Matt. 7:15-27

[vpbrett]

Matt. 7:15-27



I've been looking at these verses for a while now
I think they hang together as one unified passage.
I outline it like this.

Matt. 7:15 The warning against false prophets
16-20 How to recognize them.
21-23 Their just and final destiny.
24-25 The way to resist them. (Found your beliefs upon the Rock)
26-27 The way to be deceived by them.

This is my own take on this passage.
It really gives me peace about verses 21-23.
I'd like to hear from others, just to make sure I've not gone off my nut.
Thanks and peace.
Victor

 

[bethdinsmore]

Matt 7:15-27
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
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.
22 Many 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?'
23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
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.
25 The 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.
26 But 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.
27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
(NIV)

What you say about false prophets makes sense to me, in verses 15-20. And I see verse 21 as describing people who served God without trusting in Christ as their sinbearer without any good works or promises of their own. They had never entered His family. They had not built upon the rock of Christ for their salvation.

Eph 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
(NIV)
Rom 11:6
6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
(NIV)

John 1:12
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
(NIV)

aloha in Jesus,friend. Thanks for sharing your good insights.