False Teachers.

Jesus said, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit nor a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. Thus, you will know them by their fruits." Matthew 7: 15-20

False prophets are those who teach incorrect doctrine or who are a teacher of religion in order to have money and prestige. Ravenous wolves are hungry - and a false teacher is hungry for people's money and honor. Some of the Pharisees were like this and Jesus accused them of "devouring widow's houses." Mark 12:40

"You will recognize them by their fruit." I would say this means the fruit of the Spirit which is: "...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23

If a preacher does not have the fruit of the Spirit there is something wrong. Of course, preachers are only human and we can't expect perfection. But hopefully a preacher would have many of the fruits Paul spoke about.

We would do well to heed Jesus' warning when we choose to follow a church or a leader of a church. We must be careful and have our eyes open. I remember hearing preachers on TV that teach the very opposite of what the Bible teaches. Just this year I heard one say, "Jesus was wealthy and so were his disciples. And Jesus wants all of us to be rich." This preacher is on TV right before Joyce Meyer is on so I catch the end of his program quite frequently. His main teaching is about getting rich. His fruit is covetousness.