Is Matthew 7:15-23 About Believers or False Prophets?

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them..Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:15-23 KJV)

Some are actually using these verses to state that a born again believer can lose Salvation. That is so very wrong when you look at all of Matthew 7 and the context. Verse 15 is the context and this is all about false prophets and those believing their false teaching. This passage is not about born again believers. In Matthew 7 we see Jesus showing different roads people are believing to be saved and that only one road is the true way of salvation; BELIEF ON CHRIST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

The fruit here is the false teachings coming out of the mouths of the false prophets. Their root (unsaved Adam spirit) only produces bad fruit, bad results. It can only result in bad fruit because the Holy Spirit is not indwelling them. Thus, they preach from a fleshly place, the Law. Good fruit only comes forth from a tree with a good root (the indwelling Holy Spirit of a born again believer). Good fruit comes from one saved by grace, not good works.

Jesus talked about TWO ROADS people are on regarding their salvation. One is by works and deeds and the other is by trusting in the finished work of Christ, the foretold Messiah. He also talked about two gates which are the strait gate and the wide gate. Jesus said,

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 KJV)

The straight gate?

Well, Jesus said few will find it. So what about the wide gate then? What is the wrong belief of those entering the false wide gate to salvation if many are on that road to that gate? Well, other then Christianity, just about every other religion teaches that a person is saved by their works and deeds and religious rituals. If a person has more good than bad deeds, then they will make it to heaven. Even in denomination religions this false gospel is being preached. The thing is, Jesus is telling us that that is what FALSE PROPHETS are teaching (verse 15)! He says teaching and believing such is iniquity!

What Is The Narrow Way, The Straight Gate?

In John 14 Jesus proclaimed that HE IS THE WAY to salvation,

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ” (John 14:6 KJV)

You see, Jesus is the narrow straight gate. Not our self righteous works and deeds. If we think our self righteous works and deeds are ‘good enough’ to save us, it becomes are comparison game with other people who sin more. In fact, Jesus said that right from the start of Matthew 7,

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.” (Matthew 7:1 KJV)

The truth is that,

“…we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
(Isaiah 64:6 KJV)

Being humble and believing this is required to believe on Christ alone for salvation. It is only by understanding this truth of how God sees the unsaved that we can find the truth about how to be saved. It is NOT by good works, deeds and religious rituals in self righteousness. When we start from this truth, we see how wretched we really are before God and that NO ONE is exempt in this regard! What we need is to now seek the truth about salvation and the good news is that next we see Jesus saying,

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7: 7-8 KJV)

Thank God for this promise! The gate is narrow because salvation is only through Christ. But a person cannot find this unless they acknowledge their own sinfulness and how wretched they really are first. Our sense of good and bad by comparing with others who sin more, or have ‘greater’ sins is not seeking salvation. It is actually just deceiving ourselves!

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8 KJV)

 

“If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10 KJV)

 

Those On The Wide Road

:: Not Born Again Legalism:

These are those who believe they are saved by their good deeds and behaviour. They use Jesus’ name even. This describes most main stream Christian denominations today. They state things in the sin of PRIDE such as ‘Jesus forgave my past sins through the cross but now I have to work to keep saved.’ or even worse, ‘I have kept the commandments and no longer sin.’ These are people who are not saved but only think they are. Then they tell others that they are not saved if they think they have sin! They are judgmental towards truly saved people. This is a haughty Spirit and not a born again believer. God says ‘haughty is naughty’! (Romans 2:1-4, Luke 6:37).

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 KJV)

Some are even offended by a person saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ’s finished work on the cross. They use Scripture, but they ignore the context.

:: Miracle Working False Prophets:

They use Jesus’ name. They believe in their works and religious rituals. They try to get God to do what they want. They may even have or seem to have done miracles. Because of this they believe they must be saved. That is not truth though. That is false doctrine. Remember that when the Antichrist comes he will perform miracles that will deceive people into thinking he is the Messiah come!

“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2 Thes. 2:9-10 KJV)

This is a person on the wide gate to condemnation. I am not saying a born again believer can not have miracles in their life. But the FALSE PROPHETS are not born again by belief and trust alone in Christ and believe they are saved because they are able to perform miracles. And some are faking miracles as false prophets as well.

:: False Works Based Belief On Salvation:

These are people that believe in God. They go to church. They follow the church religion rituals. They seem to be ‘good people’ outwardly. They may even do many good and wonderful works for others. The problem is that they believe their good works erase their sinful deeds. Or they think if they have more good deeds than bad deeds that God will somehow just forget about their sins. Yet, They fail to realize that God is an eternal being who NEVER CHANGES. He is also perfectly JUST. God is the JUDGE, you see. Helping someone with a good deed would not erase a theft committed right? Either will any good work erase a sinful act. This is once again the sin of PRIDE and BOASTING in self righteousness, just as the Pharisees were believing in Law of Moses following for righteousness. And it is seriously wrong! Jesus called the Pharisees things like ‘vipers’ and ‘hypocrites’, ‘looking clean outside but inside full of dead men’s bones’.

“For I am the Lord, I change not…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV)

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 KJV)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17 KJV)

Apostle Paul put it like this,

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

And to God the wages of sin is not good works and deeds nor religious rituals. In God’s economy of righteousness, the wages of sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23)

:: False Belief That They Are Good Enough A Person:

If asking people if they will make it to heaven, how often do we hear someone say, “Well, I am a good and deceit person. I try my best to help others and to live a good life.” or “Well, I believe that most religions will lead people to heaven.” This is pure false belief regarding salvation. It once again hinges on the sin of PRIDE and BOASTING in self righteousness. Believing like this, they will not seek the truth and may not find it.

The most scary thing about those on this wide road is they have no idea they are headed for condemnation! They were never born again in the manner and way Jesus said is required.

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” (John 3:5-7 KJV)

So if we must be born again in the Spirit, how do we do that? First, we recognize that we have sin that we cannot eradicate by our good works. Then Jesus says this is how a person becomes born again in the Spirit,

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18 KJV)

Look how much Jesus is over emphasizing how to be born again and saved! See any ‘works’ and ‘deeds’ required? No. See any religious rituals required? No. How about tithing? No. What did Jesus say? Nicodemus asked Jesus directly and this was Jesus clear answer: BELIEVETH ON CHRIST! Nothing more. Salvation is the work of Christ and it is a GIFT to be accepted or rejected. As a GIFT it is never EARNED.

Having good works is , well, a good thing! But good works will never give a person salvation. Only belief on Christ’s finished work on the cross will give a person true salvation. After salvation a believer SHOULD have good works because God gave believers a new born again Spirit but even then, we do not do these good works to remain saved. Only Jesus keeps us saved.

“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.” (Galatians 5:4-5 KJV)