Jesus on false teachers and false “Christians”

Matthew 7:15-24

The Cherry Tree Story: the best way to settle a dispute whether or not it’s a cherry tree is to wait for June. If you are eating cherries, it’s a cherry tree!

1. False Teachers... look like sheep... ravenous wolves. Some will try to guide you down the broad path (leading to destruction), and tell you  it’s to heaven. Jesus calls them wolves in sheepskin. They may even believe they are on the narrow way, but they are not. These pretenders destroy the true flock. Jesus has nothing positive to say about them.
1. Step One Beware of them
2. Step Two Check their fruit (Love, Joy, Peace... it’s not a banana, folks!)
2. These fruits are of the heart of who we ARE. Sometimes we have to wait a while to see the fruits of someone’s true heart. The wolf can have a convincing sheep costume, but in the end, his “fruit” will contain hair and bones, not digested grass.
3. Jesus states that these fruits are either “good” or “bad”, there are no “you could eat it, but it tastes like dung” fruits (bonus if you get the movie reference). Throughout the SoM Jesus has been consistent: One way to Heaven, all other ways to Hell. Good/Bad. no 3rd
4. Firewood Season: Everyone without good fruit will be cut down and burned. Not just the ones with bad fruit.
5. Read Matthew 21:18-22... what is the stated meaning? Can you make a meaning that applies to this idea of fruit?
6. Read Luke 13:6–9, what do we learn about God as a nurseryman? Contrast this to the story of the cursed fig tree above.
7. Read Matthew 12:33-37- strong teaching from Jesus about one of our “rotten fruits” being malicious talk and angry speech. We will have to give an account.
8. Judging Others: didn’t Jesus just say don’t judge others or you are a Plank-eyed “saint”
9. Ask yourself first: do I bear fruit unto Christ’s glory? Do I have the fruit of the spirit in increasing measure? Am I gratefully aware of my forgiven state?

“Lord, Lord”  

10. Look clearly: They called him LORD! They said a sinner’s prayer! These guys must be saved! Right? No! a verbal confession is not enough. In this story Jesus is calling us FIRSTLY to relationship.
11. Any clever speaker can manipulate an audience to feel guilty and say a sinner’s prayer, or buy a timeshare in Reno, or invade Poland. Tears and altar calls don’t make it a true conversion. Jesus used the phrase “Born Again” with Nicodemus. A total reset- restart.
12. So how to know if you are saved? Do you call him Lord and mean it? Does the Spirit tell you you are saved? Do you have the fruit (singular) of the Spirit? Is your life changed?
13. Read James 2:14: we see your works (fruit) and know your faith. Faith (fig tree) without works(figs) is dead(dead). God will fertilize one’s faith for a while, but eventually if one doesn’t come to repentance (fruit) he will slash and burn. (Lk13:6) When the Son of Man comes and asks to see your fruit (That Day), you had better show some fruit! (Mt21:18)

“Prophecy, Exorcism, Miracles”

14. These false christians had some serious church cred! They would be Ministry Rock Stars in most churches I’ve ever been in!
15. This is flashy stuff! Notice what works they didn’t have: sleepless nights in prayer, concentrated fasting, giving until it hurts, forgiving again and again, victory over sin...
16. They even said they did these things “In your name”. Again, the words are cheap.

“That Day”

17. Notice the image of “That Day” (of judgement). Who is doing the judging? Who directly condemns these false christians to hell? Jesus! wow! His rationale: I never KNEW you. Not a casual recognition. Not an acquaintance. Not knowledge about. He is speaking of intimate knowledge here. Like when Adam “Knew” his wife and she bore a son.  
    Read this with fresh eyes again.
18. I’ve heard people say, “I can’t believe a loving Jesus would send anyone to hell.”
    Have you READ his stuff? He says it right there in red and white! I’m sending these people, who think they are Christians, and say they are Christians into eternal separation and torment. They didn’t make it!
19. Are you SURE you are saved? I don’t ask this to make you doubt your faith... ok, yes I AM asking this to make you doubt your faith!
20. As Baptists, we believe “Once Saved Always Saved” but we had not EVER let salvation become a sinner’s prayer. It’s not magic words, it’s not holy sprinkling, it’s not heritage. “Away from me you lawless ones, I never knew you.”
    (note, they didn’t lose their salvation, they never had it to begin with!)

If you see someone who is doing miracles, prophesying, and such, they had better show the quieter fruits as well. No true prophet speaks without prayer, fasting, giving, forgiving, fighting sin, etc. If you think you are a Christian, look for these in your life. If they are not there, you may not be saved. Get on your knees and spend some quiet time searching with God, before “That Day” comes and you stand before Christ and show what fruit you have.

These are the true fruits: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. If you know Jesus, and He knows you, these will be yours in increasing measure