What is the meaning of Matthew 7:15? Beware Jesus opens with a clear command: “Beware.” He is calling His listeners to an active, ongoing alertness, not a momentary glance. • This warning follows His teaching about the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14), underscoring that the path of life is easily missed if we grow careless. • Scripture often couples watchfulness with sobriety—“Be sober-minded; be watchful” (1 Peter 5:8) and “Watch over your heart with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23). • The responsibility rests on every believer; no one else can stay awake for us (1 Thessalonians 5:6). of false prophets A false prophet is anyone who claims to speak for God while distorting or denying His truth. • God warned Israel that such voices would arise (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) and through Jeremiah lamented, “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you… they speak visions from their own minds” (Jeremiah 23:16). • Peter looks ahead to church history and says, “There will be false teachers among you” (2 Peter 2:1). • Their danger is spiritual misdirection; what begins as a small deviation can end in eternal loss (Galatians 1:8-9). they come to you in sheep’s clothing False prophets rarely announce themselves; instead, they dress in the familiar garb of orthodoxy. • Paul notes that “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” and his servants “as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). • Jude observes, “certain individuals have secretly slipped in among you” (Jude 4), stressing stealth rather than open attack. • They often use persuasive words, charitable deeds, or popular movements that feel safe and biblical (Romans 16:17-18). but inwardly they are ravenous wolves Beneath the disguise lies a predatory appetite. • Jesus later describes hired hands who “care nothing for the sheep” (John 10:12-13). • Paul warned the Ephesian elders: “After my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29-30). • Ezekiel said of corrupt leaders, “Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the prey” (Ezekiel 22:27). • Their aim is gain—power, wealth, or affirmation—at the expense of souls, and the carnage is spiritual confusion, divided congregations, and moral compromise. summary Matthew 7:15 calls believers to constant vigilance. Jesus tells us to spot counterfeit voices by looking past outward appearances and weighing their teaching and character against the whole counsel of God (Matthew 7:16-20; 1 John 4:1). Wolves will keep appearing in every generation, but the Good Shepherd equips His flock to recognize, resist, and remain true to His Word. |
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