Recognizing Wolves in Sheep's Clothing - Inspect the Fruit

Since there are false prophets in the world, we must be careful of deception. But the greatest danger is self-deception. The scribes and Pharisees had fooled themselves into believing that they were righteous and others were sinful. It is possible for people to know the right language, believe intellectually the right doctrines, obey the right rules, and still not be saved.
— Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 30.

In my last post, I covered The Golden Rule and the Narrow Path (Matthew 7:12-14). In this post, I’ll cover some warnings Jesus gave regarding how we might be enticed from the narrow path. Beware of spiritual and religious leaders who are hungry for money, power, and control.

Beware of Wolves

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
— Matthew 7:15 NKJV

Paul gives a similar warning in Acts 20:29-30.

29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
— Acts 20:29-30 NKJV

Interestingly, Paul highlights how these leaders will draw people to themselves and not to Jesus. On a similar note, Peter also warns of false prophets and teachers.

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
— 2 Peter 2:1-3 NKJV

Peter highlights that covetousness or greediness will be a motivating factor for these false teachers. Whenever a spiritual teacher is more concerned with self than with Jesus and talks more about money than service its a red flag. I like how Jon Courson puts it,

They’ll go for your pocketbooks, concerned not so much about feeding you as they are about fleecing you.
— Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 43.

Religious and spiritual leaders can be charismatic, knowledgeable, and appear wise. It is not always obvious that someone is a wolf in sheep's clothing. So, Jesus offers a way to identify false teachers and prophets.

How do you spot a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
—Matthew 7:16-20NKJV

It is not obvious who are wolves, but it is also not impossible to identify them. The most dangerous false prophets/teachers/pastors are the ones that you can’t tell right away, but with patience they all reveal themselves.

How can they be known? Not always by their doctrine, which, when it suits their purpose, is orthodox, but by their works, especially by their covetousness, which is the unfailing characteristic of false prophets.
—J. R. Dummelow, ed., A Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1936), 651.

Jesus is clear: We spot a fake by its fruits. This may take time, but what do their leadership, ministry, and teachings produce? Jesus is not saying someone must know all things and never make mistakes; rather, when you apply their teachings to your life, what is the result? What are the results present in their lives?

Ye shall know them by their fruits—not their doctrines—as many of the elder interpreters and some later ones explain it—for that corresponds to the tree itself; but the practical effect of their teaching, which is the proper fruit of the tree.
—Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 30.

False prophets were not going to be a new challenge in the future; they had been an issue for a long time. Isaiah already gives us ways to identify a false prophet.

 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
—Isaiah 8:20 NKJV

It is vital for everyone to understand that God is consistent. If God kept changing His mind about things, we would not be able to identify a false prophet. So, when someone claims to have a new revelation from God, we should always compare it to what God has revealed in the Bible. If the new teaching contradicts the Bible, we know it is not from God.

Though there are dangers of being led astray by false teachers and prophets, there is always the possibility that we might be a false teacher or prophet. We tend to always think of ourselves as being correct, but I believe we should use Jesus’ words to hold ourselves accountable. I regularly ask myself,

“What fruit is my ministry producing?”
“What is it like to be married to me? To have me as a father?”

How often do you ask yourself about your impact on those closest to you? What kind of fruit do your family members, co-workers, classmates, and neighbors experience when they interact with you? Are the fruits of the Spirit present in your life?

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
— Galatians 5:22-23NKJV

Paul describes it as a battle in which we either experience the fruit of the spirit or the works of the flesh.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
[…]
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
—Galatians 5:19-21, 24-26 NKJV

You may not consider yourself a teacher or a spiritual leader, but you are. All of us influence those around us. I have learned so much about God by talking with other believers, regardless of their level of formal education. All of us are teaching those around us something; let’s make it something positive and not negative.

John also has something to say regarding false believers.

He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
— 1 John 2:4 NKJV

John’s words remind us of Jesus’ own words recorded in Matthew 5:19 (Law Fulfilled)

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
— Matthew 5:19 NKJV

There’s especially consistency regarding God's laws or commandments. I have noticed that even those who claim the Ten Commandments were abolished are quick to fire a pastor who is caught stealing money, lying, or committing adultery. There is a reason God wrote the Ten Commandments with His own finger on tablets of stone (Exodus 24:12; 34:1). Jesus and Peter highlight that someone who is breaking God’s commandments and teaching others to do the same is not from God.

When the doctrine we accept kills sin in the heart, purifies the soul from defilement, bears fruit unto holiness, we may know that it is the truth of God. When benevolence, kindness, tenderheartedness, sympathy, are manifest in our lives; when the joy of right doing is in our hearts; when we exalt Christ, and not self, we may know that our faith is of the right order. “Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” 1 John 2:3.
—Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing p.146–147.

There is always a danger when covering this topic that it will cause people to become judgmental. If you experience such temptations, you should read my post Avoiding Judgmental Attitudes: Unpacking Matthew 7:1-6. I know someone who would say something really judgmental and then follow it by saying, “I’m not judging; I’m just inspecting the fruit…” We should be more concerned with our walk with God and with the fruit that our life bears.

It is worth emphasizing, however, that one can never know with absolute certainty the spiritual state of any other individual.
—Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 133.

Lord, Lord

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
— Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV

Jesus adds that simply saying “Lord, Lord " is not enough. Some think it is so easy to fool God that saying magic words is enough. God cares about our hearts, and He knows our hearts.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
—1Samuel 16:7 NKJV

Following Jesus and accepting Him as Lord and Savior is about much more than saying, “Lord, Lord.” Perhaps you wonder how someone could work wonders in Jesus' name without having a true relationship with Him. John Courson identifies three possibilities.

• One is that they were lying. They never did them. Maybe they just thought about doing them, or thought they were doing them.

• Second, it is possible they were doing these things in the power of the devil. The Book of Acts talks about Simon the Sorcerer, who did miracles, but not in the power of the Spirit. In Moses’ day, Pharaoh’s magicians copied, to a certain extent, the miracles of God, but it was by the power of the devil.

• Third, the Lord could have been simply using them in spite of themselves. The Lord used Balaam, even though Balaam was not right with Him. He prophesied through King Saul, even though Saul’s heart was far from Him. He spoke prophetically through Caiaphas the high priest, saying, “Should not one man die for the nation?” although Caiaphas knew it not. (Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 43.)

Jesus’ words to those who were working wonders “in His name” was

‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Lawlessness is the condition of being without or violating the law. As we addressed above, breaking God’s law is a major red flag, and even if someone does signs and wonders, we should not be fooled into following them if they “break God’s laws” (New Living Translation).

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
—Hosea 4:6 NKJV

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
—Thessalonians 2:9-10 NKJV

This post may start to sound like a sermon on salvation by works, but that is not what Jesus is teaching, and it is not my main point. Though the Bible is clear that those who love Jesus keep His commandments

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.
—John 14:15NKJV

I would like to conclude by highlighting Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 25:31-46.

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then 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: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’

44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Notice verse 37, where Jesus describes the righteous as surprised that they cared for Him. This reaction from the righteous indicates that they were doing God’s will without expecting anything in return. They were not even consciously trying to earn their salvation. I believe they were not saved because of these actions; they were saved because they truly loved Jesus, and as a result, they could not help but live according to His will. Their righteous actions were not done in an effort to earn anything; they were not even aware that they were doing this for Jesus.

They just were not saved by works; they were saved by grace. Jesus points to their works as evidence of the content of their hearts. Jesus could have said,

“Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for you truly loved me.”

But to everyone else, it could sound like Jesus is playing favorites. When Jesus highlights their behavior, the lost realize that, indeed, those who were saved lived different lives. The lost, on the other hand, even if they said “Lord, Lord” and worked wonders, did not live like those who truly loved God.

Takeaway

You will not save yourself by behaving rightly. Your behavior is evidence of the content of your heart. In other words, your fruit only reveals the kind of tree you are. You cannot change what kind of tree you are, but God can! Only God can cause you to bear fruit for His honor and glory. The best part is that you will bear fruit without even noticing it; you will desire to do God’s will. You will not do it because you have to; it will not be out of fear of punishment or out of a desire for a special reward; it will just be the way you desire to live your life.

Seek Jesus, invite Him into your heart. Ask for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). God wants you to bear good fruit, and if you also desire it, there’s no power in the universe that can keep you from producing fruit. Surrender to Jesus and allow Him to shape your life in accordance with His will. This will be your best possible life, and all who interact with you will be blessed by God through you.