July 3 - Discerning False Prophets: The Character Test

“‘You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit’” (Matthew 7:16–17).

One’s basic character—attitudes, inner motives, loyalties, standards—eventually manifests itself in his or her life. Christians produce good fruit in their attitudes and actions. But unbelievers, especially false prophets, will eventually manifest bad fruit.

False teachers can hide their true fruit for a time behind ecclesiastical trappings, evangelical vocabulary, and false fellowship. But how they behave when not around Christians will soon enough reveal their true loyalties and convictions. Unless they exhibit “moral excellence . . . knowledge . . . self-control . . . perseverance . . . godliness” and so forth (see 2 Peter 1:5–8), we can be sure God has not sent them and they do not belong to Jesus Christ. Another crucial indicator of character that we can look for, as summarized by Christ Himself, is this: “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but Hhe who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” (John 7:18).

The teacher who emulates Christ and wants to glorify Him is a genuine servant of the Lord. But the false one, no matter how clever, can’t hide for long his corrupt character—and the discerning believer will recognize this. As John Calvin wrote, “Nothing is more difficult to counterfeit than virtue.”

How does this teaching coexist with the “judge not” command from earlier in Jesus’ sermon? What happens when character judgments are treated as taboo by the people of God? How have you witnessed this occurring?

How does this teaching coexist with the “judge not” command

For me, the questions are different.

Is the article about Christians in general or only Christian teachers/preachers/prophets? Are we saved by our behavior, by our works, by our fruit?

Is a Christian one who has no character flaws and is perfect in virtue and in doctrine? If not, where is the line that differentiates 'accepted' character/virtue/doctrine for salvation vs 'not accepted'?

I believe we're all a work in progress. The idea of being 'perfect' does not exist in this lifetime. We are 'being' perfected by the Lord (Holy Spirit and Word) working in us.

As we discern one another, let us be careful to not be graceless. We should treat false teachers (who are in our specific church and denomination) according to the admonition found in Matthew 18:

If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, regard him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

The universal Church, and therefore its members, are not in agreement over many things. I have some friends who believe all Catholics are going to hell. I have others who believe the gift of Tongues ended in the 1st century. I have other friends whose doctrine is different from that of my church. Do I consider these Christian friends heretics and false teachers? I do not. What makes us Christian brothers and sisters is that we received Christ's atoning blood as payment for our salvation; that we believe Christ is the Son and Lamb of God - the Savior of the world.

If not, what then qualifies someone as being a Christian in your book?

A simple, direct question deserves a simple, direct answer

In the book that we 'christians' all claim, it is said to 'lean not on your own understanding' (Proverbs 3:5).

So, I tend to have no 'book' of my own, but in keeping with that admonition, let me quote again from that book where Jesus gives a direct response to a direct query from folks that wanted to know basically what you've asked me here:

John 6:25-40
²⁵When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
²⁶Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

²⁸Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” (direct question)
²⁹Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (direct answer)

³⁰So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? ³¹Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[c]”
³²Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
³⁴“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
³⁵Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

You'll note that I've emphasized BELIEVE in the about text.

There will be some 'Christians' that say that is NOT enough, but that we MUST do certain other things to be able to claim the title as a Christian.

Throughout the NT the writers have taken to task things added to or removed from the clear teaching the Apostles were tasked with:

Mark 16:14-16

14 Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart,
because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

You'll note that I've emphasized BELIEVE in the about text. There will be some 'Christians' that say that is NOT enough, but that we MUST do certain other things to be able to claim the title as a Christian.

Indeed, John 6 and other scripture asks if we believe that Jesus is the Christ. Our believe is essential to receiving His eternal life. I also believe that our ability to believe is not something we can produce without God's grace. Mental assent is not belief.

In the early days and centuries of the Church, counsels made up of Apostles and/or Bishops, dealt with and remedied divisions caused by doctrinal differences. Paul contending with the leadership in Jerusalem concerning gentiles comes to mind. Today, there is no mechanism/body/counsel that allows Christians to be united in doctrine. At the same time, we have the promise that the gates for hell will not prevail against Christ's church. We have Jesus praying that we (Christians) be one as He and His Father are one. Will we come into oneness doctrinally as in the 1st century? If not, then what type of oneness was Jesus talking about? These are questions that I ponder.

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