Observing Fruit

"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. Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit."
Matthew 7:15-18

There were false prophets in the days of Jesus' life on earth. There were false prophets in the days of the early church. There are false prophets today. Anywhere and anytime there is truth spoken, there will be distortions of that truth. It was true in Bible times and it is still true. Jesus recognized that all generations would be forced to deal with this problem. He wanted to prepare us for the inevitable. I believe Jesus taught us some simple but powerful ways to deal with the issue of false prophets.
    We are to watch for false prophets. We often get so caught up in our own Christian lives that we forget there is a broader picture. Even though we may never meet a false prophet face to face, we will all be affected in some way by them. Jim Jones led many people astray. Although he began as a well-respected leader in the Christian faith, he moved away from the foundations of our faith to suit his own desires. Ultimately, hundreds died in a tragic mass suicide in Ghana. The Christian world was rocked by this senseless act. This is the kind of thing that can be produced by false teaching. We must be alert, watching those who stray from the center road of Christian faith.
    We will know them by their fruit. The kind of fruit that Jesus was speaking of is spiritual, not physical. It is never about the number of people who gather around a person or how successful they are by the world's standards. It is about the spiritual fruit, the changed lives, and the glory that is brought to Jesus through their ministries. I have noticed that a key marker of false prophets is a change of emphasis. The centerpiece of our faith is Jesus Christ. When any man begins to take glory for himself, we should pay close attention. When the main thing changes from Jesus to another person or ministry, the error has already blossomed into lies and deceit.
    Jesus made it simple for us. A good tree will bear good fruit. A bad tree will produce bad fruit. We must look carefully at the ministries and leaders that emerge on the Christian scene. If spiritual fruit follows them and if it is good fruit, we have no right to label them false prophets. It is not about whether we agree with their style or ministry focus. It has everything to do with the building of the kingdom of God. If destructive things follow them, if the fruit is bad, we have a responsibility to stand up and oppose. Spiritual fruit is spiritually discerned. It is the Holy Spirit who will warn us about heresy. Make it simple. Observe the fruit and judge based on what you see. It is not ours to judge what we cannot see. It is God who will judge the hearts of men. But we must watch, discern, and stand against false prophets. It is our responsibility to observe the fruit.