By Their Fruits You will Know them
Introduction. From the moment the Holy Spirit warned the elders at Ephesus of the grave dangers facing the church, wise Christians have been vigilant. There are two threats mentioned. One from outside: “grievous wolves coming in among you not sparing the flock” and the second from within: “from among yourselves men will rise up.” As a preacher and an apostle, Paul had warned against this for three years. We see how important this is since he “never ceased to warn” about it.
The need to be acutely aware of these dangers did not start with Paul. Jesus also warned His disciples of these same concerns in His Sermon on the Mount. There will always be a wide gate leading to destruction that many will enter and a narrow path leading to life that a few will find. After this warning Jesus revealed the issues His genuine disciples would face. First, there would be “ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing” coming into their midst from outside. Second there would be “many” disciples who call Jesus Lord, but don’t truly want to do the will of God. (Mt. 7:13-23). Since Jesus will tell them “I never knew you … you who practice lawlessness,” they pose a severe danger.
We will know the wolves by their fruits and the false disciples by their lack of interest in doing the will of God. Since these people love the world more than God, John’s warning perfectly fits the dangers they pose. The fruits of both false prophets and false disciples are here:
All false teachers and false brethren reveal themselves by loving this world and not doing God’s will. The command is clear! “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” For “All that is in the world” is summed with three things: (1) the lust of the flesh; (2) the lust of the eyes; (3) the pride of life. When anyone reveals their love for this world, by any of these things, the fruits of error and rebellion are clearly manifested. Even the grace of God teaches us we must deny worldly lusts.
Every false doctrine is either motivated by or made enticing to the hearers by “the lust of the flesh,” “the lust of the eyes” or “the pride of life.” When any teacher seeks to influence true disciples from the truth by tempting them to enjoy these lusts it is an obvious fruit of error. When any disciple within our midst prefers these three enticements to the will of God it too is an obvious fruit; a fruit warned against by the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul and Peter.
We must not miss this simple yet profound truth. No matter how unique or complex, all error leads toward or originates in one of these three areas. This is much easier to see when watching how Satan’s used these three things when he tempted and deceived Eve.
The first command God gave was not complex. It was God’s will that there be one prohibition:
“Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen. 2:16-17).
This was not hard to understand. God identified the tree and commanded that its fruit never be eaten. They knew which tree and they knew which fruit. How could the devil tempt them to violate this?
Satan crafted a false doctrine allowing Eve to eat the fruit without fear of consequences. All who imitate the devil use the same tactic. First, Satan denied (lied) about God’s word and then offered an enticement with “the pride of life:”
The contrast couldn’t be clearer! God said “you WILL surely die,” but Satan said, “you WILL NOT surely die.” This is the easiest fruit of false teaching to identify. It always denies or twists God’s word so others will be emboldened to violate the command as Eve was. God’s Word reveals truth and the false teacher contradicts or denies it. Yet Satan did not only contradict God’s word, he offered an enticement in the form of the pride of life. “You will be like God” was the enticement, and it was clearly revealed that it was part of the reason she ate it.
Once the fear of consequences was removed, she “saw that the tree was good for food,” (lust of flesh), “that it was pleasant to the eyes,” (lust of the eyes), “desirable to make one wise,” (pride of life)” These “things in the world” led her to set aside “the will of God” and do her own will. Without these three things even the devil’s lie (Jn. 8:44) would not have led Eve into temptation. The false doctrine (you will not surely die) allowed her to give in to her lusts. Thus the lie removed the penalty and the lusts and pride created the temptation. That danger is just as serious today as it was then:
In exactly the same way that “the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness” and corrupted her from truth, all Christians can also be corrupted from the simplicity of the gospel of Christ. Every danger facing the church today centers here. This is the fruit of all false teachers that cannot be hidden. Behind ever false doctrine there is a “lust of the flesh,” “lust of the eyes” or “pride of life.”
Once we see this clearly, all attempts to “creep in unnoticed” will be met by those who “contend earnestly for the faith.” Jesus is the perfect example of how to deal with this error. When Satan was tempting Jesus, He met and removed each one with Scripture. He quoted God’s word and refused to allow any lust of flesh / eyes or the pride of life to form. (Lk. 4:1-13).
When those seeking to deceive turn God’s grace into an opportunity to indulge in lusts, their fruits are evil and we must refuse to violate them. No matter how good the disguise of their “sheep’s clothing,” or how stealthily they seek to creep in, the moment they “allure through the lusts of the flesh,” their true nature becomes immediately known if we know the Scriptures and watching for it.
We must expose error and protect the church by being on guard for these fruits. The Holy Spirit revealed the great chasm between the fruits of the Spirit and the works of the flesh in Gal. 5:16-26. There is always a lust lurking behind every error and every false doctrine. There will always be false brethren who “practice these things.” When we become aware of the difference in these fruits, we will “beware of false prophets” and of disciples who call “Jesus Lord, but won’t do the will of the Father.” We must love truth enough to watch for these things or we may be deceived.
Even the slightest departure from what God has commanded in order to indulge in lusts or pride will lead to a loss of our fellowship with God and His Son.
Each generation creates its own unique set of error based on the lusts and pride of that day. We see it clearly today. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” has been replaced with the doctrine that Paul and Peter were mere men and we can’t accept what they said 2000 years ago. As Satan did with Eve, so it is today. 2 Tim. 3:16 says “All Scripture is inspired of God”, but they claim all Scripture is not inspired by God. After this contradiction / denial / lie is accepted, the lust of flesh and eyes along with the pride begin to corrupt the mind and heart. Disciples then set aside the will of God to engage in the things of the world.
If all Scripture is not inspired, then women can be preachers and elders (pride of life), gay marriage and homosexuality can be accepted (lust of the flesh), and multitudes of things that are condemned or forbidden in Scripture can easily be set aside at our whim since “all Scripture is not inspired of God.” The parallel is exact and the fruit is clear. The words of John are just as true now as they were back then.
Conclusion. The profound nature of these words needs to be carefully taken to heart. While those of this world contradict the Word of God and great multitudes follow them, genuine disciples hear the inspired men who wrote Scripture. The prophesy of Peter, made nearly 2000 years ago is being fulfilled today. While the events and circumstances creating lust and pride have changed, the lusts themselves and human pride can never be hidden. Thus knowing this beforehand: we must be on our guard.
- savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves ... remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. (Acts 20:29-31)
The need to be acutely aware of these dangers did not start with Paul. Jesus also warned His disciples of these same concerns in His Sermon on the Mount. There will always be a wide gate leading to destruction that many will enter and a narrow path leading to life that a few will find. After this warning Jesus revealed the issues His genuine disciples would face. First, there would be “ravenous wolves in sheep’s clothing” coming into their midst from outside. Second there would be “many” disciples who call Jesus Lord, but don’t truly want to do the will of God. (Mt. 7:13-23). Since Jesus will tell them “I never knew you … you who practice lawlessness,” they pose a severe danger.
We will know the wolves by their fruits and the false disciples by their lack of interest in doing the will of God. Since these people love the world more than God, John’s warning perfectly fits the dangers they pose. The fruits of both false prophets and false disciples are here:
- Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1Jn. 2:15-17)
All false teachers and false brethren reveal themselves by loving this world and not doing God’s will. The command is clear! “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” For “All that is in the world” is summed with three things: (1) the lust of the flesh; (2) the lust of the eyes; (3) the pride of life. When anyone reveals their love for this world, by any of these things, the fruits of error and rebellion are clearly manifested. Even the grace of God teaches us we must deny worldly lusts.
- For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, (Titus 2:11-12).
Every false doctrine is either motivated by or made enticing to the hearers by “the lust of the flesh,” “the lust of the eyes” or “the pride of life.” When any teacher seeks to influence true disciples from the truth by tempting them to enjoy these lusts it is an obvious fruit of error. When any disciple within our midst prefers these three enticements to the will of God it too is an obvious fruit; a fruit warned against by the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul and Peter.
- For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. (2Pet. 2:18).
- For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts.” (2Tim. 4:3)
We must not miss this simple yet profound truth. No matter how unique or complex, all error leads toward or originates in one of these three areas. This is much easier to see when watching how Satan’s used these three things when he tempted and deceived Eve.
The first command God gave was not complex. It was God’s will that there be one prohibition:
“Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Gen. 2:16-17).
This was not hard to understand. God identified the tree and commanded that its fruit never be eaten. They knew which tree and they knew which fruit. How could the devil tempt them to violate this?
Satan crafted a false doctrine allowing Eve to eat the fruit without fear of consequences. All who imitate the devil use the same tactic. First, Satan denied (lied) about God’s word and then offered an enticement with “the pride of life:”
- “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:4-5).
The contrast couldn’t be clearer! God said “you WILL surely die,” but Satan said, “you WILL NOT surely die.” This is the easiest fruit of false teaching to identify. It always denies or twists God’s word so others will be emboldened to violate the command as Eve was. God’s Word reveals truth and the false teacher contradicts or denies it. Yet Satan did not only contradict God’s word, he offered an enticement in the form of the pride of life. “You will be like God” was the enticement, and it was clearly revealed that it was part of the reason she ate it.
Once the fear of consequences was removed, she “saw that the tree was good for food,” (lust of flesh), “that it was pleasant to the eyes,” (lust of the eyes), “desirable to make one wise,” (pride of life)” These “things in the world” led her to set aside “the will of God” and do her own will. Without these three things even the devil’s lie (Jn. 8:44) would not have led Eve into temptation. The false doctrine (you will not surely die) allowed her to give in to her lusts. Thus the lie removed the penalty and the lusts and pride created the temptation. That danger is just as serious today as it was then:
- But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2Cor. 11:3)
In exactly the same way that “the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness” and corrupted her from truth, all Christians can also be corrupted from the simplicity of the gospel of Christ. Every danger facing the church today centers here. This is the fruit of all false teachers that cannot be hidden. Behind ever false doctrine there is a “lust of the flesh,” “lust of the eyes” or “pride of life.”
Once we see this clearly, all attempts to “creep in unnoticed” will be met by those who “contend earnestly for the faith.” Jesus is the perfect example of how to deal with this error. When Satan was tempting Jesus, He met and removed each one with Scripture. He quoted God’s word and refused to allow any lust of flesh / eyes or the pride of life to form. (Lk. 4:1-13).
- contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 4)
When those seeking to deceive turn God’s grace into an opportunity to indulge in lusts, their fruits are evil and we must refuse to violate them. No matter how good the disguise of their “sheep’s clothing,” or how stealthily they seek to creep in, the moment they “allure through the lusts of the flesh,” their true nature becomes immediately known if we know the Scriptures and watching for it.
We must expose error and protect the church by being on guard for these fruits. The Holy Spirit revealed the great chasm between the fruits of the Spirit and the works of the flesh in Gal. 5:16-26. There is always a lust lurking behind every error and every false doctrine. There will always be false brethren who “practice these things.” When we become aware of the difference in these fruits, we will “beware of false prophets” and of disciples who call “Jesus Lord, but won’t do the will of the Father.” We must love truth enough to watch for these things or we may be deceived.
- with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2Th. 2:10)
Even the slightest departure from what God has commanded in order to indulge in lusts or pride will lead to a loss of our fellowship with God and His Son.
- Whosoever goes onward and abides not in the teaching of Christ, has not God: he that abides in the teaching, the same has both the Father and the Son. 10 If any one comes unto you, and brings not this teaching, receive him not into (your) house, and give him no greeting: 11 for he that gives him greeting partakes in his evil works. (2Jn. 9-11)
Each generation creates its own unique set of error based on the lusts and pride of that day. We see it clearly today. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” has been replaced with the doctrine that Paul and Peter were mere men and we can’t accept what they said 2000 years ago. As Satan did with Eve, so it is today. 2 Tim. 3:16 says “All Scripture is inspired of God”, but they claim all Scripture is not inspired by God. After this contradiction / denial / lie is accepted, the lust of flesh and eyes along with the pride begin to corrupt the mind and heart. Disciples then set aside the will of God to engage in the things of the world.
If all Scripture is not inspired, then women can be preachers and elders (pride of life), gay marriage and homosexuality can be accepted (lust of the flesh), and multitudes of things that are condemned or forbidden in Scripture can easily be set aside at our whim since “all Scripture is not inspired of God.” The parallel is exact and the fruit is clear. The words of John are just as true now as they were back then.
- They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (1Jn. 4:5-6)
Conclusion. The profound nature of these words needs to be carefully taken to heart. While those of this world contradict the Word of God and great multitudes follow them, genuine disciples hear the inspired men who wrote Scripture. The prophesy of Peter, made nearly 2000 years ago is being fulfilled today. While the events and circumstances creating lust and pride have changed, the lusts themselves and human pride can never be hidden. Thus knowing this beforehand: we must be on our guard.
- But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; (2Pet. 2:1-3)
- You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your own steadfastness, (2Pet. 3:17).