“BY THEIR FRUITS!”

Matthew 7:15-23                                    (ESV)

“[15] “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. [16] You will recognize them “BY THEIR FRUITS”. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? [17] So, every HEALTHY TREE BEARS GOOD FRUIT, but the DISEASED TREE BEARS BAD FRUIT. [18] A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM “BY THEIR FRUITS”. [21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘LORD, LORD,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of MY FATHER WHO is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, ‘LORD, LORD, did we not prophesy in YOUR name, and cast out demons in YOUR name, and do many mighty works in YOUR name?’ [23] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Our society is guilty of many things that aren’t edifying to many, but one thing that I would like to address is identifying people anyway other than “BY THEIR FRUITS”!  There are MANY people who love to quote Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged” and accept that as a message to let public sin go because we aren’t supposed to “judge”!

But just a few minutes later JESUS is very plainly telling us “YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM “BY THEIR FRUITS”!  If we RECOGNIZE THEM “BY THEIR FRUITS” we have to, WITH KINDNESS, identify them and demonstrate that their lives are contrary to THE WORD OF GOD.  The best way we can do that is, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, live CHRIST-LIKE, not giving into the characteristics of “this world”!  

Every HEALTHY TREE BEARS GOOD FRUIT, it is different than the DISEASED TREE that BEARS BAD FRUIT.  Likewise, Believers should be separated from the world and live “peculiar” lives that draw attention, not to themselves, but to JESUS.  Although we are still in this garden we know as “this world”, we should bear so much fruit that we stand out as something different, or special.  

FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to live so others can SEE GOOD FRUIT on my branches!  Although I may be assigned to live IN THE MIDST OF BAD FRUIT, it is my desire to display GOOD FRUIT as a testimony to YOUR MERCY and GRACE to me, and others if YOU are drawing them!  Cause me to be identified “BY THEIR FRUITS” in testament to YOU living me!!!