SUNDAY April 19 2020

Known by Your Fruits

“Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Matthew 7:17-20

Jesus was straightforward when He spoke. He taught that those who said they were Christians and yet walked in disobedience and practiced sin would not enter into the Kingdom of God. Using an analogy of a tree and its fruit, Jesus made a clear distinction between the light and the darkness, and the good and bad. Does a good tree bear bad fruit? The answer is no! That would be totally ridiculous!

If a person confesses that they are a Christian, but their life bears bad fruit, their life does not match up with what they say. They are contradicting themselves. The evidence of the Holy Spirit in their lives should show the fruit of obedience and love.

Again Jesus repeated the way to discern a true Christian: “You will know them by their fruits.” Believers are able to judge the visible fruits in a person’s life. They will know who the real believers are if they examine the fruit. Christians have been called to be fruit inspectors. They can inspect the life of someone by using godly discernment. The fruit of love is evident in the life of a true Christian. The true love of Christ only comes through the power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

If you love God, then you are going to demonstrate love to others. Love is not selfish; love is always giving and caring. It is never jealous; it does not rejoice when others are hurt. Love lifts people up (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Those who are obedient to God’s Word will have the natural fruit of the love. They will practice the love of God in their lives. If love is absent from a person’s life, then inspect the fruit! If you do not detect any Christian fruit, then be on guard about that person.

The Holy Spirit comes as a Spirit of love.
~Andrew Murray~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!