Good fruit is not good work

[Jig]

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

These teachers are not readily perceived as "false prophets," for they are wolves "in sheep's clothing." Their predatory nature is hidden by an innocent appearance. They cloak their false teaching with what seems to be good works. Pharisaical righteousness will not get anyone into the kingdom.

Jesus teaches that a plant or tree is known by its "fruit". These false prophets ingenious means of reducing the demands of the Law to something people can keep for salvation betray who they really are. The false teacher is likened to "a bad tree" that naturally produces "bad fruit" whose end is destruction by fire.

These false teachers are detected by their "fruits". The fruit of the false teacher is not his works, for these appear to be good. Rather the false fruit is their doctrine (Matthew 12:33–35). In the case of the Pharisees it was legalism - that one could merit acceptance with God by deeds alone. Testing doctrine is the means by which a Christian can discern a teacher's true nature. To be able to test someone's doctrine, one must be well versed in the Word of God.

 

[Jig]

I bring this up because I see this passage time and time again being used to promote the idea that "good works" somehow are tied to salvation.

Just look at this Q&A at AskACatholic.com:

One of the questions asked was, "What biblical basis is there for works playing any part in salvation?"

Part of the answer they received was, "Jesus says something interesting in Matthew 7:15-19. He talks about good trees and bad trees. He says a tree will be judged by its fruit, and those who do not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. This parallels what Jesus said in the parable of the sheep and the goats and what St. Paul says in Romans. It also says that a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. The deeds manifest the faith, but the faith is useless without the deeds. They go together. As in many things Catholic, it's not an either-or, but an both-and."

 

[prodromos]

Doesn't your bible have the parable of the sheep and the goats?

 

[Jig]

Doesn't your bible have the parable of the sheep and the goats?

Do you have something to say about Matthew 7:15-20?

 

[Rick Otto]

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

These teachers are not readily perceived as "false prophets," for they are wolves "in sheep's clothing." Their predatory nature is hidden by an innocent appearance. They cloak their false teaching with what seems to be good works. Pharisaical righteousness will not get anyone into the kingdom.

Jesus teaches that a plant or tree is known by its "fruit". These false prophets ingenious means of reducing the demands of the Law to something people can keep for salvation betray who they really are. The false teacher is likened to "a bad tree" that naturally produces "bad fruit" whose end is destruction by fire.

These false teachers are detected by their "fruits". The fruit of the false teacher is not his works, for these appear to be good. Rather the false fruit is their doctrine (Matthew 12:33–35). In the case of the Pharisees it was legalism - that one could merit acceptance with God by deeds alone. Testing doctrine is the means by which a Christian can discern a teacher's true nature. To be able to test someone's doctrine, one must be well versed in the Word of God.

I hear ya. Another camoflage is to deny the truth of what they themselves say, implies - obscuring one lie with another. What we call the saving grace of regeneration is reduced to an "initial grace" that doesn't save, but enables us to save ourselves by co-operative works of obedience.

 

[Optimax]

I hear ya. Another camoflage is to deny the truth of what they themselves say, implies - obscuring one lie with another. What we call the saving grace of regeneration is reduced to an "initial grace" that doesn't save, but enables us to save ourselves by co-operative works of obedience.

 

[HisSparkPlug]

Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

These teachers are not readily perceived as "false prophets," for they are wolves "in sheep's clothing." Their predatory nature is hidden by an innocent appearance. They cloak their false teaching with what seems to be good works. Pharisaical righteousness will not get anyone into the kingdom.

Jesus teaches that a plant or tree is known by its "fruit". These false prophets ingenious means of reducing the demands of the Law to something people can keep for salvation betray who they really are. The false teacher is likened to "a bad tree" that naturally produces "bad fruit" whose end is destruction by fire.

These false teachers are detected by their "fruits". The fruit of the false teacher is not his works, for these appear to be good. Rather the false fruit is their doctrine (Matthew 12:33–35). In the case of the Pharisees it was legalism - that one could merit acceptance with God by deeds alone. Testing doctrine is the means by which a Christian can discern a teacher's true nature. To be able to test someone's doctrine, one must be well versed in the Word of God.

Great topic! Specifically, what doctrine would cause someone to be a false teacher or a false prophet?

How about the doctrine which denys that Jesus is God HimSelf come in the flesh?

There are these 'ones' who are running rampant in the body of Christ "teaching" doctrines of demons disguised as scripturally accurate. They are sly and what they share & teach is sooooo incredibly close to true Christianity, they are leading people astray. No one thinks to test them by getting them to state for themselves that Jesus is God in the flesh.

There's another question to ponder... Can one be saved and be a false prophet or false teacher at the same time?

 

[Jig]

Great topic! Specifically, what doctrine would cause someone to be a false teacher or a false prophet?

I'd assume any doctrine that isn't aligned with the truth of Scripture. However, Matthew 7:15-20 is detailing a specific type of false teacher - one that is teaching incorrect soteriology. We know this because their teachings specifically will lead to damnation.

How about the doctrine which denys that Jesus is God HimSelf come in the flesh?

Most certainly. The gospel falls apart without Jesus being God. Jesus could not be a true mediator between God and man, if He was only one or the other.

There's another question to ponder... Can one be saved and be a false prophet or false teacher at the same time?

Depends. As I noted above, Paul was concerned with a certain type of false teacher - one who is teaching a counterfeit Christ, a counterfeit Spirit, or a counterfeit Gospel. This is the most dangerous.

2 Cor. 11:4
For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

So, if you are teaching bad eschatology - you are teaching something wrong, but it is not salvific in nature.

 

[HisSparkPlug]

As I noted above, Paul was concerned with a certain type of false teacher - one who is teaching a counterfeit Christ, a counterfeit Spirit, or a counterfeit Gospel. This is the most dangerous.

2 Cor. 11:4
For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

Yes, this is my greatest concern in this day.. those who have infiltrated the body = They talk about Jesus... but it's not the Jesus of the bible.. They serve another entity with the name "Jesus" and they cannot say that our Jesus who rose for remission of sin is God. It's running rampant in the church and permitted to roam freely about giving their insights on the Word, and people are listening to them as they introduce these doctrines of demons (new age & occult junk which are then explained away using scripture). The body is not cluing in because they are not testing the spirit of the person as we are commanded to do in John 4:1-6. Obviously there are all sorts of false doctrines which can be introduced.

I think you're right though that false doctrines are taught both by the saved & unsaved .. the most dangerous coming from the unsaved imposters (wolves in sheep's clothing) who do their deceiving purposefully.

 

[Jig]

Another question that can be asked is: Does a gospel message that includes the necessity of "good works" to gain salvation a false teaching that can lead to damnation?

Ironically, those who teach such dogma typically misinterpret Matthew 7:15-20!

 

[Tzaousios]

Ah, so the OP is declaring that to bear good fruit is to be non-Catholic and non-Orthodox. That could have been much easier said than all of those paragraphs in bold text.

 

[heavenlessstar]

Another question that can be asked is: Does a gospel message that includes the necessity of "good works" to gain salvation a false teaching that can lead to damnation?

Ironically, those who teach such dogma typically misinterpret Matthew 7:15-20!

I would say that it is a dangerous gospel. I confess to being tempted by it numerous times, especially on days when I'm feeling extraordinarily unworthy of God's grace. I don't know whether it's me or if it's God that reminds me however that grace can't be earned, nor can election. A man could boast in the end after passing a test but that wouldn't make him one who is elected. God is a Father who asks us to be like children, completely dependent upon Him for EVERY big and little thing. It's a broken spirit and a contrite heart that pleases God, not my efforts to outwork my flaws. It's Satan's desire to get us to look more toward ourselves for salvation than to God and His grace through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

I tend to word things poorly. I hope I didn't confruzle that one all up.