Theological term
False Prophets
2 sermons · All terms
Free Grace Baptist Church - April 24, 2016 AM
Matthew 7:13–27 closes the Sermon on the Mount with four pressing contrasts — two gates, two trees, two professions, and two builders — each calling hearers not merely to receive information but to act upon the words of Christ. The reading and exposition press the distinction between nominal profession and true faith: those who cry 'Lord, Lord' and point to their own works are cast away, while those who do the Father's will are shown by the rest of Scripture to be those who believe the gospel. The application is direct — to build on sand is to hear Christ's words and refuse them, and the only safe foundation is faith in what Christ has accomplished.
The Two Trees
Matthew 7:15–20 records Christ's warning against false prophets who enter the community of disciples disguised as sheep while remaining ravenous wolves within. The sermon works through two broad sections: the nature of false prophets (their deception, intention, and manifestation) and the parable of the two trees, arguing that the 'fruit' by which false prophets are known is primarily their doctrine rather than their outward conduct. Believers are not left helpless — Christ assumes his people, equipped with Scripture and the Spirit, are able to identify and resist false teachers whose ultimate end, along with those who follow them, is eternal destruction.