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Tom Hill | Grand Rapids, MI
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Wolves In Sheep's Clothing, II
MONDAY, JULY 28, 2008
Posted by: Master Ministries International, Inc. | more..
7,100+ views | 450+ clicks
A logical question, then, follows, "Well, what qualifies as good fruit? How can we discern the good fruit from the bad fruit?" A shortened list identifies three crucial criteria for spiritual leaders.

First, what does (s)he teach? What does (s)he present and propose as doctrinal truth? True doctrine includes the sovereignty and transcendence of God, the deity of Christ and His atonement for sinners, and the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. They are good fruit. If the one you are examining does not hold to these, you should suspect a false prophet. In later chapters, I will explain them more completely and include other crucial doc-trines.

Second, examine the character and nature of the lives of the teacher, prophet, or pastor whom you follow. What is the pattern of life? What is the persistent manner and character of life? A check of these matters will help you to evaluate the character of this person. The Scriptures teach us about the world, the flesh, and the devil, the three unholy temptations that come to us in life.

How does this person view the world? Does (s)he love the world? Does (s)he want to be like the world? Does (s)he encourage you to live like the world, to conform to the world to win the world? That is very popular in our day. Television and radio personalities and many authors proclaim messages that emphasize these elements. They proclaim that as a Christian you can have all of the world's goods and tell you to pursue it, because you are entitled to it. It is your right and privilege as a child of God to have all of the abundance of the world and to go after it, because God loves you and wants you to have it all.

Please take note of these warnings from 1 John:

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."

The wrong attitude toward the world can provide a glaring signal of bad fruit.

Another character issue that signals bad fruit includes a person's attitude toward the flesh. What does (s)he say about the flesh? How does (s)he purport himself in his manner of life? Galatians chapter five provides a descrip-tion of the works of the flesh. You can read them starting at verse 16. It explains the works of the flesh and de-scribes one who lives to satisfy the passions and lusts of his or her life.

After that section follows one that says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is..." The passage then lists nine qualities of someone who lives under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit. The difference between the two lists is like night and day. At the end of that whole passage, Galatians 5.24 says, "They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

Do you see the works of the flesh in the life of this person? If you do, it signals bad fruit. On the other hand, if you see the fruit of the Spirit exhibited in this person that, shows good fruit.

In addition to the world and the flesh, there is the devil. The Scriptures describe the devil in a variety of ways. One of them calls him the prince of darkness. Ephesians chapter six provides the hierarchy of the devil and all of the various powers that he has under his power and authority. One is called the powers of darkness. Does the person whom you want to examine have a dark side? Does (s)he have some features and characteristics that you observe in this person that you would describe as dark?

John in his first epistle tells us:

"This then is the message which we have heard of him [the Lord Jesus], and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."

Jesus said in John's gospel chapter eight, "If you follow me you will walk in the light." Is this person in the light or darkness?

The third area of examination involves the kind of fruit (s)he produces in others. How would you describe them? Do they pursue after the world? Do they believe that they can be a Christian and do anything they please? Do they have no interest whatsoever in holy living? Do they have no interest in obeying and following God? Do they have no interest in a love affair with Jesus Christ? Do they make no mention of the Holy Spirit?

One last suggestion comes from Isaiah chapter eight.

"When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

Listen to what they say. Does it match up with Scripture? Does it fit what the Bible teaches? If it does not, it is because there is no light in them, a bad tree, bad fruit, false prophet.

Finally, Jesus described the destiny of the false prophet. They are cut down and destroyed. Notice verses 21 to 23. Jesus described a day in the future at the judgment when many people will appear before Him, who will stand there and say, "Lord, look at all the wonderful things we did in your name." (See 2 Peter 2.1-3, 9.) Jesus said He would say to them, "Depart from me. I never knew you."

They were wolves in sheep's clothing, giving off the appearance of being a follower of Christ, even saying some of the right things. Jesus said that we would know them by their fruit.

As faithful followers of Christ, we must examine the pastors of our churches, the television and radio broad-casters, and the books that we read. Do they reveal good fruit or bad fruit? Unfortunately, upon examination we will find false prophets, whom we must no longer follow.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for this warning that you have left for us to beware of false prophets. We see many of them in our day. You told us they would come. You told us we would know them. That we could spot them, we could examine them and discern the true from the false. Father, as we have examined this passage of the Lord Jesus teaching us, there is so much there that only the Spirit of God can open our eyes to see all of it, to under-stand any of it, and to apply it as we examine and follow the advice of the Lord Jesus. I pray, Father, that You would pour out Your Spirit upon each one of us individually to teach us, to open our eyes to see the truth, and to discern light from darkness, good from evil, false from true, that we might know the truth, that we might follow after the Lord Jesus. We will praise you Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for what you accomplish in our lives, Amen.

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