Matthew 7:15-23. The Pseudo-Christian
Two elderly men were discussing what happens after people die. One of them had been a Welsh rugby international and was highly regarded in that part of Wales. He said:
“My chapel pastor said to me, ‘You’ll be alright when you meet God because you are a good person.”
Jesus would not agree. He would say:
“That minister is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
This final section of the Sermon on the Mount is a warning to all of us that religion can dupe us.
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:15
We attended the funeral of a neighbour that was held in the local church. The man had not been at all sympathetic to Christianity. However, in his sermon the vicar said:
“How good it is to see this man back in this church. He was married here over 50 years ago but until today has not been back. However here he is again. . . . He has now gone to a better place to live with his creator . . .”
Roald Dahl begins his children’s book called ‘The witches’ with these words:
“In fairy-tales, witches always wear silly black hats and black cloaks, and they ride on broomsticks. But this is not a fairy-tale. This is about REAL WITCHES. The most important thing you should know about REAL WITCHES is this. Listen very carefully. Never forget what is coming next. REAL WITCHES dress in ordinary clothes and look very much like ordinary women. They live in ordinary houses and they work in ORDINARY JOBS. That is why they are so hard to catch.”
The message of Jesus and his apostles is very different to that of such clergymen. It is a stark warning:
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:18
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” John 3:36
It is utterly foolish to trifle with God or to disregard him in this life because a time is coming when we will all face God in judgment:
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:27-28
The Bible is clear, salvation will only be given to those who have received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, who know him and who have lived waiting for his return.
Jesus warns us all that there will be religious leaders who are like ‘ravenous wolves’. They enjoy an authoritative role because they have power and influence and are looked up to. Like Little Red Riding Hood we must beware of the ‘big bad wolf’. People must not be deceived by smiles, politeness, dog collars, robes or even large bibles, these wolves look like sheep.
Jesus was primarily referring tot he false teachers of his day, the Pharisees and Sadducees but the warning remains for us today, beware.
How to identify false teachers
It is primarily by their teaching that ‘false prophets’ can be identified. Their message will not centre on Jesus and the salvation he offers, that will be casually assumed, and their focus will be on social and moral issues in society. They won’t tell people that few will find the narrow gate, that few will travel along the narrow path and that the going will be hard. They won’t warn people that lustful thoughts carry the same penalty as adultery, that hatred is the equivalent to murder. They won’t tell people that the only way to be forgiven is to come to Jesus as a guilty penitent sinner and beg his forgiveness. They will seldom if ever talk about the judgment of God. They will not stress that becoming a Christian involves a completely new beginning when we live every day with and for Jesus.
The effect of false doctrine is wrongful living:
“By their fruit you will recognise 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.” Matthew 7:16-18
Watch how they live. Is there a growing love for Jesus and a dependance on him. Do they love to talk about Jesus and the Word of God. Beware of any church ministers do not have this priority. Jesus is warning his followers in every generation - beware.
The apostles often repeated this stern warning against the false teachers in the early church who were characterised by greed, heresy, and immoral behaviour, urging believers to guard the true gospel.
Paul’s warning
Paul warned the Ephesian elders that after his departure, ‘fierce wolves’ would infiltrate the church:
“ I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.” Acts 20:29-30
Paul commanded that if anyone preaches a gospel contrary to what was originally received, they are to be eternally condemned. This is a very serious matter:
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse.” Galatians 1:8-9
Paul alerted Timothy that some would abandon the faith and follow deceiving leaders:.
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.” 1 Timothy 4:1-3
He described such false teachers as utterly self centred, and obsessed with controversies and arguments and who were were forbidding marriage and ordering abstinence from certain foods..
“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.” 1 Timothy 6:3-5
Peter’s Warning
Peter also predicted that just as there were false prophets in Israel, there would be false teachers in the church who would be motivated by greed, exploiting believers with false words and sensuality.
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories.” 2 Peter 2:1-3
Peter goes on to describe the awful fate such leaders face
“Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” 2 Peter 1:3
John’s Warning
The Apostle John warned against leaders like Diotrephes, who loved to put himself first, refused to accept apostolic authority, and spread "wicked nonsense”.
“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.” 3 John 9-10
Jude’s Warning
Jude, the brother of Jesus who later led the church in Jerusalem, urged believers to contend for the faith because ‘certain people have crept in unnoticed’ who pervert God’s grace into sensuality and deny Jesus Christ.
“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” Jude 1:3-4
These warnings from Jesus and his apostles emphasise that false teaching often brings about immoral consequences,, leading to eternal destruction. This is clearly not a matter to be taken lightly.
Who are these ministers?
It is so easy to look around and see church ministers who do not seem to be teaching and acting as God wants. We are very good at judging others! However Jesus warns us:
“Judge not that you be not judged.” Matthew 7:1
The New Testament has much to say about who God’s ministers are:
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-12
The church has specific leaders but their job is to train all Christians to be ministers for Christ and to build others up in him. Here are some other passages that emphasis that all Christians have ministry responsibilities:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
“. . . you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:5
“. . . and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 1:6
“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:10
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation…" 2 Corinthians 5:18
With this perspective on who the ‘ministers’ are, we need to look again at what Jesus is saying here:
“Watch out . . . By their fruit you will recognise them.” Matthew 7:16
I suspect Jesus means the fruit of John 15 and no so much the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 which focus on relationships
Jesus then continues to describe what will happen to some of us ministers when we are presented before him on the Day of Judgment. Saying that we are followers of the Lord Jesus will not be the passport to heaven:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21
Even those who talk to others about Jesus, who have been preachers, or miracle workers in Christ’s name may not be admitted to 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 in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23
The reason is clear, Jesus does not recognise them. They may be recognised in churches by going through the church’s rites such as baptism, confirmation, ordination, consecration or another emotional experience such as being slain in the Spirit of speaking in tongues but still not be known by the Lord Jesus. God’s people love him, talk with him and obey him.
What an awful fate it must have been for a person found guilty of treason or murder to see the judge put on that black cap and pronounce the death sentence. It will be much worse if, when we face Christ as our eternal judge we hear those awful words:
“I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Matthew 7:23
Who passes this stringent test?
Jesus himself was the only sinless person who always acted with integrity. He is love personified. He has the ultimate authority. Earlier in the sermon he said six times:
“You have heard that it was said, . . . But I tell you . . .” Matthew 5: 21, 27, 31, 38, 43
It was Jesus who brought people back to the correct understanding of the Jewish Scriptures. More than that, it was he who became the ‘Suffering Servant’ that Isaiah foresaw, who would die to pay the price for our sin:
“Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:4-6
The only ministers worthy of being followed are those who have the Spirit of Christ, who are also self-sacrificial and think and act with his priorities.
The Day of Judgment approaches
At present many of our grandchildren are going through the ordeal of GCSE and A level exams. Although at the time these seem to be large judgments on them, the real judgement of God is approaching for all of us.
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment . . .” Hebrews 9:27
For many this is a horrific prospect as it will mean their being separated from God and all the good things he gives us. The good news however is that for those who are following Jesus, our judgment has already been settled, Jesus has paid the price for us. This verse continues:
“. . . so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:28
The ‘great news’ or ‘gospel’ is that there is hope for those who are relying on the Lord Jesus.
It is surely no coincidence that the first story we are told after the Sermon on the Mount is about a man with leprosy, which was then an incurable disease and resulted in people being rejected. Often, in the bible, leprosy is used as a picture of sin. It deforms us, separates us and is eventually fatal. This man, with no hope, came to Jesus and begged for healing:
“A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.” Matthew 8:2-3
This is a picture of what we must all do to be saved, to come humbly on bended knee before Jesus, admit that we are sinners who cannot help ourselves to be good enough for God and ask him to heal and forgive us. The wonderful truth is that he always says:
“I am willing. Be clean”. Matthew 8:4
BVP
