Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Wolf, sheep, goat, good tree, bad tree, fruit

PeterJens

God bless you
Member
Jesus used lots of descriptive words

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.
Matt 7:15-17

Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"
Luke 6:44-46

Jesus appears to be saying teachers come and say some things that make sense, that
seem to have authority and can be agreed with.
But what is in the heart matters and how they deal with others. It seems that Jesus is talking
about those who are abrassive, sarcastic, put others down, make inappropriate jokes, who are
not interested in building people up, but building themselves up.
I have met people like this, and their approach to the individual seems to declare what is in their
heart.

Wolves are known for the violence and destruction they leave behind. So if people feel built
up and restored to fellowship in Christ, Amen. Interestingly though, talking about sin and
repentance does bring sorrow but if repentance follows great joy.

What made me stop and think, is can a bad tree, a false teacher, share good things, or are they
flawed? I think Jesus is saying, yes they can, if they purify their hearts, and resolve the source
of their problems and antagonism.

Now this seems obvious to me, but then I found someone who took such offence at this
suggestion, they accused me of being evil.
I was also accused of being a false teacher, a troll, so evil I should be thrown out of
church. And why? Because I shared the points above and desired people live in love.

Now if you want to define a false teacher, those who used these accusations against me
were doing exactly that. They wanted silence on resolving the heart, to stop me sharing
about walking in the light, and living in love, which are all things Jesus called us to.
And their approach was to try and destroy my personal spiritual walk and experience.
That is what wolves do, when something is said that challenges them, and they are brutal.

So my brothers and sisters, know who is your teacher, Jesus, and the fruit of His Spirit
in your life, love, joy, patience, endurance, faithfulness, self control, and in your fellow believers.

God bless you

Peter
 
Jesus, and the fruit of His Spirit
in your life, love, joy, patience, endurance, faithfulness, self control, and in your fellow believers.
I enjoyed your post here Brother PeterJens. I will add that not all seemingly false teaching comes from false prophets, and most times are the learned teachings of some Christian church. Christianity is a perpetual state of growth as God does His miraculous work in us to be molded into the very image of our Savior Jesus, and I use the following scripture to accommodate differences among true brethren.

Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Blessings in Christ Jesus. :wave2
 
I enjoyed your post here Brother PeterJens. I will add that not all seemingly false teaching comes from false prophets, and most times are the learned teachings of some Christian church. Christianity is a perpetual state of growth as God does His miraculous work in us to be molded into the very image of our Savior Jesus, and I use the following scripture to accommodate differences among true brethren.

Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Blessings in Christ Jesus. :wave2

I agree. The problem often is emphasis rather than right or wrong teaching.
I have often been surprised how I would disagree with a preacher part way through, but at the end
agree with where they got to.

I remember once I went up to preacher after his sermon and shared what I had got out of it.
He was not pleased, because the lesson I learnt was not his. What he wanted to hear was how
his conclusions I had echoed. I had hoped to encourage him by the things I had learnt from his
sharing, but that idea seemed to be beyond him.

And I have also learnt I can have fellowship and praise the Lord even with believers I am not in
agreement with on various approaches, but we share the same appreciation of Jesus. It used to bother
me that I wanted clarity
 
It seems that Jesus is talking
about those who are abrassive, sarcastic, put others down, make inappropriate jokes, who are
not interested in building people up, but building themselves up.
No, He's talking about frauds and charlatans who who come to prey on believers by ear tickling and peddling "deep knowledge" but who are there only to "fleece the sheep" and get rich running a religion business.
 
No, He's talking about frauds and charlatans who who come to prey on believers by ear tickling and peddling "deep knowledge" but who are there only to "fleece the sheep" and get rich running a religion business.

To be honest I have no experience of this because I have concentrated only on my local church.
What has spoken to me recently is simplicity and seeing people for who they are, and sharing service
and love to them.
 
Lord knows false teachers abound in this world. The devil leads them to insist on just the opposite of the eternal everlasting good news. Those who are redeemed see them for what they are. The rest of the world will have to figure it out.
 
Back
Top