There are many false teachers and deceivers in these last days who claim to be one of God's servants. These wolves may be a pastor or head up some kind of popular ministry. Some have great personal charisma when they speak and teach. They say glowing things and sound like they are really sincere. They certainly look "Holy" and they look like one of "God's servants". But are they?
This is the problem! People are taken in by the great swelling words and personal charisma of a teacher/preacher. Many listen to, believe, and follow these "great" teachers/preachers because they like what is said. The person's credibility is judged by his speaking style and his popularity. The actual fruit from his life is never checked.
There is a great danger when a person follows one of the popular preachers of this day and does not check out the fruit in the person's life. When I mention fruit I'm speaking of two things. The fruit of good, solid, Biblical doctrine is very important. Secondly the fruit of the person's actions and lifestyle.
The Lord Jesus told us to look at a the fruit of a person's life. This is how we can discern a wolf from a servant of the Lord. Here is what the Bible says:
Matt 7
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes
of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a
corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a
corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn
down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
THE FRUIT OF DOCTRINE
It is very important to look at a person's doctrinal stand. A person may be a charismatic speaker who can enlighten and entertain any crowd. However, if that person denies the Trinity, then he is nothing more than a servant of Satan.
There are certain areas where Christians may disagree on minor doctrinal issues. One of them would be the timing of the rapture. Some believe in pre, others post, others mid, and others no rapture. This teaching on prophecy is a nice to know item but it has no bearing on salvation. Other minor issues would be women wearing hats in church or not. There are many minor issues that have no bearing on salvation.
On the other hand, there are doctrines that are essential to the Christian faith. If denied, a person is guilty of teaching false doctrine and heresy. Here are some examples of essential doctrines: The Trinity, salvation by faith apart from works, the blood of Jesus, Salvation only through the Lord Jesus, The infallibility of the Word of God, the virgin birth etc.
I've noticed that tares and false Christians deny the following
two Biblical doctrines.
1) The Trinity
2) Salvation by faith apart from works
The Trinity has been under attack by the devil and his servants for the history of the Church. Wolves from the devil love to deny that the Lord Jesus is God manifest in human flesh.
Another earmark of a Satanic tare is the teaching that somehow salvation can be earned or merited. This teaching is in direct opposition to the Bible which clearly states that salvation is a gift from God that can never be earned or merited. All the cults preach some kind of works based salvation. They teach that by faithful and good works the follower can somehow attain heaven. Roman Catholicism has their sacraments to merit favor with God and after death they teach a person can purge his own sins in the fires of purgatory. Mormons, JW's, Muslims are all working for their salvation but in different ways. To many lost people the concept of a scale where good works are weighed against bad works determine ones eternal fate after death. This concept is very popular and is practiced by Catholics and Muslims. They both believe in a great scale in the sky after death where the good works and the bad works are weighed. The end result of all this heresy is a denial of salvation by faith apart from works.
So when you hear a charismatic and popular preacher/teacher, dig deeper and check out the fruits of his doctrine. This is what the Bereans did when they heard the teachings from the Apostle Paul. Instead of blindly believing Paul's doctrine, the Bereans first checked out Paul's teachings with the Word of God. Paul was only accepted AFTER his teachings were verified from God's Word. As a result of this "fruit checking" was the Apostle Paul angry? I know the modern day teachers/preachers would get very angry. They would scream: Do not touch the Lord's anointed and other mindless sayings or threats. The Apostle Paul had different reaction from the wolves and tares of our current day. Instead of getting angry he commended the Bereans. He said they were more noble than others who heard what he taught and believed without checking him out. Have a look at this as recorded in the Bible:
Acts 17
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by
night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue
of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that
they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched
the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women
which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
Notice verse 11 where the Bereans searched the Scriptures daily to make sure what Paul was saying lined up with God's Word. As a result of verifying Paul's doctrine with the Word of God two things happened:
1) They were praised and said to be more noble than others who just blindly believed.
2) Verse 12 indicates that many of them believed. Since they were used to testing true verses false doctrine with the Scriptures, many were saved. They were able to recognize truth when the heard it and as a result of their study they believed.
So believer, do you check out the fruit of doctrine in that popular teacher/preacher you like so much?
THE FRUIT IN A PERSON'S LIFE
Look again at the following verses spoken by the Lord Jesus:
Matt 7
5 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of
thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt
tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt
tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and
cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Everyone produces fruit in their life of some kind. Just open your eyes and look at the fruit produced by that favorite teacher/preacher. A tare will have actions and fruit that will not line up with his words. False teachers are very self centered. These people will be in love with the money, power, and influence of their position. Watch for these things. Look at their moral lives. Are they married? Are they faithful to their wife? Here is a big one: Are they faithful with the use of money?... or are they ministers of Satan living lavish lifestyles as the fleece the flock of God?
Beware as the Bible warns that these tares/false teachers will be present and they will look like ministers of righteousness. This means even though they are servants of Satan, they will "look" like they are servants of God! Think about that as you read the following verses:
2 Cor 11
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel
of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall
be according to their works.
Many profess with their mouths that they know God and are His servants. However, by their actions (fruits) they can be easily seen to be fake and false.
To conclude this tract, here is a verse warning about those who say one thing while they do another:
Titus 1
16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny
him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good
work reprobate
Be warned as the above verse describes the servants of Satan who try to impersonate Christians!
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