Judge The Fruit

¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. ~ Matthew 7:15–27

Jesus said to beware of false prophets dressed in sheep’s clothing. And don’t worry about how to identify them; you will know them by their fruit. So, we would do well to watch out for the type of fruit we are being served.

Sometimes it is hard to tell the fruits one from another because they sometimes look so similar. But here is a good acid test.

1. If the fruit or doctrine trivializes the need for evangelism, it is false
2. If the fruit downplays or minimizes the importance of holy living, it is false

Scripture can never contradict itself. Anytime a teaching or a message, or a doctrine, stifles or belittles, or relaxes either one of those two tests, it is false. Don’t just eat up whatever fruit is served to you. Test the fruit against Scripture. Does it confirm or contradict? Don’t just go by the way it looks, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Don’t just go by the way someone else believes, for people will deceive you with flattering lips that tickle your ears. Go by what the Scriptures say. If the Bereans tested all that Paul taught them, how much more should we test those teaching us today?

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Judge The Fruit.

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