JUDE: WEEK 3 DAY 5

Matthew 7:15-19

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Quite a few years ago we did a devotional series called Short and Sweet. In it we studied the shortest books of the Bible, and compared the lessons learned in them to some common tales we had heard as children. We compared the lessons of Jude, to those of Little Red Riding Hood. In the children’s story, Little Red encounters a wolf. She knows she is not supposed to talk to him, but she does anyway. He seems nice, and he says the right things, but inside he is only hoping to feed his own viscous appetite, and destroy Little Red in the process. 

This is the way false prophets work. So how can we guard ourselves, our families, and our church? By bearing good fruit. 

Here is a list of good fruits and bad fruits. This list is based on Scripture. Use it to help you distinguish between true prophets and wolves in sheep's clothing:

Bad Fruit:

Denying Jesus as fully God and fully man, lack of concern for brothers and sisters in Christ, sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 

Good Fruit: 

Forgiveness, repentance, sharing the Gospel; giving to the poor; love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.