Matthew 7:21 KJV

The Lord saw how crucial it was to distinguish between a sincere pastor and a ruthless wolf. The only people who can bear the fruit of righteousness are those who are saved by grace, abiding in Christ, walking in the Spirit, and continuing in connection with the Father. Some seem to be spiritual while harboring a heart of disbelief and rebellion. They claim to know Him on the surface.

Paul reminds us that only God has the power to discern the true intentions of religious leaders. Only God is able to distinguish between men’s thoughts and true faith. Man may be doing His will, but only He knows for sure. We lack omniscience, but God does! We are unable to see into another person’s heart. He provided us with a reliable indicator of a man’s heart because we lack the miraculous power to read people’s minds.

The fruit of false prophets should help us recognize them. Good fruit is produced by those who walk in truth, find rest in Christ, have communion with the Father, and carry out His purpose. A professing prophet is likely a vicious wolf who would spread a false gospel, advocate for a fake Jesus, and provide a replacement form of salvation unless he is carrying out the will of the Father and bearing spiritual fruit.

Israel, who had been tasked with spreading the gospel of the kingdom to the Gentiles, was the passage’s intended audience because it was related to the kingdom gospel. The warning to “beware of false prophets” in the Christian era is still relevant today, nevertheless.

Israel was abandoned for the duration of this grace era because they disobeyed the Father’s will, rejected their Messiah, and refused to follow His instructions. But everyone who has placed their faith in Christ for salvation ought to be aware that there are also false prophets and impostor pastors inside the Christian Church. There are “ravening wolves” who oppose God’s will and aim to disperse the Body of Christ.

But what is the Father’s will for His children, and what kind of fruit should a minister display in his or her life? The answer is provided by the Bible. The Father wants us to have a relationship with Him and put our faith in Jesus as our Lord and savior. It is God’s will for everyone to come to saving faith in Him, according to the Lord Himself.

God also wants us to admonish disobedient brothers, support the weak, encourage the fainthearted, be patient with everyone, and refrain from fighting back evil with evil. Faithful ministers support one another and seek out what is right, which exalts God. Knowing that this is God’s will for all of His children, the godly pastor rejoices in the Lord, prays without ceasing, and gives thanks in everything.

By referring to Jesus as “Lord,” these ruthless wolves imply that they are God’s prophets, but Paul reminds us in Corinthians that “no one can proclaim, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except through the Holy Spirit.” One might wonder how these false prophets can refer to Jesus as Lord if they are ravening wolves who do not bear good fruit and who disobey the will of the Father. They respond by replacing God’s will with their own, and they hope to be admitted to the kingdom of heaven without having faith in Jesus Christ.

Yet there is only one way to heaven, and that is through placing your faith in Jesus. Not everyone who says to Him, “Lord, Lord,” will be admitted, Jesus emphasizes. The only EntryWay into the approaching kingdom is him. The only way to the Father is through him.

Jesus refers to false teachers and prophets as “ravening wolves,” and He will one day tell them to “depart from Me, I never knew you” if they bear poor fruit and refuse to do the Father’s will.