Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 18th August 2025 (In Touch) Monday Message
TOPIC: Exposing False Teachers
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 7:15-20
15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
17 “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit.
19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.
TODAY’S MESSAGE:
New Testament writers warned about false teachings that sounded good but weren’t truthful (2 Timothy 4:3; 1 John 4:1). Believers today must still heed these warnings. The Bible instructs us to evaluate the message no matter who the teacher is (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
False teachers are deceptive. Verse 15 of today’s passage describes them as wolves in sheep’s clothing. They appear to want people to know the “real” truth about God, but their interpretation of Scripture may contain lies or a distorted mix of fact and error. The wolves are further exposed by their personal lives, which won’t be consistent with righteousness (v. 16). A close study of their decisions, actions, and words will reveal that they do not follow the Lord or biblical principles.
False teachers permit self-indulgence. Their enticing ideas appeal to a person’s sin nature. Some deceivers describe God’s grace as a license to live without restraint (Jude 1:4). However, Paul clearly denounces this lie, teaching that believers have died to sin and shouldn’t live in it (Romans 6:1-2).
The body of Christ is expected to use Scripture as the standard for measuring a leader’s lifestyle and words. When we seek divine truth, we’re given the discernment to differentiate between a holy message and a misleading one.
Bible in One Year: Jeremiah 31-32
THOUGHT FOR TODAY:The Bible instructs us to evaluate the message of whoever desires to lead us.
Dr. Charles F. Stanley was the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. Throughout his ministry, he demonstrated a keen awareness of people’s needs and provided Christ-centered biblically based principles for everyday life