“By their ______________ ye shall know them.”

Jesus explained in the previous verse that false prophets would appear to be sheep, God’s people, on the outside, but inwardly they would be ravening wolves. Consequently, it is useless to Become “fruit inspectors” in the sense that we look at appearance to see if the minister is a false prophet. If we study about false prophets, we will find that their “fruit” is their doctrine or what they “confess” (preach).

While outward evidences that false prophets display include casting out demons, prophesying in the name of Jesus, and doing many wonderful works, Jesus said that these types of “evidences” were works of iniquity.

The doctrine for which the false prophets are best known is the fact that they call Jesus lord. The foremost heresy we are warned against would, therefore, be the false doctrine of “lordship salvation.” This is the doctrine that teaches that you must give Jesus mastery over your life to follow and serve Him for salvation. Oh, they say that all you have to do is believe in Christ as your Savior, but they add that if you really believe your will follow Christ, and if you fall into some sin, then you did not really have saving faith.

Jesus said that those who teach works for salvation in this way, their works are works of iniquity.

On the contrary, in order to obtain eternal life, one can only accomplish this by “doing the will of God.” In other words, we need to get saved God’s way.
What is the will of God concerning obtaining eternal life? In John 6:40 Jesus made it crystal clear: “This is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life.”

When we believe that Jesus is the one true God who came to earth to die for our sins, then we have eternal life.