15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
True and False Disciples
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
How does your life reflect Gods character?
These 3 subsections in matthew 7 have 1 ultimate theme that tie them all together. Saying you believe in Jesus Chirst just isnt enough, you have to LIVE IT. Jesus says here you will recognize believers by their fruit, which means that their actions will testify to whats in their hearts.Proverbs says that the heart is the wellspring of life, everything you do flows from it and matthew says that where your treasure is there your heart will be also. So if you say that you believe in God and then go drinking and partying the next day, you dont have God in your heart, because only Godly actions can flow out of a Godly heart.The difference between the two builders(the one who built on the rock, and the one who built on the sand) wasnt what they knew, it's what they did in repsonse to what they knew.
Read Galatians 5:19-26 and see what God has to say about those who choose to live like this.
If you have any questions, comments are prayer requests please email me at the address below, God Bless,
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