The Fruit of the Spirit: How to Evaluate Spiritual Leaders Beyond Words
By Dean Collins
I think we probably do better with distinguishing between a healthy tree and a diseased tree than we do with the hungry wolves in sheep’s clothing. Maybe we haven’t spent enough time considering the difference between a prophet and a false prophet. In the case of good fruit and diseased fruit, the coloring, texture, and smell gives us a clear evaluation and prompts us to toss the diseased food in the trash and not put it in our mouths. But false prophets are a little trickier to identify.
It might be that the warning Jesus gave about judging others just a few verses earlier in his sermon makes us shy away from suggesting that someone is not who they claim to be. But in this text, Jesus did say that we will be able to recognize the false prophets by their behavior.
Now, it might be that we are willing to ignore the behavior of some because we like some of what these false prophets and teachers have to say. But there is great caution in this passage that suggests that there isn’t actually a middle ground. In fact, in this one section of scripture, Jesus twice says we will know the false teachers and prophets by their actions. In other words, we should carefully watch how they walk instead of just focusing on their words.
So how do we apply this passage without judging others? It seems that Jesus makes our task fairly simple: Look at the fruit more than simply listening to the pleasing words that get tossed out by someone or some group. Both John and Peter clearly heard what Jesus said, and each of these two apostles referenced false prophets in their epistles.
John tells us that one clear test of the authenticity of a prophet is their willingness to confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh from God (1 John 4:1). This is a critically important test. There are many leaders in various roles in society, and some who claim to be Christian, who suggest how we are to live, what is best for us personally, etc. But are these spiritual and cultural leaders confessing that Jesus is the divine Son of God and claiming him as Lord? If not, then chances are they also are not exemplifying the actions that come with following Christ. Peter indicates that one behavior of a false prophet is greed (2 Peter 2:1-3), and Jeremiah has some strong words for false prophets in chapter 14, reminding us to set our hope in the one true God who always delivers.
It seems that lately there are many Christians who are sharing lots of opinions on politics. Everyone is free to share what they believe. As we consider this passage in the Sermon on the Mount, we might consider if the things we share reflect the fruit of the Spirit. Do we share things that are filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control? And do the things we say reflect this fruit? And if we share, repeat, or post messages from those whose actions and behaviors do not reflect the characteristics of the Jesus we profess, are we in any way acting like a false teacher?
This teaching of Jesus is convicting me to do a better job of evaluating who and what is of God and what is simply the teaching of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Father, today we ask that you give us the courage to apply your teaching in our lives. We ask that your Holy Spirit reveal to us where we are promoting things that are not from you. We also ask that your Holy Spirit grow the fruit of the Spirit in us that we might act with kindness and love to those whom are not following you and with whom we disagree. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your Time with God’s Word
Matthew 7:15-29; 1 John 4:1-2; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Jeremiah 14:13-14, 22; Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
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