Truth and Falsehood
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
Matthew 7:15-20
There are, according to Jesus, two types of prophets. You must choose which type you will listen to. There are the prophets who proclaim the unadorned truth about the Kingdom of God, and there are the prophets who do not.
False prophets were nothing new in Israel. Jeremiah denounced those who simply said whatever the people wanted to hear.[1] Instead of bringing a word from the Lord, they just spoke what was in their heads! They gave the people false assurance, speaking of peace where none was to be found,[2] announcing prosperity and security when God had promised no such things. The word “false” is “pseudo” in the Greek, which means “lie.” False prophets lie. There is an objective standard of truth which they choose to pervert. False prophets can do a great deal of damage, often leading astray many of the faithful. Their methods are thoroughly deceptive.
False prophets are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Outwardly, they appear to be harmless, often using the language of orthodoxy but twisting the meaning of words to their own ends. Once they have won the confidence of the flock they reveal their true nature and wreak havoc.[3] False prophets are notorious for accommodating enemies of the truth, flirting with foreign religious practices, and giving the impression that the narrow way is not so narrow after all. Alternatively, they may suggest that the broad way does not lead to destruction, but that all roads lead to God.
Jesus does not pull any punches in dealing with falsehood. Those who perpetuate lies lead the people to put their trust in something other than the Gospel. They are, therefore, to be resisted. God’s people must use the bar of Scripture and the discernment of the Holy Spirit to judge between competing truth claims. But in the end, there is only one truth and that is God’s. Truth and falsehood exclude one another. Be careful which you choose.
Lord God,
Lead me into all truth.
May I always reject all other alternatives and cling to Your Word.
Humbly, yet with confidence in Your guidance and Your goodness,
help me to stand upon Your promises.
May the truth that I have found in Jesus set me free.
Amen.
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
Matthew 7:15-20
There are, according to Jesus, two types of prophets. You must choose which type you will listen to. There are the prophets who proclaim the unadorned truth about the Kingdom of God, and there are the prophets who do not.
False prophets were nothing new in Israel. Jeremiah denounced those who simply said whatever the people wanted to hear.[1] Instead of bringing a word from the Lord, they just spoke what was in their heads! They gave the people false assurance, speaking of peace where none was to be found,[2] announcing prosperity and security when God had promised no such things. The word “false” is “pseudo” in the Greek, which means “lie.” False prophets lie. There is an objective standard of truth which they choose to pervert. False prophets can do a great deal of damage, often leading astray many of the faithful. Their methods are thoroughly deceptive.
False prophets are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Outwardly, they appear to be harmless, often using the language of orthodoxy but twisting the meaning of words to their own ends. Once they have won the confidence of the flock they reveal their true nature and wreak havoc.[3] False prophets are notorious for accommodating enemies of the truth, flirting with foreign religious practices, and giving the impression that the narrow way is not so narrow after all. Alternatively, they may suggest that the broad way does not lead to destruction, but that all roads lead to God.
Jesus does not pull any punches in dealing with falsehood. Those who perpetuate lies lead the people to put their trust in something other than the Gospel. They are, therefore, to be resisted. God’s people must use the bar of Scripture and the discernment of the Holy Spirit to judge between competing truth claims. But in the end, there is only one truth and that is God’s. Truth and falsehood exclude one another. Be careful which you choose.
Lord God,
Lead me into all truth.
May I always reject all other alternatives and cling to Your Word.
Humbly, yet with confidence in Your guidance and Your goodness,
help me to stand upon Your promises.
May the truth that I have found in Jesus set me free.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment