Collide - False Prophets and the Narrow Way

Collide - False Prophets and the Narrow Way
The Sermon on the Mount: Choosing the Path to True Life

In this insightful Bible teaching from Founded In Truth Fellowship, Matthew Vander Els delves into a crucial passage from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, specifically Matthew chapter 7, verses 13 through 23. This section serves as a weighty and graphic conclusion to the most powerful sermon ever preached. The core message revolves around the choice between two paths: the wide and easy gate leading to destruction, and the narrow and hard gate leading to life. It also issues a stark warning about false prophets who may appear harmless but are inwardly destructive.

Jesus likens his teaching to Moses delivering the law of God on a mount. However, Vander Els emphasizes that simply adhering to the Bible as a strict checklist, similar to the attitudes of some Pharisees, misses the true intent of God's Word. This approach minimizes the power of God's Word to impact one's life from the heart. The fundamental issue, as illustrated throughout scripture from the Garden of Eden to the exile of Israel, is the condition of the heart. God desires a heart transformation, not just outward compliance. Prophets like Ezekiel and Jeremiah foretold of a new heart and God's law written on it. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount provides a model for what this looks like – living out God's intent from the heart.

Vander Els highlights that the choice between the narrow and wide gate is not just about a future destination after death, but about the life we experience now. Just as the book of Proverbs speaks about wisdom leading to life now, Jesus calls his followers to enter into life associated with God's kingdom in the present. He is the gate through which one finds salvation, safety, security, and the blessings of the Shepherd. Following the crowd through the wide gate is easy but leads to destruction, while entering the narrow gate requires intentionality, effort, and a willingness to leave behind things that hinder progress. This narrow way demands discipleship, a turning from sin, a following of Jesus, and a pursuit of deeper righteousness.

The Peril of False Prophets

Alongside the call to enter the narrow gate, Jesus warns his followers to watch out for false prophets. These individuals come in sheep's clothing, appearing harmless, but inwardly they are like ferocious wolves. They may speak on behalf of God but are not truly sent by Him. Identifying them requires looking at their fruit, the outward manifestation of their inner being. Just as a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit, so too will the lives of false prophets reveal their true nature through destruction, anger, and selfishness.

Vander Els clarifies that Jesus is not concerned with charisma, speaking abilities, popularity, or even the ability to predict future events. The key is the fruit of their lives. Every group, even those claiming to follow God, can attract false prophets who prioritize their own agendas over the true message of Jesus. Ultimately, anything built on something other than Jesus is the mark of a false prophet.

Beyond Outward Appearances: True Allegiance

The teaching further explores the idea that not everyone who calls Jesus "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father. Many will claim to have prophesied, driven out demons, and performed miracles in Jesus' name, yet He will declare, "I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers." This highlights the importance of a genuine and wholehearted allegiance to God's kingdom, not just lip service or outward acts.

Drawing an analogy with the Pledge of Allegiance in the United States, Vander Els illustrates how people often pledge loyalty only when it aligns with their preferences, retracting it when they disagree. However, allegiance to God's kingdom demands being all-in, without retraction. The indicator of true allegiance is what bleeds out from the heart, revealing whether one has truly entered the narrow gate or simply gone with the flow.

The term "evildoers" or "workers of iniquity" is also translated as "workers of lawlessness." While some might interpret this as not strictly adhering to the Torah, Vander Els argues that Jesus' issue with the Pharisees was not their meticulous keeping of the checklist but the absence of heart behind their actions. The Greek word for lawlessness here is "anomia," which signifies the absence of God's law residing within them. Matthew 24:12 connects this lawlessness with love growing cold. Therefore, a false prophet, and indeed a false believer, may outwardly keep the law but lack the foundation of love, mercy, and grace.

The analogy of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 further distinguishes true and false believers based on their compassion and action towards those in need. True followers of Jesus show love through tangible acts of care and bringing light into darkness. At the final judgment, the question will not be about spiritual gifts or knowledge but about whether our lives reflected God's love through our actions towards others.

Application for Everyday Life

• Intentionally choose the narrow gate: Don't passively go with the flow of the masses, even if they claim to be Bible believers. Make a conscious decision to follow Jesus.
• Audit your heart: Regularly examine your motives and intentions behind your actions, not just the actions themselves. Is your heart transformed by God's love?
• Seek deeper righteousness: Go beyond a checklist mentality of following the Bible and pursue the heart of God's law, which is love, mercy, and grace.
• Discern false prophets by their fruit: Look at the overall impact of their lives. Do they produce life, nourishment, and reconciliation, or destruction, division, and selfishness?
• Ensure your allegiance to God is wholehearted: Don't retract your loyalty when things are difficult or don't align with your preferences.
• Let your love grow warmer: Cultivate a genuine love for God and others, which should be evident in your actions and compassion.
• Actively love and serve others: Show tangible care and compassion to those in need, reflecting the love of Jesus in the world.
• Find your purpose in God's kingdom: Once you enter the narrow gate and give your full allegiance, your mission to teach and live out the gospel begins.
• Rely on God's Spirit: Recognize that walking the narrow path is not possible alone; depend on the Holy Spirit to enable you to follow Jesus.
• Stay focused and intentional daily: Make a conscious effort each day to follow Jesus and be aware of opportunities to show forth God's love.
• Seek forgiveness and support when you stumble: God is waiting for you to return if you've strayed, and there is a community of believers to offer support and prayer.

Ultimately, the message is a call to self-reflection and a commitment to genuine discipleship, characterized by a transformed heart that actively demonstrates God's love in the world. It's about entering the narrow gate now and walking the often-difficult path of true life in relationship with Jesus.

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