“你们要防备假先知。他们到你们这里来，外面披着羊皮，里面却是残暴的狼。” - 太 7:15

耶稣警告说，假先知和假教师带着关于如何信仰和生活的扭曲想法来到我们身边。这些人可能使用颇为正确的宗教语言，或者看起来像是了不起的领袖人物。但耶稣说，事实上他们就像狼一样，如果允许他们不受任何约束，他们就会在羊圈（教会）内造成严重破坏。

当我们读新约圣经时，就能够看到圣经对教会中的牧师和教师的要求真的很高，因为他们负有重大的责任。教会设置保障措施以阻止不良领袖的出现是正确之举。当领袖坍塌，传递错误的教导，他们很可能会把其他人也拉下水。所以任何担任领导的人——牧师、教师、导师、长老——都应该在这个警告下谦卑自己。他们必须确保他们的教导和行动符合神的旨意。

耶稣警告说，你不能相信假教师或假领袖，祂指出，你可以通过他们的果子（行动）来认出他们。如果一个领袖对他的配偶不忠，如果他们在金钱上自私自利，如果他们在共同体中凭借财富或地位玩弄权术，或表现为自命不凡的大人物，如果他们从不道歉或承认自己的罪，那么他们对整个共同体是危险的。他们必须得到适当的处理。

祷告

父啊，请帮助你的教会分辨什么时候需要对领袖提出质疑，甚至撤换。求主帮助我成为一个领袖的积极的榜样，并以符合你教导的方式生活。阿们。

马太福音 7:15-20

15“你们要防备假先知。他们到你们这里来，外面披着羊皮，里面却是残暴的狼。16凭着他们的果子就可以认出他们来。荆棘上岂能摘葡萄呢？蒺藜里岂能摘无花果呢？17这样，凡好树都结好果子，唯独坏树结坏果子。18好树不能结坏果子，坏树不能结好果子。19凡不结好果子的树就砍下来，丢在火里。20所以，凭着他们的果子就可以认出他们来。

False Teachers

"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." - Matthew 7:15

Jesus warns about false prophets and teachers who come to us with twisted ideas about belief in God and how to live our lives. These people might use the right religious language or seem to be great leaders. But the truth, Jesus says, is that they are like wolves who will wreak havoc within a sheepfold (the church) if they are allowed to go unchecked.

When we read through the New Testament, we see that the bar is really high for pastors and teachers in the church, because they have a huge responsibility. And the church is right to set safeguards to keep bad leaders away. When leaders mess up and teach something false, they are likely to take other people down with them. So anyone in leadership—pastors, teachers, mentors, elders—should be humbled by this warning. They must make sure that their teaching and actions line up with God’s will.

Jesus warns that you can’t trust a false teacher or leader, and he points out that you can recognize them by their fruit (actions). If a leader is unfaithful to their spouse, if they are selfish with money, if they play favorites in the community on the basis of wealth or status or acting like bigshots, if they never apologize or acknowledge their own sin, they are dangerous to the community. And they must be dealt with accordingly.

Prayer

Father, help your church to discern when leaders need to be challenged or even removed. Help me to set a positive example, and to live in a way that lines up with your teachings. Amen.