This week Michael writes that the way of Jesus Christ is not the difficult path … it’s the impossible path. Apart from God’s Spirit, we cannot approach our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 7:1-5, if we are continuously judgmental in judging others, we’re subject to the same measure of judgement from God Himself. You cannot see to remove the speck in your brother’s eye until you yank the plank from your own eye. The plank is the two by four of judgmentalism. If we think we’re superior in our own power, then we have the greater sin. Our righteousness is in Christ alone. In the very next verse Matthew 7:6, Jesus goes on to say in “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” To determine who are the dogs and swine, you must judge, but a continuous judgmental attitude is not godly. The intent of reproof and correction is to restore fallen individuals back to an right position before the Lord.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, I am the narrow gate and the narrow way that leads to life eternal. The broad way of the world leads to sin, death, and destruction. In Matthew 7:15-17, Jesus reminded the multitude about false prophets who come to destroy the flock. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They appear to be righteous, but they are actually ravenous wolves. Jesus asked, how can you recognize a false prophet? Then he said, you shall know them by their fruit. A bad tree produces poisonous rotten fruit but a good tree produces good fruit. He didn’t call us to be judges. Instead he called us to be fruit inspectors. These false prophets stand by the entrance to the narrow gate to distractingly tempt those who would enter into the narrow gate. They say, don’t enter into the narrow gate. Instead you need to be “tolerant of sin.” However, the broad way of the world tolerates the lies of the devil and leads to destruction and eternal damnation.
Jesus warned the multitude about the false teachings of the Pharisees. These Con-artists do everything to be seen of men and women. They are concerned about their own vanity and vain glory. Their drug of choice is the praise of men and women. They preach about their own made-up laws that are contrary to the Word of God. They clean the outside of the cup, but inside of the cup is rottenness and the stain of sin Their rules are fear-based and works-based. Though they say that you can, no one can follow their impossible self-serving commands. They outwardly appear as righteous men and women. Jesus said, You are like whitewashed sepulchers… graveyards that appear green, beautiful and carefully manicured on the outside. But inside you are full of dead men’s bones.
False prophets never tell about the judgment of sin; of missing the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. They are “unconscious hypocrites” that never examine whether a person has come to the Cross of Christ on God’s terms. They deny the consequences of sin and iniquity, which is of the fallen nature we inherited from Adam’s fall. They distract the unwary from the truth of the spiritual battle. They speak flattering words that appeal to vanity, pride, and self-sufficiency. They say, you can make it on your own. You deserve to be in the limelight, to be front and center. You deserve the praise of men and women. Jesus said, They seem to draw nigh unto God with great flattering words of eloquence, they say seem to say the right things, but it’s for their own vain glory instead of to God’s glory.
Let's continue Michael's message on "true and false" in the next Post.
In Christ, Brian
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