Identifying False Christians: The Fruit of Their Actions

Jesus teaches about the narrow gate and the broad way to eternal life.

False prophets come in sheep's clothing but are inwardly ravaging wolves.

Good fruit is produced by a good tree, and bad fruit is produced by a bad tree.

We will recognize false Christians by their fruit, not by their words or actions alone.

Music Music The title of this message today is called, You Will Know Them by Their Fruit. We're going to begin by opening in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 7, beginning in verse 15, where Jesus was giving instruction in the way one will enter into the kingdom of heaven. Let's pick that up beginning in verse 7 and see the rest of the account of what he outlines in this mandate. Notice that he starts out by saying, Enter through the narrow gate. Verse 13 Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. Verse 14 How narrow is the gate, and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You'll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn't produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you'll recognize them by their fruit. Verse 21 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 in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name? then I will have to announce to them I never knew you depart from me you lawbreakers well it must be mentioned and noticed that this straight and narrow gate is contrasted by the wide and broad way the small or narrow gate is closely related to the Greek word the lispis which means tribulation so Jesus is saying that the narrow or confining gate has reference with persecution, which is a major theme or subject in Matthew's gospel. For instance, in Matthew 5, verse 10, Jesus says, Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad. For great is your reward in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets who were before you. And verse 44, Jesus says, But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. The narrow road leads to eternal life, but the broad way or road leads to destruction, which is namely death and hell. Matthew chapter 5 verse 34 declares, The king will say to those on his right hand, Come you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Apostle Paul declared in Philippians chapter 3 beginning in verse 17, Brethren, together follow my example and observe those who live after the pattern we have set for you. For there are many of whom I have told you and now tell you even with tears, who walk, live as enemies of the cross of Christ, the Anointed One. They are doomed, and their fate is eternal misery, perdition. Their God is their stomach, their appetites, their sensuality, and they glory in their shame, siding with earthly things and being of their party. Verse 20. But we are citizens of the state, commonwealth, homeland, which is in heaven. And from it also we earnestly and patiently await the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, as Savior. Well, now back to our opening scripture in Matthew 7.14 where Jesus declared, How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life and few find it. notice that again in verse 15 the second thing that our Savior warns us of he declares beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves you'll recognize them by their fruit we have the cautionary warning and admonition to be aware to beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravaging wolves. Jesus tells us we will recognize them by their fruit. Now we must understand what good fruit is versus bad fruit. Today in this year of 2022, in the church, we have such a watered-down doctrine of universalism which says that there are many ways to heaven or that all men are predestined for salvation. Excuse me, that's not what we have just read in these opening scriptures. We read that few will enter the kingdom compared with the many who will perish to go on to eternal damnation. In John chapter 14 verse 6, Jesus says, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except by or through me. when Jesus said that few would find the way to eternal life on the straight and narrow path and that in order to walk upon this path or way it would be found only in him and by no one else Israel's leaders and many of the Jews at that time were just as lethargic about seeking the Messiah as people are today in this year of 2022. We see such horrible, magnanimous violation of using the name of Jesus Christ for personal gain in our politicians, which bottom line is self-serving in gaining the vote of the people. We have false church leaders who are begging for more money, and even those folks who use the internet to use a GoFundMe account for selfish motives using the guise of being Christian to invoke sympathy for their cause. It must be known that even though they are blind as bats, as to the reality of true godly Christians knowing that they are hypocrites and pretenders of the faith is because they have not been impregnated by the divine privilege of the Holy Spirit who teaches and gives discernment about the wolves who lives amongst them. It does not take a new creature in Christ a long time to discern and distinguish those who are not real and genuine believers. Fruit is the key. And again Jesus said, By their fruit you shall know them. In Ezekiel 36, verse 25, God through the prophet declared, and you will keep my judgments and do them. This promise has been fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ since the day of Pentecost The God of all creation knew that after the fall in the Garden of Eden man would need a new heart. God knew that His Spirit living within His own redeemed children would enable them to obey Him and produce the beautiful fruit and evidence of their relationship with Him and their love for Him. In 1 John 3, 9-10, the word tells us, No one who is born of God will continue to sin because God's seed remains in him. He cannot go on sinning because he's been born of God. And this is how we know who are the children of God and are the children of the devil. Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother. Look what prophet Hosea warned us of in Hosea chapter 4 beginning in verse 4. Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove another. Do not waste your time in mutual recriminations, for with you is my contention, O priest, and you shall stumble in the daytime, and the false prophet also shall stumble with you in the night. And I will destroy your mother, the priestly nation. Verse 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because you, the priestly nation, have rejected knowledge. And I will also reject you that you shall be no priest to me seeing you have forgotten the law of your God. I will also forget your children. Verse 7. The more they increased and multiplied in prosperity and power, the more they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame. They feed on the sin of my people and set their heart on their iniquity and shall be like people, like priests. I will punish them for their ways, repay them for their doings, for they shall eat and not have enough. They shall play the harlot and beget no increase because they have forsaken the Lord for harlotry. You see, humanity's problem is not lack of information about God, but it is willful rejection of the abundance and the plenteous information that is available about him, beginning with the book of life called the Bible, which is his word and truth right from the very mouth of God. The simple truth is when the Holy Spirit of God comes to live within a born-again, blood-bought, sincere believer of Jesus Christ, he will not go on sinning because he or she has been born anew of God's Spirit. And there's now a desire and a will to walk in God's precepts and judgment because this is God's will for his children. Jesus Christ came to save us from sin and eternal death and to destroy the works of Satan who is the author and originator of sin if God's children's lives are continually characterized by continued and repeated sinful lives God says they do not know him and have not been truly saved or redeemed and of course we know that every Christian will or does sin from time to time but a true believer in Jesus Christ will not keep on sinning or knowingly sin. Their consciences are terribly troubled and they hate it when they sin. They have enjoyed and treasured the peace and joy and love of God in their spirit and soul and this has become the ultimate or primary quest of continual growth in their Savior. The reason many people who purport to be Christians cannot find peace and joy is because they attempt to believe in Jesus as Lord, but they misunderstand the command in James chapter 4, beginning in verse 7, which declares, Therefore submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep, and let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he will lift you up. They misunderstand and think they are obeying God, but they miss the mark because they attempt to believe and therefore because it is in and by their own power and not in God's way, they miss the way of peace and every other fruit of the Spirit that is mentioned in Galatians chapter 5, verses 22 through 26, which says, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. And if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Jesus says we will know true believers by their fruit. And what we see in the church, the visible church today, is absolute blatant worldliness. We see mega churches whose leaders live in worldliness and extravagant lifestyles and are so proud of what they have and even flaunt it to their congregations and around the world. Let's understand what Jesus warned about in our opening scriptures If people who purport to know him don't enter through the narrow gate, they do not belong to him. Jesus also said in verse 15 of Matthew chapter 7, Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. professing Christians who do not submit themselves to Almighty God will be fighting against him and the fruit they produce is contrary to the fruit of the Spirit. In other words, I'm just going to say it, it's rotten fruit. They will produce fruit of the flesh which is greed, lust, envy, strife, contention, jealousy, anger everything that is not submissive to God but remains harsh and ungoverned self-willed rebellion against God Dear listener if you are not striving to know, to love and obey the only one who can save your soul from eternal death the word of God speaks it clearly people like this are on the wide and broad way to eternal destruction Jesus' warning in alarm that you will know them by their fruit is a wake-up call to take action concerning something that is overlooked and neglected. False prophets fall into the category of the chilling trumpet call of our Lord that cries out, beware of their fruit. There is a movement in this year of 2022 in the church with well-known politicians who are pretending to be Christians, who are endearing themselves to pastors and leaders of all denominations, who are mostly themselves wolves in sheep's clothing, or they are ignorant of the fact that these men and women's devices are to use them for the sake of money and votes. Unbeknownst to many Christians today, these politicians who are making the circuits in many churches are treasonous traitors to our country, it will be proven. Mark my word, it will be proven. One man in particular is a well-known politician who reads a satanic prayer to the congregation and then gets the people to agree with it. Hello, it is time to wake up, church. To be impressed with someone who is well-known worldwide or rich or did something heroic in wartime, but is a fake Christian and one who secretly is self-serving for votes and money for his campaign is a vicious wolf underneath it all These politicians who speak lies and twist the truth to people in churches they make their rounds in are accompanied with the false prophets who prophesy lies and errors and dazzle the listeners who are ignorant but impressed. One man who says he's a prophet even announced in his church that he had inspiration from demons. He is one who travels with the well-known politician who is making his round speaking today. Everybody at that point in the church should have gotten up and run out of that church. We need to understand first that prophets in the New Testament, the early church, were those who were considered to be inspired speakers according to the New Testament Greek number 43.96. Prophetess or prophets. In Acts chapter 11 verse 27 the scripture says during those days prophets inspired teachers and interpreters of the divine will and purpose came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. Verse 28 and one of them named Agabus stood up and prophesied through the Holy Spirit that a great and severe famine would come upon the whole land and this did occur during the reign of Claudius. The early church had its own prophets. The New Testament mentions prophets from Antioch including Agabus who predicted the famine in Jerusalem through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Judas and Silas who encouraged the congregation at Antioch and the four daughters of Phillips were prophetesses who taught and prophesied to the church. As a result of Paul's ministry at Ephesus, the Holy Spirit came upon the believers and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. At Pentecost, the whole company of Jesus' disciples, about 120 people, were filled with the Spirit of God and spoke in other tongues. And we can say that this was a partial fulfillment of Joel's prophecy that God would pour out his Spirit and sons and daughters would prophesy. Well, let's read that in Acts. Chapter 2, beginning in verse 17. It came to pass in the last days, God says, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions. Your old men shall dream dreams. And on my men servants and my maid servants I will pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens and the signs of the earth beneath blood and fire and vapor and smoke. Verse 20. And the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and the awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Understand, please. This prophesying builds up, encourages and edifies the church. it doesn't defile the Holy Scripture with its own rules. In the natural or in the physical realm we can see the Constitution of the United States being defiled by wolves who are endeavoring to undo it for the sake of their agenda and bottom line is to institute Marxism or Communism which will outlaw all freedom of religions and that mainly includes Christianity. These people serve and worship Satan the devil. Do your homework. The prophets and apostles were pillars of the early church. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 20, the word declares they are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. In Paul's epistle, a prophet was one who called mankind to repentance. How very significant. in 1 Corinthians 14, verse 24. But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, God is really among you. Prophecy was a gift through which God revealed mysteries and knowledge, And we see this, for instance, in 1 Corinthians 13, verse 2. And if I have prophetic powers, the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose, and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have sufficient faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love, God's love in me, I am nothing, a useless nobody. well we're going to come back to this but I would like to interject something important at this point in the message today many denominations say that in the book of Acts in regards to the early church God used the five-fold ministry to establish her but after that the prophets and apostles ceased to exist and only the evangelists and pastors and teachers hold titles and offices I ask, who is mere man to say and write out of God's word to say what does not exist as to the importance of his word today and that which should be and is meant to produce good fruit in the church of Jesus Christ? In 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 18 through 20, Paul admonished his spiritual son Timothy by saying, This I charge, I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage a good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected concerning the faith, have suffered shipwreck. Verse 20 Of whom are Hymenas and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. can we know please that prophecy was going on throughout Paul's epistles and we see 1st Timothy chapter 1 verse 18 Timothy was admonished to wage a good warfare over his prophecies that were given to him previously basically in order to walk in what God has spoken to you regarding your future you and I must keep them close to our hearts do a good warfare over them by having faith and a good conscience Our Christian life is not a playground, it is a battleground. Timothy had been enlisted by God as a Christian soldier in his army, and Paul reminds the young pastor of his ordination years ago. Apparently some of the prophets in the local church had been instructed by the Spirit to single Timothy out and ordain him for special service. You see, God would not call you without first equipping you, And the fact is that his spirit set his seal of love upon you is proof that God will see you through the battles that lie ahead. In Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12, we are to use the word of God as a sharp two-edged sword to overcome Satan. and Hebrews chapter 4 verses 12 through 13 declares for the word of God is living and active sharper than any double-edged sword it penetrates even dividing soul and spirit joints and marrow judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him who we must give account you see, it's not enough to have a correct doctrine. The Christian soldier must also have a correct way of living, which encompasses and includes faith and a good conscience. Now, I did say that we would get back to a subject that is extremely important in our word today. After going over the fact that prophecy was a gift, which God reveals mysteries and knowledge, and reading in 1 Corinthians 13, verse 2, where Paul declares, If I have prophetic powers, the gift of interpreting the divine will, purpose, and understand all secret truths and mysteries, and possess all knowledge, and if I have sufficient faith so that I can remove mountains but have not God love in me I am nothing a useless nobody And this brings us to the main point in this message today called You Will Know Them by Their Fruit In the latter part of verse 2, we cannot miss this in scripture which says, But if I have not love, God's love in me, I am nothing or a useless nobody. what we are talking about in any aspect in the church as far as church leaders or members of the church that if we do not have the true and genuine fruit of love in our hearts we are a useless nobody to God Jesus tells us in John chapter 15 verse 5 and he declares I am the vine you are the branches whoever lives in me and I in him bears much fruit, abundant fruit. However, apart from me, cut off from me, vital union with me, you can do nothing. Verse 6. If a person does not dwell in me, he is thrown out like a broken off branch and withers. Such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. Verse 7. And if you live in me, abide vitally united to me, and my words remain in you, and continue to live in your hearts. Ask what you will and it shall be done for you. Since Jesus Christ is our model in everything, in our Christian walk on this straight and narrow way, we cannot be separated from him who is our supreme pattern. Jesus demonstrated the highest fruit of love when he chose to go to the cross on our behalf. His death was voluntary and was the extreme and the ultimate expression of love and the greatest manifestation of obedience to his heavenly father. And he has proven his love for all of mankind. And this is why all people born into the earth are without excuse for choosing him as their eternal savior. And for those who do choose and obey our great loving God wholeheartedly and with unreserved obedience in all of his commands, he has given the greatest command in which they have taken to heart and obey with everything that is within them. And that is found in Matthew chapter 22, 37, which says, you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, your intellect. This is the greatest and most important principle and first commandment. let it be known there is no other way for professing Christians to be saved from eternal death this command is the greatest of all you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart with all of your soul with all of your mind which means with all the powers and the faculties of the soul the will with all of your understanding and the affections within you with all of these just mention means all of these are without excuse. This is commanding that all of those who profess to be a believer in Jesus Christ will have the most sincere, upright, and perfect manner of loving him without any intention to conceal or disguise or use fraud or fool others for self-gain, such as church goers, church leaders or politicians with ambition to enrich oneself with power, money, fame and sexual favors. This goes for anyone who uses the precious name of Jesus Christ for personal ambitions. These have no true love at all for God and everything in their hearts and soul and mind is totally in reverse as to the obligatory command to love the Lord their God with all that is within them. The carnal mind is enmity against everything that is divine, righteous, and good and belongs to our holy God. You see, when the Holy Spirit of God does renew and produce the fruit of love within the soul, who loves his creator, the Lord Almighty, it is because the perfections of Christ's nature live within that individual. No one can truly love God or others if they are not attached to the vine who is Jesus Christ. Jesus instructs us in John chapter 14 verse 15 by saying, If you love me, keep my commandments. This is not an offer to try out. This is a command by the Creator God who spoke all things into existence. Understand, keeping the commands of our Lord will be bottom line result if we love him or not. Obedience is the fruit of love. So when Jesus tells us that we will know people by their fruit, it is easy for those who do love their Lord and God to recognize true followers. It is also imperative that we avoid those like the plague who are teaching and prophesying false words for self-gain. If you are in a church like this, I suggest you get out now. If we are growing in maturity in our Lord and his word, we will definitely recognize a bad tree that produces bad fruit. In our lives, every word and action shows the fruit from our hearts. Sinners sin because that is what's in their heart, and bad hearts produce bad fruit. False prophets and teachers are speakers of lies, just as their messages are against our righteous God, so will their works be. We are told to avoid them. We must know that oftentimes people profess faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, but for many it is a mere profession with no real faith or love for Jesus. Many religious groups encourage baptism, confirmation, or other religious activities which are to ensure one's entrance into heaven. And this is called works mentality, which looks nothing like what is declared in 1 Peter 1.16. For it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy. You see, many church leaders feel ignorantly assured of their salvation and their congregation's salvation because they dutifully follow the prescribed mandate for their denominational requirements. Many dress in certain clothes, and women wear their hair in a certain way because this is considered holy to God. Leaders go to annual meetings, many arise to write books, and some even have media programs on the internet. But I can tell you that if the fruit of love is not vibrant in their hearts, these are all empty works which carry no eternal fruit or entrance into heaven. Jesus laments that he will have to say to many on that day, Get away from me, I never knew you. God forbid, dear one, that this would be the lot for any one of us. For one who is in love with their Savior, there will be the first fruit of love which dominates their hearts and minds, and that is the reflection of their mindfulness of God's ever-presence in their daily life. He or she who is in love with someone, their thoughts are ever upon that object of love. He who loves God is overwhelmed with thoughts of him daily. Jesus demands to be the first love in our lives, and rightfully so. David said, when I am awake, I am still with thee, in Psalms 139, verse 18. David's thoughts were always heavenward. His communion was with God daily. God is our treasure and where our treasure is there our heart will be also this is the test for our hearts today and this is the way we can test our own hearts and our own love for God I finish by asking you what are your thoughts mostly on in every day that you rise up in the morning Thank you.

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