars.

Therefore, Jesus gave us a strong warning to be on guard against false prophets and He gave us a test so that we can reject all who lack good fruit in their lives as liars.

We can thank our Lord for giving us such a clear test to determine a false prophet or false teacher so that we can reject them and their heresies.

We must examine ourselves as well, to see if the good fruit from God's Spirit is evident in our lives and ask for God's help to yield to His Spirit's work in our hearts.

Bob