Look at the Fruit 凭着果子

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Dexu Xia

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Oct 1, 2022, 11:25:30 PM10/1/22

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By their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:16

“Will the real [person’s name] please stand up?” That’s the familiar line at the end of the game show To Tell the Truth. A panel of four celebrities asks questions of three individuals claiming to be the same person. Of course, two are impostors, but it’s up to the panel to discern the actual person. In one episode, the celebrities tried to guess “the real Johnny Marks,” who wrote the lyrics to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The celebrities found out how difficult it was to figure out who’s who, even when asking good questions. Impostors finagled the truth, which made for entertaining television.

Discerning who’s who when it comes to “false teachers” is a far cry from television game show antics, but it can be equally as challenging and is infinitely more important. The “ferocious wolves” often come to us in “sheep’s clothing,” and Jesus warns even the wise among us to “watch out” (Matthew 7:15). The best test is not so much good questions, but good eyes. Look at their fruit, for that’s how you’ll recognize them (vv. 16–20).

Scripture gives us assistance in seeing good and bad fruit. The good looks like “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). We’ve got to pay close attention, for wolves play by deception. But as believers, who are filled with the Spirit, we serve the real Good Shepherd, “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

When have you met a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Apply the “look for the fruit” test to that experience and now what do you see?

Great Shepherd, give me eyes and ears to look and listen for good fruit.

凭着他们的果子，就可以认出他们来。—马太福音7章16节

美国有个受欢迎的电视游戏节目《是真是假》（To Tell the Truth）。主持人会邀请三位参赛者，他们都宣称自己是拥有某个特殊职业的人，而四位明星嘉宾则对三位参赛者提出询问，并判断谁讲的是真话，谁讲的是假话。当然，其中两位参赛者是冒牌货，他们会想尽办法糊弄明星嘉宾，让他们相信自己说的是真话。很多时候，明星嘉宾即使问了一些关键问题，依旧难以分辨真假，这为节目带来非常好的娱乐效果。

基督徒要分辨“假先知”，当然不会像电视节目那样有娱乐效果，但却同样具有挑战性，而且更为重要。耶稣说“残暴的狼”经常披着“羊皮”来到我们当中，祂警告我们，即使是聪明人也要“防备假先知”（马太福音7章15节）。要分辨“假先知”最好的方式并不是要问关键问题，而是要仔细观察，凭着他们所结的果子，就可以认出他们来（16-20节）。

圣经能帮助我们分辨好果子和坏果子。好果子就像“仁爱、喜乐、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信实、温柔、节制”（加拉太书5章22-23节）。我们必须密切留意，因为狼会耍诡计，用伪装来欺骗我们。但我们是被圣灵充满的信徒，我们所要服事的是那位真正的、“充充满满地有恩典、有真理”的好牧人（约翰福音1章14节）。

你曾在什么时候见过披着羊皮的狼？
若察验他们所结的果子，
你现在会看到什么呢？