In today’s study we have several titles. Verses 1-6 Judge not. 7-11 What is prayer. Verse 12 The golden rule. Verses 13-14 The straight gate. 15-20 The false prophets. Verses 21-23 I never knew you. Verses 24-29 The two foundations. Now, I will teach God’s Word boldly and without apology. Some of you might be offended by today’s study, think of Paul. When he was still Saul, he persecuted the church. He had studied under Gamaliel, the best scholar of the time. He was a Pharisee, and it wasn’t until God blinded him on the path, did God open his eyes to his Word. Matthew 7 and verse 1 reads.
Mat.7:1] Judge not, that ye be not judged.
[2] For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Judging others is a serious sin, the LORD does not need anyone’s help. How you judge others, you will be judged. Only God knows the heart. Let’s go to 1Corinthians 4 and verse 3 reads.
1Cor.4:3] But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
[4] For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
[5] Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Back to Matthew 7 and verse 3 reads.
Mat.7:3] And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Says here your sins are greater than theirs simply by judging them.
Mat.7:4] Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
[5] Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Teach them repentance, as you yourself are clean only through Christ crucified.
Mat.7:6] Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Don’t give the Word to unbelievers, they don’t want to hear it anyways. They will trash the Holy Word, then come after you publicly. This would be to their detriment, and cause them to receive the wrath of God. But to those who will hear the Word, plant the seed, then God can make it grow.
Mat.7:7] Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
[8] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Seeking is reading his Word, and wanting to understand. This is why we open with prayer, Father open eyes and ears to your word, in Jesus’s precious name. Let’s go to Proverbs 1 and verse 2 reads.
Prov.1:2] To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
[3] To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
[4] To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
[5] A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
[6] To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
[7] The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Now, let’s go to Proverbs 8 and verse 17 reads.
Prov.8:17] I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Let’s go to Revelation 3 and verse 6 reads.
Rev.3:6] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
[7] And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Speaking to God’s Elect, Jesus says only God can open or close eyes. Having the Key of David is the knowledge of the woman’s seed and the serpent’s seed. Back to Matthew 7 and verse 9 reads.
Mat.7:9] Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
[10] Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
Notice the examples here. The Bread that is the body of Christ. But this fish, Ichthys in Greek and is an acronym representing Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. Each of the Greek letters stand for a word. I (Iota) for Jesus, X (Chi) for Christ, Θ (Theta) for God, Y (Upsilon) for Son, and Σ (Sigma) for Savior. A fish drawn on a house represented that Christian church is held there. We see here that if a son asks of his father for truth, he wouldn’t lie to him.
Mat.7:11] If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
How much more the LORD loves us, trust in him to give the Word with eyes wide open. Remember you must seek him.
Mat.7:12] Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Remember in Matthew 5, verse 17 reads.
Mat.5:17] Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Now let’s go to the law, Leviticus 19 and verse 18 reads.
Lev.19:18] Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
This is the golden rule. Let’s go to Mark 12 a certain scribe asked Jesus which is the first commandment of all, and verse 28 reads.
Mark 12:28] And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
[29] And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
[30] And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Jesus separated the Ten Commandments into two correctly, the first 5 are spiritual. The second 5 are for the flesh.
Mark 12:31] And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
The last five commandments are considered as great as the first five. Back to Matthew 7 and verse 13 reads.
Mat.7:13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
[14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
For narrow is this gate that is Christ. Wide is the gate that leads to hell. Many will not make it through the narrow gate. Narrow means; discipline. We are disciples of Christ. But many shall be deceived in the end times and worship the antichrist. But until then, they that are of this world, have not the love of the Father. I like how this is said in Luke 13 and verse 23 reads.
Luke 13:23] Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
[24] Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
[25] When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
[26] Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.
[27] But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
[28] There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
This sounds harsh, but there is a reason, he continues in Matthew 7 and verse 15 reads.
Mat.7:15] Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Come to you in sheep’s clothing, means they are in your churches, even at your pulpits. I am happy to know that judgment begins at the pulpit. Let’s go to 1Peter 4 and verse 17 reads.
1Pet.4:17] For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Learn to check your teachers. If they teach the Word of God then you will find it in God’s Word. How will you know if they take a verse out of context, unless you search the verse out and find the subject, object, and who is speaking to whom. These false pastors or priests will teach the rapture doctrine and not the doctrine of Jesus. They will tell you “You don’t have to understand Revelation because you are going to fly away”, right into Satan’s lap if you are not careful. Back to Matthew 7 and verse 16 reads.
Mat.7:16] Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
To know them is to discern whether they teach God’s Word or of their own thoughts. Let’s go to Hebrews 5 and verse 12 reads.
Heb.5:12] For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Have you been in a church that teaches Baptism and Salvation only, they never break out the bible and teach chapter by chapter and verse by verse. Don’t get me wrong, Baptism and Salvation should be the cornerstone of every church, but that is only the milk. Teach the meat, the depth of God’s Word.
Heb.5:13] For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
[14] But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Full age is matured. With strong meat is knowledge of God’s Word, then you can discern good from evil, or a false prophet from a good teacher. Back to Matthew 7 and verse 17 reads.
Mat.7:17] Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
God will use trees as examples for his children and even himself. Let’s go to Hosea 14 and verse 8 reads.
Hos.14:8] Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
From God are our fruits found. Fruits are our works, our deeds. In the garden there were two trees. The Tree of Life, Jesus and the Tree of good and evil, Satan that old serpent. Back to Matthew 7 and verse 18 reads.
Mat.7:18] A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
[19] Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
[20] Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
You will have discernment of right and wrong, good and evil. Let’s go to Revelation 20 and we have here the great white throne judgment, verse 11 reads.
Rev.20:11] And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
[12] And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Our works are the only thing we take to heaven, good or bad they are written in the books.
Rev.20:13] And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
[14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
[15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
These are those trees that brought forth bad fruits. Back to Matthew 7 and verse 21 reads.
Mat.7:21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
We read this above in Mark 13, but I want to go to 2Thesalonians 2 and verse 10 reads.
2Thes.2:10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
[11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
[12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
God himself will send them strong delusions to believe a lie. Let’s now go to Ezekiel 13 and verse 18 reads.
Eze.13:18] And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?
Only Jesus can save. These pillows and armholes are the lies that cover God’s outstretched saving arms.
Eze.13:19] And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?
Read that and what is to follow very carefully. It said the false prophets teach the congregation for money, maybe even for a pension.
Eze.13:20] Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.
Rapture doctrine exposed here as lies. Those who teach this theory, these lies, pay attention.
Eze.13:21] Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
[22] Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
They will have the millennium to learn the truth. But the false teachers will go into the lake of fire. I say this to try and bring our brothers and sisters back to the LORD. Back to Matthew 7 and verse 22 reads.
Mat.7:22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
They might have thought they’re works were good, but they were great sinners in leading God’s children to worship the antichrist. Let’s go to Psalms 5 and verse 4 reads.
Psa.5:4] For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee.
[5] The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.
[6] Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
The false prophets, teachers, shall go into the lake of fire for deceiving his children. Pastors and priests who say they love the LORD, wake up and stop teaching falsely. It is hated by the LORD. Back to Matthew 7 and verse 24 reads.
Mat.7:24] Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Priests and pastors who have heard the truth for the first time, it’s not too late. Repent and follow the Word of God. Teach your congregation chapter by chapter and verse by verse, be likened unto a wise man and return to the LORD, his Word. This rock is Jesus Christ. Build your church on the Word.
Mat.7:25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
[26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
[27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
It is never too late to receive the Word of God, search and you will find. These floods are the deception, those lies, that come out of the dragon’s mouth. To teach the rapture doctrine leads God’s children right into the lap of the antichrist. Have the patience of the saints, and wait for the seventh trump.
Mat.7:28] And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
[29] For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Here we see that he can open doors that no one can close, and close doors that no one can open. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible