How Do You Spot a False Teacher? | The Gospels | Matthew 7:15–23

SPEAKER_1 (0:05)

Welcome to Ten Minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life in the time it takes to get to work.

Patrick Miller (0:10)

I'm Patrick Miller.

Who do you let shape your faith? I ask because the truth is that in some ways, everyone and even the world around us influences the shape of what we believe and what we believe to be true. And yet, I think there's always individuals that we grant extra authority in our life. It might be a mentor or a pastor. It might be a Bible teacher that you listen to online or on the radio. Now, if you listen to Ten Minute Bible Talks regularly, that means that you've given our team some level of authority in your spiritual life. Not that we get to tell you what to do or what to believe or how to live, but as we interpret the Bible alongside you day by day, we're shaping your ideas of what the Bible says and therefore what God says. Now, I wish I could say that all Bible teachers are created equal. As long as you're listening to Christian content, you're all good. I wish I could say, just trust anyone who has lots of people trusting him or her because that vets their credibility. But that wouldn't be true. And there's one reason why. Jesus warned us that teachers will come in his name and he commanded us to be on the lookout for them because they can create terrible havoc in our spiritual lives. Let's pick up in Matthew 7

Watch out for prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious as wolves. By their fruits, you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes 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.

So, what do we learn about teachers in this passage? Well, the first thing is arguably the most important. Their wolves and sheep's clothing. You see, sometimes it's obvious when someone is a teacher. You know, if someone claims to be the second coming of Christ, or tells you that the Bible is disposable, then you already know, yeah, maybe I shouldn't be trusting this person. Maybe this person isn't totally with it. But most teachers aren't like that. In fact, 95% of what most teachers say will be good. It will sound true and right. But it's the remaining 5% that's actually dangerous. And here's why. That remaining 5%, it also rarely looks dangerous. In fact, it's often appealing. Probably the most prevalent teachers today are teachers of what's called the prosperity gospel. They say that if you trust God and give generously, then he'll give you health and wealth and prosperity in your life. And they've got a lot of Bible verses they can take out of context to prove their point. But there's one problem. The Bible doesn't teach the prosperity gospel. Jesus himself taught the opposite, actually. He taught his disciples to expect trouble. In his final address to the disciples in John 16–33, he said, In this world, you will have trouble. In other places, he says that his true disciples will take up a cross and that they'll face hardship and persecution as a result of following him. In other words, people of faith are never promised health, wealth, or prosperity or even security. In fact, they are frequently warned by Jesus that truly faithful Christians must be willing to give up our health, our wealth, and our prosperity if we want to remain faithful. So the prosperity gospelers seem like sheep because they preach a message that we'd all like to be true. Follow Jesus and you'll get whatever you want. But in reality, it's false. And the falseness is what makes them into wolves.

You see, if you believe the prosperity gospel, then what will you do when you get a cancer diagnosis or can't have kids or struggle to make ends meet?

Well, the prosperity gospelers, they'll tell you that your problem is faith, that if you just believe more, then you'd get what you want. But here's the problem with that. That mentality, it turns God into a vending machine, not a person. And it beats up people who are full of faith but are going through struggles that are not a result of their faith. And if you follow the prosperity gospel, it will destroy your walk with Jesus. Because it's not presenting to you the real Jesus. It's a faith Jesus. It's a vending machine Jesus. You put faith in and he gives you whatever you want.