Matthew 7:15‑20 Tape GC 2253

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS

Part 1

Introduction

Matthew 7:15‑20 is the text we will be studying in this lesson: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth bad fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them."

A. The Call Pronounced

The climax of the Sermon on the Mount by our Lord presented us with an ultimate choice. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13‑14, "Enter in at the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in that way; because narrow is the gate, and hard is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." The Lord is extending an invitation; He calls for a decision.

1. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

That is not a unique passage, for the Lord calls for a decision elsewhere in Scripture. The compassionate, loving heart of Christ longs for men to enter into the right path. He wants men to forsake their sin and self‑will, and come repentantly to the only source of true righteousness. In Matthew 4:17 He cried, "... Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." In other words, "Turn around and go the other way." In Matthew 11:28 Jesus recognized the burdens that men had from their sinfulness and impossible religious duties. He said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." In John 7 He said, "... If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink" (v. 37). In addition, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life ..." (Jn. 6:35), "I am the good shepherd..." (Jn. 10:11), "I am the way, the truth, and the life ..." (Jn. 14:6), and "I am the resurrection ..." (Jn. 11:25). Jesus repeatedly offered an invitation for men to come to Him.

2. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

In the book of Isaiah we find a foreshadowing of the invitation of Christ: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the +LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient ..." (1:18‑19). God has always wanted to wash away the sins of men, but men have to recognize their need for that before they will seek Him. A person's sins will never be white as snow or wool until he realizes his sinfulness.

Another invitation appears in Isaiah 55: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come to the waters, and he that hath no money; come, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (v. 1). In other words, when you recognize that you need to have your sins cleansed and that you have no resources to meet that need, then "come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." You have nothing to offer God; you come to Him strictly on the merits of His good and gracious gift in Christ.

The invitation appears in both the Old and New Testaments. The end of the Bible even climaxes in a great, final invitation: "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17). The invitation appears throughout the Bible: Enter the narrow gate; be converted; come unto Me; if any man thirst, come without money and buy; if your sins are as scarlet they will be white as snow or wool; the Spirit and the bride say, "Come." The loving heart of God constantly beats in compassion toward men, desiring that they be saved (2 Pet. 3:9). In Jeremiah, we read that God shed tears because men turned their backs on Him (Jer. 3:21). In Matthew 23:37, Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem because the people would not come to Him.

The heart of God compassionately calls out to man. But I must add that the Lord's compassion has some wrath in it. God is not all love. In fact, if you don't listen to God's call and come to Him the way He wants you to, then you are on the road to damnation. God's compassion is mingled with judgment. In His invitation, the Lord is saying, "Love calls and judgment tarries, but the time will come when love is set aside and judgment is imminent." So, we are to come to Him on the narrow way.

B. The Choices Presented

Every man and woman stands at the crossroads. On one side is the narrow gate and the narrow way that leads to life. On the other side is the broad way that leads to damnation. Both ways say they point to heaven, but one is right and the other is wrong. The narrow way is the religion of divine accomplishment, and the broad way is the religion of human achievement. You choose one or the other. Remember, it is not easy to get through the narrow gate. Matthew 7:14 says, "... few there be that find it." Once you've found it, you must agonize to enter into it.

C. The Caution Proclaimed

One reason it is difficult to enter the narrow gate is that while you stand at the crossroads before the two gates, there are false prophets doing everything they can to push you the wrong way. They obscure the narrow gate. Like spiritual traffic cops, they wave people onto the broad road that leads to damnation. That's why Jesus follows His invitation in Matthew 7:13‑14 with a warning about false prophets: "Beware of false prophets ..." (v. 15). They stand at the crossroads, obscuring the narrow way and pushing people onto the broad way. They do that successfully, too! If you don't think so, verse 22 says that "many" will go along the broad way. Verse 13 says, "... many there be who go in that way."

The many people that complete the broad way and think they've arrived in heaven will say, "... Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out demons? And in Thy name done many wonderful works?" (v. 22). They will say, "We are religious!" But Jesus said, "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" (v. 23).

Many people will go on the wrong road because there are false prophets pushing them that way. In this passage, Jesus says, "As you strive to enter that narrow gate, beware of those who try to mislead you."

I am going to outline Jesus' lesson about false prophets with two points: Warning and Watching. Let's look first at the ...

I. WARNING

In Matthew 7:15, Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." The Lord was very clear; it is obvious He was talking about false prophets.

What does the Bible say about false prophets?

False prophets are frequently spoken of in the Bible. Let's look at the ...

1. WARNINGS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

In the Pentateuch, penned by Moses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we find God's instruction about false prophets in the earliest times of redemptive history. The following appears in Deuteronomy 13: "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them, thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; for the +LORD your God testeth you, to know whether ye love the +LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ye shall walk after the +LORD your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him. And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he hath spoken to turn you away from the +LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you ..." (vv. 1‑5). In other words, "If you find a false prophet, kill him. They are very deadly."

In Isaiah 30:9‑10, we read, "... this is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the +LORD: who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits." Isaiah said that there will be some who want to prophesy deceits, and others who want to hear false prophets. There is always a demand for false prophets because people do not want to hear the truth.

Jeremiah repeatedly warned about false prophets, starting in chapter 5 and continuing to chapter 23.

There are also ...

2. WARNINGS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Matthew 24:11 says, "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Notice the word "many" in that verse: Many false prophets will deceive many people. Multitudes will say, "Lord, Lord" (Mt. 7:22), but Jesus will say, "I don't know any of you" (v. 23). The people will say, "But we have prophesied in your name!" (v. 22). False prophets will come to the same end that their followers do. They will claim that their deeds were done in the Lord's name, but their claim will not stand.

Matthew 24:24 says, "For there shall arise false Christs [Gk. psuedochristos], and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." There will be people who try to present themselves as Christ. They are phonies and liars.

Romans 16:17‑18 says, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own body, and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the innocent." Paul told Timothy, "... some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to ... doctrines of demons" (1 Tim. 4:1). Peter said, "... there shall be false teachers among you, who secretly shall bring in damnable heresies ..." (2 Pet. 2:1). John said, "... test the spirits whether they are of God ..." (1 Jn. 4:1).

The Bible warns us repeatedly about false prophets. There have been and will be many false prophets as long as we live on this earth. They will be here until the Second Coming of Christ.

There are four words I want to use in explaining the warning Jesus gave in Matthew 7:15. The first word is ...

A. The Definition

What is a false prophet? Whom are we dealing with in Matthew 7:15? Let me give you some background information first:

1. THE PURPOSE OF TRUE PROPHETS

Ever since the fall of man (Gen. 3), every person has been hopelessly lost. Everyone has turned his back on God and has fled from Him. No man seeks God (Rom. 3:11). Every man runs to hell as fast as he can. So, God picked certain people, redeemed them, and used them to draw man's heart back to God. Those people were His prophets. In both the Old and New Testaments, a prophet was known by two things: He had a divine commission and a divine message. He was called by God and he gave God's message.

God selected men for that strategic function. A true prophet was God's voice. In Exodus 4, Moses argued with the God about his speech problems. The Lord said, "Don't worry about what you're going to say. I will put My words in your mouth" (vv. 10‑12). Prior to that, God had called to Moses from a burning bush and commissioned him to become a prophet (Ex. 3:1‑10). The Lord chose Moses and gave him the content of His message. That consummated his role as a prophet. He was God's man; he spoke God's message. Yet as soon as God assigned His true prophets to be true shepherds to draw wayward sheep back to Himself, Satan brought along counterfeits.

2. THE PROBLEM OF FALSE PROPHETS

a. In the Old Testament

When you study the Old Testament, you continuously see the trouble that false prophets caused. They were everywhere in the Old Testament era, just as they are today.

1) Jeremiah

We could spend days studying what Jeremiah said about false prophets. He talked about them more than anyone else did in the Bible. In Jeremiah 14:14, he said, "Then the +LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke unto them ...." God said that false prophets were deceiving the people, and doing a great job of it. In Jeremiah 5:31, He said, "The prophets prophesy falsely ... and My people love to have it so ...." The people accepted what the false prophets said, because they tickled the people's ears. That's the way it will be in the future: Men will "heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears" (2 Tim. 4:3). False prophets give platitudes that people want to hear, which are nothing but lies.

In Jeremiah 23:14‑16, we read, "I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing; they commit adultery, and walk in lies; they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto Me like Sodom, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah. Therefore, thus saith the +LORD of hosts concerning the prophets, Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Thus saith the +LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you. They make you vain; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the +LORD." False prophets make men proud; they appeal to their egos. They are evil, fleshly, adulterous, and they strengthen the hands of evildoers. False prophets are evil; they say what people want to hear.

Finally, in Jeremiah 23:21, 28, God said, "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.... The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath My word, let him speak My word faithfully...." In other words, "I don't want to silence all prophets, just the false ones."

2) Zechariah

Zechariah 11:16 gives a vivid picture of a false shepherd: "For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, who shall not visit those that are cut off ...." Can you imagine a shepherd that doesn't bother to find lost sheep? The verse continues, "... neither shall [he] seek the young one, nor heal that which is broken, nor feed that which standeth still, but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces." The false shepherd described here won't help a little stray lamb or injured sheep. Rather, he eats the fat of the sheep. What kind of a shepherd is that? The fact that he tears "their claws in pieces" means that he will literally rip the hooves apart to get every little morsel of meat.

God said, "Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! The sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm shall be completely dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened" (Zech. 11:17). The false shepherd described in Zechariah 11:16‑17 is the Antichrist, whom God will judge. The Antichrist is the prototype of all false prophets. He cares nothing for the sheep. He masquerades as if he were Christ, but tears apart the flock.

The scribes and Pharisees were classic examples of false shepherds. They crucified Jesus because He mercilessly unmasked them. They paraded themselves as if they were godly, but they were rapacious and self‑serving. They took advantage of people for personal gain.

b. In the New Testament

False prophets were called many things in the New Testament: "false brethren" (2 Cor. 11:26), "false apostles" (2 Cor. 11:13), "false teachers" (2 Pet. 2:1), false speakers (1 Tim. 4:2), and "false Christs" (Mt. 24:24). The Greek word for false in those verses is psuedo, which means "sham, or phony."

Despite the fact that false prophets are liars, they always have an audience. Jesus said in John 8:45, "... because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not." The people Jesus spoke to couldn't hear the truth because they listened for lies. Why? They were "of [their] father the devil ... he is a liar, and the father of it" (Jn. 8:44). In Jeremiah 5:31, God said, "The prophets prophesy falsely ... and My people love to have it so ...." People heap to themselves teachers that lie (2 Tim. 4:3). False prophets will always have an audience. We need to be aware of that.

B. The Danger

1. DECLARED

Matthew 7:15 not only tells us to beware of false prophets; it tells us why we are to watch out for them: They are dangerous. We can all be easy prey for false prophets. The word "beware" in verse 15 should be enough to let us know that they are dangerous. Whenever I see the word beware on a sign, I stop. I don't want to run into a gorilla or a huge dog! I want to be careful not to get electrocuted. Beware is a strong word; the Greek word for it means "hold your mind away from." Don't ever expose your mind to the influence of false prophets. Don't pay attention to them; they pervert the mind and poison the soul.

a. By Peter

Second Peter 2:2 tells us the result of their work: "... many shall follow their pernicious ways ...." Many people will take the broad road thinking they are religious, but they are following a pied piper who will lead them into damnation. Peter calls false prophets "natural brute beasts" (v. 12), "spots...and blemishes" (v. 13), and beguilers of unstable souls (v. 14). He said that "they allure through the lusts of the flesh ..." (v. 18).

b. By Jude

Jude calls false prophets "brute beasts" (v. 10). He said that they "are spots [or `scabs'] in your love feasts ..." (v. 12), and that they flatter people for personal gain (v. 16). They are dangerous and clever.

You would be better off to embrace a cobra or crawl in bed with a hungry lion. It would be better for you to drink a bottle of poison than to come near a false prophet. Then you would only be affected physically. False prophets pervert the mind.

2. DEFINED

Why are false prophets so dangerous? Matthew 7:15 says it's because "inwardly they are ravening wolves." They don't appear to be wolves, but that's what they really are. The fact that false prophets are ravenous wolves appears in the Old Testament, too, in Ezekiel 22:27‑28. Let me explain about that in greater detail from the book of ...

a. John

The primary enemy of sheep in Palestine was the wolf. Wolves roamed the hills there. When one spotted a flock, it would sneak up on it. Then it would snatch a sheep and rip it to shreds. Sheep were totally defenseless against a wolf. In John 10, when Jesus talked about the characteristics of good shepherds, He said that they are always on the alert for wolves. A shepherd who cares for his sheep always watches after them.

John 10 talks about three kinds of characters that deal with a flock:

1) The Shepherd

A good shepherd cares for his sheep. He will give his life for them (v. 11). He will do anything to keep them from a wolf.

2) The Hired Laborer

When a hired laborer sees a wolf, he runs (vv. 12‑13). He says, "This is only a job; I'm getting out of here!" He doesn't care about the sheep. When things get tough, he is gone. He is like a paid church professional who enjoys the glamor of his work. He likes collecting his checks. But when things get rough, he leaves.

3) The Wolf

The worst enemy of sheep are wolves. Hired laborers just run away, but wolves eat the sheep. A good shepherd protects his flock; a hired laborer abandons the flock entrusted to him; but the false prophet destroys sheep. They are "ravening wolves." The verb form of the Greek word for "ravening" in Matthew 7:15 literally means "to snatch or to seize." You can picture in your mind a wolf sinking his teeth into a sheep and running off with it. That same word is used in reference to a grasping extortioner in Luke 18:11 and 1 Corinthians 5:11. False prophets are ferocious, merciless, and devouring. They are extremely dangerous. That's what Jesus is saying in Matthew 7:15.

False prophets are so dangerous that we are to be wary if we are in the presence of one. Even if you associated with one and weren't influenced by him, a person with less discernment might think you were condoning him and consequently would get hurt.

b. Jude

The book of Jude, which talks about apostasy, says this in verse 21: "Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life" (+NASB). In other words, make sure you are in the place of receiving God's blessing. Make sure your life is right and that you are keeping yourself in a place where God's love is manifest. Once you have taken care of yourself, then you can win others to Christ. Verses 22‑23 talk about that: There are three categories of people that we can reach:

1) The Doubters

We are to "have mercy on some, who are doubting" (v. 22; +NASB). When you find someone who has doubts, you are to love him and be merciful to him. That kind of person will say, "I think I believe in Christ; I think the gospel is true, but I'm not sure." Be merciful to him.

2) The Endangered Unbelievers

The second group of people we are to reach out to are endangered unbelievers: "Save others, snatching them out of the fire ..." (v. 23; +NASB). Such people are not believers; they are on their way to hell and you have to grab them. They are indifferent outsiders.

3) The Cult Members

The third category of people are those who are involved in false religions. When you reach out to them, you are to "have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh" (v. 23; +NASB). When you try to win a person who is under the influence of a false prophet, you have to go after him in the fear of God, or you might be influenced by that false prophet. Jude is saying that trying to win a person under a false prophet's influence is dangerous because you can be defiled by them. They are vile, dangerous, brute beasts. They are like lepers‑‑you don't want to be near them.

Don't think that false prophets are good, well‑meaning, misguided people. Basically, they are devouring wolves that endeavor to shove people onto the broad road to hell. Some of them may be deceiving themselves, but many of them know what they are doing.

We have seen the definition and danger of false prophets; let's look now at...

C. The Deception

False prophets are dangerous because you don't see what they really are. Matthew 7:15 says that they "come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

1. THE CLOTHES OF FALSE PROPHETS

a. Imitate a True Prophet's Clothing

In the Old Testament, and in the case of John the Baptist in the New Testament, a prophet was known by what he wore. Elijah, for example, wore a rough, hairy, burlap garment (2 Kgs. 1:8). That was a statement to society that he was foregoing creature comforts for the Lord's cause. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness, ate locusts and wild honey, and wore a rough camel hair coat. Camel hair products today are not the same as what they used to be. John the Baptist's garment was very uncomfortable. He wore the clothes of a prophet. God's prophets had no worldly goods and did not wear worldly clothes. They wore rough garments and looked as if they had come from the wilderness, where they communed with God.

Whenever someone wanted to pretend to be a prophet, he put on a prophet's clothing. He would wear a rough, burlap garment. Zechariah 13:4 even says that a false prophet will "wear a rough garment to deceive."

b. Imitate a True Shepherd's Clothing

When Jesus said that a false prophet wore sheep's clothing, He wasn't talking about a person crawling on his hands and feet wearing a sheepskin and sheep's head. Most shepherds wore cloaks made from sheep's wool. The mark of a shepherd was his wool cloak. They needed a warm cloak because in Israel, the evenings are cold, much like they are in California. So when Jesus spoke of false prophets in sheep's clothing, He was talking about people dressed like shepherds. "Sheep's clothing" is another term for wool. Just as a false prophet would wear the clothes of a prophet, a false shepherd wears the clothes of a shepherd. Jesus wasn't talking about a sheep's disguise; He was talking about a shepherd's disguise. A false shepherd looks like a shepherd, but he is really a wolf.

2. THE CATEGORIES OF FALSE PROPHETS

There are three kinds of false prophets in the Bible. The first two kinds fall into the category of ...

a. The Obvious

1) The Heretic

A heretic says, "I don't believe the Bible is true." Sometimes a heretic will say that he believes the Bible, but he teaches heretical doctrine by misusing the Bible. That kind of false prophet is openly heretical.

2) The Apostate

Apostates deny Christianity and depart from it.

Heretics and apostates aren't hard to spot. It's easy to detect false doctrine. All you have to do is compare it with the Bible. It's easy to identify apostates‑‑they deny the Bible.

Heretics and apostates are talked about in Matthew 7:6: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine ...." It's easy to detect the hogs and dogs; they are in the mire and vomit (2 Pet. 2:22). Heretics and apostates are made obvious.

The third kind of false prophets are ...

b. The Obscure

These are the ones you have to watch out for. I call them the deceivers. Jesus referred to them in Matthew 7:15. Deceivers wear the cloak of a shepherd. They talk about Jesus, the cross, God, the Scriptures, the church, and the Holy Spirit. They mingle with true Christians and appear to be evangelical. They are on the radio and television, they speak from pulpits, and write books. They look like Christians. They are not as obvious as heretics. Titus 3:10 says that we are to rebuke heretics. Apostates are obvious because they have denied the faith. But deceivers are subtle.

The Lord is not warning us about heretics or apostates in Matthew 7:15. He is warning us about people who sound like Christians and appear to teach the gospel. We shouldn't be surprised that there will be people like that. Second Corinthians 11:14 says, "... Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." He is hidden among us. Verse 15 tells us, "Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness ...." They are subtle deceivers in our midst. Jude 4 says, "... there are certain men crept in unawares ...." I don't know if you are finding them, but they are everywhere.

3. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE PROPHETS

Sometimes when I point out a false prophet with the help of the Word and Spirit of God, other Christians get upset. They say, "That person is a deceiver? Impossible!" But all the criteria needs to be examined. Let me tell you what they look like:

a. Their Words

False prophets are pleasant. They mingle with Christians and talk like Christians. However, it's not what false prophets say that gives them away; it's what they don't say. They talk about Jesus, the cross, and heaven, but never talk about sin, hell, mourning, meekness, and humility. They only talk about how to be happy.

b. Their Ways

False prophets appear to live right. You say, "If someone is a false prophet, his life wouldn't be clean." Some of them live superficially clean lives, but deep inside they are rotten. I agree with what commentator John A. Broadus said, "When some false teachers of ruinous heresy are men of scrupulous conduct and pleasing general character and even appear devout, this may be morally ascribed to their early religious habits" (Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew [Philadelphia: American Baptist Pub. Society, 1881]).

False prophets appear to walk the Christian walk. They may appear to be fine, but are vile on the inside. They suppress their depravity for the sake of their reputation. Sometimes when such a person's sin is revealed, the people in his church just say, "We are supposed to be forgiving," and the false prophet continues in his sinfulness.

False prophets are deceptive. Beware: Deceivers are all around us. They are not as obvious as heretics and apostates; they look like Christians.

The fourth point in our outline is ...

D. The Damnation

1. THE CONVERSATION DETAILED

False prophets will have an end. According to Matthew 7:22, they will say to Jesus at the time of judgment, "... Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? ...." In other words, they will say, "We were Your preachers."

Prophets of Revelation and Prophets of Proclamation

The false prophets mentioned in Matthew 7 were not the kind of prophets that received revelation from God. There were Old and New Testament prophets that God spoke through directly, but not all prophets received direct revelation. The word prophesy means "to speak before." That's why the gift of prophecy still exists: It is not just a revelatory gift, it is nonrevelatory also. A prophet is one who proclaims God's Word. I have the gift of prophecy, because I proclaim the Word of God.

The false prophets in Matthew 7:22 will claim to have prophesied in Christ's name. Some of them might say they received revelations from God, but basically they will claim to have declared Christ's name. The Lord will say to them, "... I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" (v. 23). Christ will send false prophets into everlasting damnation.

2. THE CONDEMNATION DETAILED

a. They Will Not Be Alone

The great tragedy is that the false prophets won't go to hell alone; for "many there be who go in that way" (Mt. 7:13). Second Peter 2:2 says that "many shall follow their pernicious ways ...." A great number of people will be deceived, and their end will be eternal destruction. Second Peter 2:1 says, "... there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who secretly shall bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." They are not alone; many will follow them to the same fate.

b. They Will Not Be Spared

Second Peter 2:4‑6 says, "... God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell ... and spared not the old world, but saved Noah ... and [turned] the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes ...." If God did all that, then He will not spare false prophets. Verse 9 says that He will "reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." False prophets will "utterly perish in their own corruption" (v. 12). They are cursed children (v. 14), for "whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever" (v. 17). In Revelation 19:20, we read that the false prophet of the Antichrist and the Antichrist himself will be thrown into the lake of fire, which will burn forever.

Christ has warned us. The first word in Matthew 7:15 is "beware." We have examined the definition, the danger, the deception, and the damnation of false prophets. Be on the lookout: They are very dangerous because they are deceptive‑‑and their deception leads to damnation.

In our next lesson, we will learn more about how to recognize them. It is important for us to be able to separate the true from the false. Too many Christians today are vague about doctrine and gullible to anyone who talks about Jesus. There are many false prophets around us. We need to understand how to determine who is of God and who is not.

Focusing on the Facts

1. Jesus invited men to come to Him at the end of His Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 7:13‑14). What other invitations did Jesus make in the New Testament? (see pp. xx‑xx)

2.Explain what is said in the invitation in Isaiah 55:1. (see p. xx)

3.What happened in Jeremiah 3:21 and Matthew 23:37? Why? (see p. xx)

4.What is one reason that it is difficult to enter the narrow gate? (see p. xx)

5.What did God want Israel to do with a false prophet, according to Deuteronomy 13:1‑5? (see pp. xx‑xx)

6.What did the Israelites ask the prophets to do in Isaiah 30:10? Why? (see p. xx)

7.What does Romans 16:17‑18 say about false prophets? (see pp. xx‑xx)

8.What two things was a true prophet known by? (see p. xx)

9.What did God say about false prophets in Jeremiah 23:14‑16? (see p. xx)

10.List some terms that are used in the New Testament to speak of false prophets. (see p. xx)

11.How do we know that false prophets will always have an audience? Use Scripture to support your answer. (see p. xx)

12.What does the Greek word for "beware" in Matthew 7:15 mean? Why should we not pay attention to false prophets? (see p. xx)

13.What terms do Peter and Jude use to describe false prophets? (see p. xx)

14.What does a good shepherd do when a wolf threatens his sheep? (see p. xx)

15.What does a hired laborer do when the sheep under his care are threatened by a wolf? What kind of church worker does he depict? (see p. xx)

16.What does a wolf (false prophet) do to sheep? (see p. xx)

17.How are we to reach out to doubters? How do we need to reach out to endangered unbelievers? Why must we be so cautious when reaching out to those who are under the influence of a false prophet? (Jd. 22‑ 23; see pp. xx‑xx)

18.What did a person do if he wanted to pretend to be a prophet? What Scripture supports that? (see p. xx)

19.Explain what Jesus meant when He said that a false prophet wore sheep's clothing. (see pp. xx‑xx)

20.What three categories of false prophets are there? How can a person detect false prophets from the first two categories? Why is it so difficult to spot false prophets from the third category? (see pp. xx‑xx)

21.Of the three categories of false prophets, which category was Jesus referring to in Matthew 7:15? (see p. xx)

22.Describe the words and the ways of a false prophet. (see pp. 16‑17)

23.What appeal will false prophets make to Christ at judgment? What will Christ's answer be? (Mt. 7:22‑23; see pp. xx‑xx)

24.What is the great tragedy about the condemnation of false prophets? (see p. xx)

25.How do we know that God will not spare false prophets? Support your answer with Scripture. (see p. xx)

Pondering the Principles

1. There are many people today who misunderstand what the Bible teaches because they have been exposed to a false prophet. Would you be able to explain to such people what the Scriptures really teach? If not, take some time now to write down some common misunderstandings people have about God, Christ, salvation, and other major themes in the Bible. During this week, with the help of a Bible, good Christian books, or other Christians, learn how to refute those misconceptions. Write down what you learn in a notebook, and keep adding information as you learn more about those things. As a representative of Christ, you must "study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).

2. In Acts 20:29, Paul told the elders of the church at Ephesus, "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." Jesus warned us to "beware of false prophets ... in sheep's clothing ..." (Mt. 7:15). Although Christians must be careful not to be influenced by false prophets, they do not need to fear falling prey to false teaching and losing their salvation. Read the following passages and write the promises given in them: Psalm 23:4‑5; 121; John 10:28; Romans 5:1‑11; 8:38‑39; Hebrews 13:5b‑6; 1 Peter 1:3‑5; 1 John 5:11‑ 13; and Jude 24. Summarize in your own words the protection that the Lord provides for us. Thank Him in prayer now for that protection.

Provided by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 314
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986