Spotting a Counterfeit

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep
but are really vicious wolves.
You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.
Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.”
Matthew 7:15–17

We live in such complicated times that wolves look and sound like sheep. They appear merciful, they seem genuine, they look beautiful, but all that is only fleece deep. Be warned! Jesus has our good at heart when He looks beneath all the externals of deceivers and exposes them for what they are—”ravenous wolves.” Believe it! The problem is, you and I can’t tell by a quick glance. Counterfeit Christians, like counterfeit twenty-dollar bills, are not easily detected. It takes a trained, discerning eye.

This is a good moment for me to encourage you to be a careful student of the Scriptures and a watchful follower of spiritual (perhaps a better word would be religious) leaders . . . in that order. The better you come to know God’s truth, the keener will be your watchfulness. When Jesus spoke of checking the fruit of another’s life, He was emphasizing the importance of paying attention to what is being taught—both what is said and what is left unsaid—as well as that which is being taught as it is being lived out. In the final analysis, a tree cannot hide what it is. Take a close look. Slowly and carefully taste the fruit (if you can’t tell by looking), get a respected second and even third opinion, and stay on the alert.

There are many who appeal to our senses and many who plead for our loyalty—and especially for our money. Discerning disciples of Christ are not fooled by all the externals: charisma and charm (or an accent!), seminary or university education, impressive resumes, beautiful facilities, large audiences, or even public appeal in the media. All those are externals that matter little.

The blossoms in the spring may be lovely, but what does the fruit taste like in the fall? What matters is what is inside . . . what is being produced. Pay attention to doctrine, character, conduct, emphases, motives (if you listen and watch long enough, you can tell), and—of primary importance—how God’s inerrant Word is handled.

The difference between the genuine and the counterfeit is always subtle, never obvious. That is why so many are fooled.