Mat 7:15-20 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Matt 7:15-20: 7:15-20 False prophets speak what people want to hear rather than calling people to live according to God’s will. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and 18:21-22 set standards for evaluating a prophet’s truthfulness: His words must conform to God’s word, and his predictions must come true. Jesus unpacks the first requirement: A prophet’s actions must match his words in order to be believable; accordingly, a true prophet’s actions will also match God’s word. Just as the fruit indicates the nature of a tree , so one’s life indicates either a regenerate or unregenerate heart. False prophets are expected at the end of the age (see Matt 24:11 , 24 ; Acts 20:28-35 ; Rev 13:11-18 ; 16:13 ; 19:20 ; 20:10 ). In order not to be deceived, Christians must be discerning (see 1 Cor 12:10 ; 14:29 ; 1 Thes 5:21 ; 1 Jn 4:1-3 ; Rev 2:20 ).

Summary for Matt 7:15-20: 7:15-20 ^a False prophets speak what people want to hear rather than calling people to live according to God’s will. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 ^b and 18:21-22 ^c set standards for evaluating a prophet’s truthfulness: His words must conform to God’s word, and his predictions must come true. Jesus unpacks the first requirement: A prophet’s actions must match his words in order to be believable; accordingly, a true prophet’s actions will also match God’s word. Just as the fruit indicates the nature of a tree, so one’s life indicates either a regenerate or unregenerate heart. False prophets are expected at the end of the age (see Matt 24:11 ^d, 24 ^e; Acts 20:28-35 ^f; Rev 13:11-18 ^g; 16:13 ^h; 19:20 ⁱ; 20:10 ^j). In order not to be deceived, Christians must be discerning (see 1 Cor 12:10 ^k; 14:29 ^l; 1 Thes 5:21 ^m; 1 Jn 4:1-3 ⁿ; Rev 2:20 ^o).
Summary for Matt 7:16-17: 7:16-17 ^p Good and bad fruit refers to moral behavior (see 3:8 ^q, 10 ^r; 12:33-37 ^s; 13:8 ^t; 21:43 ^u; Gal 5:19-23 ^v).
7:18 ^w Spiritual rebirth is absolutely necessary if one is to produce the good fruit that Jesus demands. Good works flow from faith; good works and faith cannot be separated (see Jas 2:14-26 ^x).