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Matthew 7:16-20
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.
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October 7 Good and
Bad Fruit
Jesus
is first and foremost warning about wolves in
sheep's clothing who fool Christians into
believing that they are genuine. This is a
valid lesson for every Christian however.
There are many people who
have been taught to say the right things and can
put up a good front. The Christian who is
just looking at the surface can be fooled into
believing that they are genuine believers.
The truth is that anyone
can do good things. Even the most immoral
person is capable of writing a check to support
a cause they like or to gain a tax writeoff.
Their true colors will be shown if they are
observed closely however because they can't keep
up the front forever. A bad tree will bear
bad fruit.
Genuine Christians can't
help but bear good fruit however. It is
not a matter of choice. Christians will
naturally bear good fruit without thinking about
it because it is a part of their nature.
Just as a fruit tree can't decide that it is
going to stop bearing fruit, so a genuine
Christian can't help but continue to bear good
fruit.
Because a Christian has
had their life changed by Jesus Christ they are
a new person. The old, bad fruit will
decrease as they mature in Christ. Soon
they will bear more and more good fruit, a sign
of their maturity. |
