Matthew 7:13–23

Be ready to act!

Jesus warns us not to choose the wrong ways. A life that is too easy can lead to this. Some people listen to false information. They can make bad decisions too. Some people do not look hard for the truth. They may easily choose the wrong way.

The narrow way (Matthew 7:13–14)

People must make a choice. Jesus asked them to decide. Two people who lived before Jesus did the same. There was Moses. (Read Deuteronomy 30.) Then there was Jeremiah. (Read Jeremiah 21:8.) Jesus knows what people are like. He knows that they tend to hesitate. So, Jesus urged people to act.

Only a few people find the right way in life. It is not a very popular way. It has interest for only a few people. It is a way that will be difficult to follow too. Jesus described a certain kind of gate. Only one person at a time could go through it. That person could not carry very much with him or her. To go on that way would require much effort. Jesus taught that the effort must be continuous. This was because the narrow gate leads to a narrow road.

• The narrow road leads to life (Matthew 7:14). In the NT, ‘life’ refers to two things. First, there are the good things of the future age. We will always be close to God. Second, there are good things in the present life. There can be satisfaction now. We can be content in this life. The life of a real disciple has real pleasures. These things will last for this life and for the next life. (Read Matthew 6:20–2.)
• The wide road leads to death (Matthew 7:13). There is danger ahead. It could lead to action. But, this does not usually happen. The wide road tends to encourage a lack of decision. But it is the popular choice. A person may feel satisfied now. But, the pleasures of this life do not last. There will be judgement in the age that is to come too. (Read Matthew 6:20–23 again.)

The false prophets (Matthew 7:15–20)

Jesus asked for a decision. He wanted people to listen to his message. Then he wanted them to obey it. (That was in Matthew 7:13-14.) But, he knew that he was not the only person who was doing this. Other people were calling for decisions too!

So, there were good teachers. But there were false teachers too. It was not easy to tell the difference between them. Jesus showed this by some word-pictures.

• He said that false teachers came to them in sheep’s clothes. This meant that these teachers were pretending. They were saying that they were real disciples. But they were not. Often in the OT, God’s people were called ‘sheep’. Jesus himself called them sheep too. (Read John 10.)
• There was a thorn bush in ancient Israel. (Note: A thorn is like a sharp needle. It grows on some plants.) The thorns looked like grapes (a small fruit). There was also a weed with thorns. From a distance, they looked like figs (another small fruit). In Matthew 7:16, Jesus mentioned these things. They showed how false teachers could seem to be disciples.
• False teachers may look like sheep. But, they are really like wolves (wild dogs). Wolves are dangerous. Their mouths are very strong. Their teeth are sharp. They are clever. They attack, kill and eat another animal. False teachers may not always know that they are like wolves. But, their teaching brings spiritual death to those who follow them.

We may want to know how we can recognise false teachers. Jesus gave us a simple test. ‘You will know them by what they do’ (Matthew 7:16). Their teaching will seem to be right. People must obey their rules. This will make people feel that the false teachers are good. (Compare Matthew 5:17–48.) But their actions will make people look at them, not at God. They will tend to make people praise men and women, not God. (Compare Matthew 6.) Their actions will not show the need for God’s mercy.

A false sense of security (Matthew 7:21–23)

Jesus continued to warn people. He warned them against all that was false. He warned them against all that was not proper religion. He gave them an awful example. There is a group of people at the final judgement. They realise that they have never been real disciples. They have never known the way of proper religion. This surprises them very much. The situation is similar to the situation that is in Matthew 7:15–20. But, there are two main differences. Matthew 7:15–20 refers to those who lead people in the wrong way. Here, in Matthew 7:21–23, the reference is to those whom they have led in the wrong way.

Jesus described these people. He showed what their reactions might be in the final Day of Judgement. They might point to certain facts about themselves. These facts must surely make Jesus receive them. Of course, he would allow them to come into his kingdom. But, the Lord’s answer is clear. It comes with great authority. These things will not cause God to accept them.

Look at the things that these people say about themselves. They seem to have right beliefs. They are sincere. They state that they were useful in a spiritual way. (‘We gave prophecies in your name.’) They say that they have used great spiritual gifts. (‘We made evil spirits go out of people.’) Jesus does not deny any of these things! But these things do not cause God to accept those people. Jesus said that they were wrong about something. It was this. They did not do ‘the will of my Father who is in heaven’ (Matthew 7:21). Jesus still looks for a character that pleases God. This will show itself in a life that pleases God. Matthew 5–7 describes the sort of life that it will be.

There is an important lesson here. People’s beliefs can be right. They can be sincere. They can be useful. They may be able to do many useful things. But, they may not be real disciples. They may not really know God. They will not have a character that pleases God. So, their lives will not please God. Beliefs must make a difference to the life.

Questions

1. How can I be sure that God has accepted me?
2. Teaching in churches today may be sincere. But it could still be false. What dangers are there in churches like this?
3. People can give great honour to a famous Christian leader. What do these verses say about this? What is the value of listening to a speaker like this? What are the dangers?