week of 4-4-11 2nd recorded Highquest Bible study

The passage I read was Matthew 7:15-23

You can find that passage here:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7:15-23&version=NIV

My attempt to summarize the passage:

You can’t just ask to go to heaven and then go. Faith without works is like a song you can’t sing. There must be evidence of salvation. That evidence is fruit. One can tell another by the type of fruit they bear. We are to watch for the type of fruit others bear so that we are not lead astray by false prophets. Likewise we are to bear good fruit by doing the will of the Father.

As I reflect:

False prophets wear sheep’s clothing. This means that they don’t appear as evil. They don’t have the outward appearance of one that would cause us to be cautious around or have to distrust what they say. That is why they are so dangerous. Jesus gives us a way to tell who is false (as in not actually serving God despite their words mis-leading otherwise) verses who is a true disciple. The method is simple. Just like telling what type of plant or tree or bush something is. We look to what it produces. The fruit, the leaf, the budding tips. These things provide us identification of the plant life. Likewise Jesus says to look at one’s life and see if the fruit they produce is a fruit that matches up with the word of God or not. For example, if someone says they are a follower of Christ, but lives in such a way that is in contradiction to that professed belief, then they are likely not a follower of Christ. Pretty simple huh? Additionally do not worry about what to do or say when you recognize a wolf in sheep’s skin for the Lord here says they will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Be wise and watchful. That’s the first part of this passage.

The second part of the passage goes a little deeper into the separation of false and true disciples. Jesus goes on to explain that not all who say, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of Heaven. He distinguishes a false follower and true follower by who does the will of the Father who is in Heaven. He goes on to mention several Works that are commonly thought to be Christian and powerful spiritually but again he does not give credit to those deeds as a ticket to enter into Heaven. We cannot get to heaven by our good works. We cannot live a life as fake followers of God even performing miracles but not actually doing the will of the Father and then expect to get in to an eternal resting place with our Lord. Obviously, to know one’s will (in this case God’s will) we must seek out what that person desires. God gives us his commands and His desires through the many authors of the Bible. This is His written word and thus to do His will, we must spend time meditating on the word to first understand His will and then we must physically and spiritually apply it daily to our lives and to the lives of those we come in contact with. Christianity is clearly not a spectator religion, but rather an active relationship with evidence of salvation being produced in our lives. Do you have evidence? If you were charged today with “being a Christian” in the eternal courts of the Most High, would the Prosecution have enough evidence to convict you of the charge?

My response to the Lord:

Lord God, oh that we may have an everlasting evidence of your great work in and through us. I can leave no good mark on this world but that which you leave through me. Surely there are a great number of false professed followers of Christ and leaders of your word. Lord help me to have open eyes that may see through their crafty lies which sound so delightful when not compared to the truth of your word. Father I pray for wisdom to know always when someone speaks in contradiction to what you have taught. Offer me also wisdom that I never speak in such a manner as to communicate wrongly your Gospel truths. Rather I pray Lord, that when I teach what you have taught, that it be you who again teaches. Use this vessel you have given as you will. Your will be done. In the name of Jesus I pray.