Matthew chapter 6 is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount, continuing to point out that God is concerned with the attitude of the heart more than the works of man’s hands. Jesus talks about giving, fasting, heavenly rewards, and worry. It doesn’t contain any of the criteria for the “Salvation is Jesus” category, but is still packed full of good teaching about every day life and honoring God.
The sermon comes to a close in chapter 7 where Jesus teaches on judging others, asking God for things and more. I want to focus on verses 13-23:
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Jesus points out by saying that many people chose destruction by taking the road that is broad (relativism). He then warns us to be alert for false teachers. I think this could include teachers of other religions that try to get you to follow the “broad road”, but by the sentences that follow, it seems Jesus is talking specifically about false “Christian” teachers. He says we can recognize them by their “fruit” or works. But notice that even people who do some good works (prophesy, driving out demons) still may not enter the kingdom of heaven. After all, the most important “fruit” of a person’s life is to believe in the one the Father has sent (John 6:28-29).
This is because even though they did some good works, they had surrendered their hearts to the Lordship of Christ, or being false teachers, they distorted the message of Christ. Galatians 1:6-10 gives a more in-depth and clear description of this:
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ
Jesus clearly teaches that good works alone, or sincere belief in something other than the Gospel of Christ will do nothing to keep a person from being eternally condemned.