13“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Mt 7)
Thoughts: Jesus was saying here that not everyone is true- and not everyone is on the true way. There are those who say that even the worst, most evil, most God-hating of us are true. Such a person would say that what you do and believe here really doesn't matter.
But Jesus said that there are spiritual people who lead us down the wrong path- away from God and away from love, hope, and grace. They may look great- like a wolf in sheep's clothing, but they are in fact devouring of our soul.
Jesus believed that many are deceived. Many lead people astray on purpose- for money or power. Many deceive themselves into thinking that they know the Lord when they were His only by lip service. They bear the name of Christian in a very feeble way, but in reality their lives bear no fruit of faith. Jesus said that we shall know if someone is His or not by what fruit they bear in their lives.
There are many who bear no fruit at all. The gate is narrow- but the way to miss the gate is wide. We must go through the gate- Jesus- in order to have the way to life. We go through the gate when we open the gate of our hearts to Christ and let Him in.
But Jesus said that there are spiritual people who lead us down the wrong path- away from God and away from love, hope, and grace. They may look great- like a wolf in sheep's clothing, but they are in fact devouring of our soul.
Jesus believed that many are deceived. Many lead people astray on purpose- for money or power. Many deceive themselves into thinking that they know the Lord when they were His only by lip service. They bear the name of Christian in a very feeble way, but in reality their lives bear no fruit of faith. Jesus said that we shall know if someone is His or not by what fruit they bear in their lives.
There are many who bear no fruit at all. The gate is narrow- but the way to miss the gate is wide. We must go through the gate- Jesus- in order to have the way to life. We go through the gate when we open the gate of our hearts to Christ and let Him in.
Prayer: Lord, help me to go in your way. Keep me from listening to wrong or evil voices. Help my life to bear fruit for you.
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