Matthew 7:13-20
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Jesus is saying to not follow the crowd. Most people will go along with what everyone else is doing, thinking along the popular reasonings, and seeking after all the material things of this world, obeying all the advertisements, going along with the crowd.
But the way to real life is a narrow way, through a small portal, that few, compared to the crowds, will even search for to find. How can we know if we're following the right people, that will lead to that narrow way?
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes? or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Luke says, A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (6:45).
So we need to be careful of who we are listening to and following. These false teachers are coming in disguise, portraying themselves as good men, faithful Biblicists, people who only want to help. But if you investigate their personal lives, you could find out if they are being truthful or if they are deceived and are teaching lies that they believe are true.
I don't take what any teacher says as true just because they have a reputation as a good Bible teacher. I will take note of their teachings and then search the scriptures to see if what they are saying is true. Even Saint Paul didn't want people to believe what he said simply because he said it; he said that the Bereans were "more noble" than others because they not only "received the Word with all readiness," but also "searched the Scriptures daily [to see] whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).
I also don't want you, dear reader of my blog, to take what I say to be true just because I believe it so. Do your own searching, to make sure that you are believing God's Truth, not any man's ideas. I may have some good ideas, but I don't think that I will never err in what I say, so please correct me whenever you find something that may not be correct. I will research your findings, also.
Tomorrow we will see why there are so many Bible teachers who may be deceived.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
