K095. Jesus said, "By their fruits, you shall know them" (Mat 7:15, 20)

In the judgement above, Jesus was not referring to the weak believers, the cold believers, the ignorant believers, or the believers who did not pray enough or do enough to please God; but the false prophets or the 'lukewarm' preachers of God's words. Of course, Jesus will judge the worldly believers or cold believers who are ashamed of following Him (Mar 8:34-38), but Mat 7:15-20 here is a judgement mainly on those preaching Him. How do we know that they are preachers? Jesus explained clearly that by their fruits, we shall know whether they are truly from God even if they can preach or prophesy in His name. Jesus said, By their fruits .. Hence, their fruits are more than just one type of fruits. We can categorize their fruits into two main types:
1. the fruits of their thoughts and intention, and 2. the fruits of their behaviours and actions.

1. FRUITS OF THEIR THOUGHTS
Unlike the fruits of behaviours, the fruits of thoughts are more subtle and complex. They are hidden, they cannot be seen, and it is harder for us to know them. They could be the fruits of lawlessness and 'lukewarmness', or thoughts of lawlessness. However, I believe that I have explained enough about the fruits of lawlessness and lukewarmness in my previous posts. Now, I will just want to talk more about the fruits of their behaviours, actions, and deeds.

2. FRUITS OF THEIR BEHAVIOURS
We must be careful if we want to discern hem by their behaviours. The fruits of behaviours can be further divided into the way they dress, they eat, they act, .. etc.
Discernment based on behaviours alone may not be accurate; it may vary on different people. I must say that a greedy pastor may not be a false prophet and vice versa (i.e. a false prophet may not be a greedy pastor too). However, there are some common 'criteria'. If a person is perceived as a false prophet, he may behave like one from:

a. The way he dresses
Of course, we should not judge by a person's clothing or appearance. John the Baptist had worn strange clothing. However, John did not dress to impress. He dressed to deliver the message of repentance. I quote from Matthew Henry's commentary:
"V. The garb in which he appeared, the figure he made, and the manner of his life, Mat_3:4. They, who expected the Messiah as a temporal prince, would think that his forerunner must come in great pomp and splendour, that his equipage should be very magnificent and gay; but it proves quite contrary; he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, but mean in the eyes of the world; and, as Christ himself, having no form or comeliness; to intimate betimes, that the glory of Christ's kingdom was to be spiritual, and the subjects of it such as ordinarily were either found by it, or made by it, poor and despised, who derived their honours, pleasures, and riches, from another world.
His dress was plain - This same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; he did not go in long clothing, as the scribes, or soft clothing, as the courtiers, but in the clothing of a country husbandman; for he lived in a country place, and suited his habit to his habitation. Note, It is good for us to accommodate ourselves to the place and condition which God, in his providence, has put us in. John appeared in this dress, .. ..

b. The way he eats
However, John's diet was plain; - his meat was locusts and wild honey; not as if he never ate any thing else; but these he frequently fed upon, and made many meals of them, when he retired into solitary places, and continued long there for contemplation. Locusts were a sort of flying insect, very good for food, and allowed as clean (Lev_11:22); they required little dressing, and were light, and easy of digestion, whence it is reckoned among the infirmities of old age, that the grasshopper, or locust, is then a burden to the stomach, Ecc_12:5. Wild honey was that which Canaan flowed with, 1Sa_14:26. Either it was gathered immediately, as it fell in the dew, or rather, as it was found in the hollows of trees and rocks, where bees built, that were not, like those in hives, under the care and inspection of men. This intimates that he ate sparingly, a little served his turn; a man would be long ere he filled his belly with locusts and wild honey: John Baptist came neither eating nor drinking (Mat_11:18) - not with the curiosity, formality, and familiarity that other people do. He was so entirely taken up with spiritual things, that he could seldom find time for a set meal. Now, (1.) This agreed with the doctrine he preached of repentance, and fruits meet for repentance. Note, Those whose business it is to call others to mourn for sin, and to mortify it, .. ..."
Matthew Henry wrote the above and explained it excellently. I wish I could have shown the whole explanation here, but I could only quote some of his commentaries to show why many old brothers like him may have more discernment than many preachers today.
(Of course, I do not deny that a false prophet can always choose to wear just a Tee-shirt or dress like John the Baptist when he preaches. If he chooses to do so, he would escape our detection. We can only know him by the first 'fruit' i.e. the fruits of his thoughts. However, a false prophets may not be smart enough or contented enough to just dress or eat like John the Baptist; he would finally show himself by his dressing. He knew the psychology of dressing, especially if he wants the people to remember him as the 'anointed' one. I don't have to quote study or research by different psychologists. I can say from my own experience that when I hear and SEE a preacher, a pastor, or a false prophet speaking strongly on a radical doctrine or a radical teaching, I must be prepared for the 'consequence'. For the next few days, I would dream about him; not just about his fantastic voice or messages; but about the image that he projected to us or the way he dressed. So, who say dressing is not important? It can have great impact on the hearers, especially the audience of the false prophets, even though he may wear only the 'sheep's clothing' or gay clothing: Mat 7:15-16 KJV  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.. Mar 12:38 KJV  And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces .. Jas 2:3 KJV  And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and .. )

c. The way he acts
I have just shared about the way a false prophet will dress. The way he acts can sometimes be questionable too. However, I do not have time to talk about all this in detailed. We can all find out if their behaviours will please God or please men by reading the scripture ourselves.

d. The way he preaches the warnings or prophecies of Christ
Many of us still think that the greatest prophecy of the Lord for the end time is His prophecy of the earthquake, tsunami, widespread of diseases, famine, pollution, economic crisis, wars, and many natural calamities. However, do we know that the greatest prophecy of the Lord for the end time is not all these, but the PROPHECY ABOUT THE FALSE PROPHETS. Common sense tells us why the false prophets would 'vehemently' deny this prophecy about themselves. But they cannot deny it because Jesus had 'deliberately' showed that His prophecy about them is more applicable than the rest of His prophecies about the economic crisis, wars, diseases, famine, earthquake, pollution, tsunami, and natural calamities. It is because His prophecy about the false prophets was the only prophecy that He repeated three times (in different dispensations),

Mat 24:4-24 KJV  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  (5)  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many .. (11) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  (12)  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold ..  (24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  (25)  Behold, I have told you before.
Do you remember that Jesus preached repentance at three different 'times' too (see K093)? When He did something or said something more than twice, He meant serious 'business'.

Why would Jesus give us such serious warnings and prophecies just before He died? It is because the false prophets have the 'lying power' to draw away the believers, deceive them to depart from the doctrine of Christ, and put the spirit of 'lawlessness' (back) into their hearts and minds after they have believed and repented.
2Pe 2:19-22 KJV  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.  (20)  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  (21)  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.  (22)  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.


What is the way of righteousness?
Many argue that Christianity is not a religion or a way of life. But 2Pe 2:19-22 above and Jas 1:26 show us that Christianity is still God's way of life. God's way of life is God's way of righteousness. And God's way of righteousness is God's way with His words and Holy Commandment. And God's commandment to us now is no longer by 'the law' or by Moses; but by Jesus Christ or by His Spirit: Joh 1:17 KJV  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

But does it mean that we have no more law or commandment by Jesus Christ or by the Spirit? No, we cannot take Joh 1:17 out of the Bible or out of its context and interpret it in any way we like; we must know the teaching of Jesus Christ in the whole gospel or Bible. Obviously, Jesus would never say that we have no more law or commandment because of Him or by Him. He said 'emphatically' that He did not come to destroy God's laws, and 'verily' that we must still do and teach His laws (Mat 5:17-19).
So how do we explain Joh 1:17 when it seems like a conflict to Mat 5:17-19 and to the teaching of Jesus Christ?
If we know the Bible, we would know that John 1:17 is referring to the covenants. The Old Covenant was given by Moses; but the New Covenant came by Jesus Christ. Obviously, both covenants are still the laws and commandments of God to His people, to the Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ. The first covenant which has God's laws and commandments in it was also called the covenant by 'the law' because it was given, written, and listed on the tablet in the 'law' format or the 'letter' format.But the second covenant has God's laws and commandments too. It is called the covenant by grace because it is now given by grace on our hearts and minds. Instead of being written as the 10 commandments or 1000 rules to do good and please God, it is now being understood as the whole law of God (to obey, worship, and please God) by His Spirit who is the witness in our spirit.
Rom 8:2-16 KJV For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death .. (16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
1Jn 5:6-8 KJV  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth .. (8)  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

Hence, the Spirit is our witness and He explains why Jesus has come to give us grace, not to destroy God's laws and commandments, but to fulfil them, and to help us to truly do and teach God's laws by His Spirit.
Hence, Jesus gives grace to the sinners to repent, to turn back to God and His commandments. But, He gives warning to the believers to remain faithful to God. We should not remain as ignorant as Adam and Eve and choose lawlessness or rebellion even though we have been saved or given God's commandment in our hearts.
Rom 8:4-8 KJV  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  (5)  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  (6)  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  (7)  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  (8)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

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