Beware of False Prophets
David W Palmer
(Matthew 7:15 DKJV) “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are predatory wolves.”
“False prophets” is the next of Jesus’s topics for his budding apprentices. This is a poignant warning for his group of enthusiastic, open—and therefore somewhat naive and vulnerable—new followers. On one hand, our Master doesn’t want us to be so overly guarded or suspicious that we accept no one. But on the other hand, he warns us strongly about deceptive and demonically motivated people who portray themselves as having godly spiritual gifting.
Jesus said that they were “prophets.” By saying this, he shows that these people must have some evidence of what looks like a genuine prophetic ministry. Only counterfeits that are very close to the original have the power to deceive. This shows that false prophets will be difficult to distinguish from the true ones.
The fact that Jesus called them, “false,” implies that they are untrue, erroneous, deceitful, and wicked. In other words, they are very dangerous. His descriptor, “predatory wolves,” implies that the devourer motivates them. (This makes me wonder if they are tithing, because if they were, the tither’s blessing would have the devourer rebuked. (See: Mal. 3:10–12.)) They use what looks like a genuine prophetic gift to mislead—probably for their own ends. Thankfully, Jesus shows us how to identify them without becoming isolated through fear and self-protection:
(Matthew 7:16–20 DKJV) “You will know them by their fruit: can you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? {17} Likewise, every good tree yields excellent fruit; and a corrupt tree yields evil fruit. {18} A good tree cannot yield evil fruit; nor can a corrupt tree yield good fruit. {19} Every tree that doesn’t yield good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. {20} Therefore, by their fruit you will know them.”
When I read this, I always think: “This is clear enough; I will recognize the false prophets by their fruit.” But what is the fruit I should look for, and how will I know it when I see it? Before we jump to any conclusions about what this “fruit” might be, let’s see if Jesus has the answer for us in his context.
In the preceding passage—as we have seen in previous studies—Jesus taught the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” So this would be the first fruit to look for in the life of those claiming true prophetic ministry; do they live by Jesus’s Golden Rule, and by his command to love (for they are parallel—one and the same)?
Next, we look at the passage following Jesus’s warning about the false prophets; we are looking at what Jesus said in context to identify the fruit of true and false prophet ministries:
(Matthew 7:21–23 DKJV) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven. {22} Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and throw out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ {23} And then I will confess to them, ‘I never knew you: depart from me, you who work lawlessness.’”
Here we see that the false prophets:
What would be the fruit of knowing Jesus, or having him know you? I believe this would come down to evidence of submission to the Holy Spirit—the Good Shepherd’s voice (See: John 10:27). After all, only by loving him, following him, obeying him, and receiving his grace can his fruit develop in our lives. What would that fruit look like?
(Galatians 5:22–24 KJV) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, {23} Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. {24} And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”)
Here we see the Holy Spirit himself describing the fruit that develops in the life of a person surrendered to him. And we see the real kicker at the end: “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” A false prophet will not be able to restrain and/or control their flesh; their fleshly works, lusts, addictions, and indulgences will show (See: Gal. 5:19–21 for the works of the flesh). These things are easy to spot—especially for someone who lives on the “strait and narrow,” who is fully submitted to the Holy Spirit, and who loves God with all of their heart. If you live like this, you will recognize this relationship in others. Conversely, you will also know if they do and say things the Holy Spirit doesn’t like.
Remember, when we discover a prophet without the right fruit, our role is not to berate them, judge them openly, or to assassinate their reputation. Our responsibility is first to avoid them (Rom. 16:17); second, to pray for them and about what God wants us to do; and third, to do whatever the Holy Spirit instructs us to do.
Let’s praise God today that we have a brilliant Lord, teacher, and life coach for our life of following him … to eternal glory. If we listen to him and do what he says, we will make it all the way there—safely.
Praise the Lord!
