Matthew 7:15–20 (ESV)
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Beware
of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So,
every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear
good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Just as there are
two ways, the good and the bad, so there are two kinds of prophets. One can identify false prophets by what they teach, especially by what they teach about the person and mission of Jesus. Luth: “You must hold on to the chief part, the summary, of Christian
teaching and accept nothing else: That God has sent and given Christ, His Son, and that only through Him does He forgive us all our sins, justify and save us” (AE 21:254).
I pray: Preserve me, O Lord, from all false prophets who would take away my trust for salvation in You alone. Amen.
Engelbrecht, E. A. (2009). The Lutheran Study Bible (p. 1593).
St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.