Fruit inspectors

15  “Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  16By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?  17Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit.18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  20Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them [as false prophets].

21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.  22Many will say to Me on that day [when I judge them], ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name, and done many miracles in Your name?’  23And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’ Mat 7:15-23 AMP. 

Perhaps this is one of the most amazing teachings of our Lord. The scene is the judgement day, and one's works are presented before Him. Men make their case: prophecies have been uttered, demons have been given their marching orders and mighty miracles have been done in His name. It would seem that they have quite a pedigree of works, and are ready to collect their reward. Not so much, says Jesus. There's a problem here: I DON'T KNOW YOU. Jesus does NOT say that they did not do miracles, or cast out demons, or prophesied in His Name. They may well have done all that, but alas, it's not what He's looking for. With great indignation He commands them to depart from him, for instead of good works, theirs have been proven to be false. 

Now apart from verses 15-20, I suppose I might find such a judgement a bit odd. I mean, how could it be that those who don't even know Jesus are doing such mighty signs? Well, that is mysterious, but Jesus just warned about the false prophets, and how to recognize them. Namely, we will know them by the fruit of their lives. A good tree produces good fruit. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience (See Galations 5:22), You won't get peaches from a bramble bush or apples from a cactus. Looking good on the outside doesn't mean anything to our Lord. As He told Samuel, He always looks to what's inside a man. And that's why Jesus is not happy with them. 

Current events seem to suggest that the end of the current Age may be approaching fast.   At the end, Jesus says there will be a great apostasy, a falling away from the faith. But for there to be a falling away, I believe there must first have been a great revival. Miracles will be done. Dead will be raised. Prophecies will be made. But the hearts of those who do them will have proved to be hard. "Ravenous wolves", they are in it for what they can get. The name of Jesus is on their lips, but their hearts are cold. They can fool the world, but not the Lord. And their reward is banishment from His presence. Good fruit only comes one way; by abiding in the Vine. Knowing Him is what produces the fruit of the Spirit. Nothing else matters.