A Bad Tree Bears Bad Fruit and A Good Tree Bears Good Fruit

I’ve often asked the question, 

“How can I help me if I am the problem?”

It follows that, 

“How can I help others if I am the problem?”

Biblically, this is found in Matthew 7:15-16b:

“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.”

(And remember, Scripture teaches us that only God is good and the author of all good: Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19; James 1:17).

What, then, is a good tree but the tree that is rooted in Christ? And what is a bad tree but the tree that isn’t.

I ended yesterday’s post with a distinction: to believe Christ, not in Him. 

Many, many, people say they believe IN Christ, or if not in Christ, then in a generic god (that they may even interpret as Biblical).

James 2:19 says,

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”

And Romans 1:21-22, and 1:25:

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.”

“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.”

Jesus has a word for those who co-opt Christ for social justice or charitable acts, or merely verbalize a rote belief in him:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one 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 in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’’ (Matthew 7:21-23).

What is the “will of my Father who is in heaven?”

“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day” (John 6:40).

This verse uses the terminology “believes in him.” But as the Matthew 7 verse imparts, there is more to believing in Christ than simply belief in Christ. It requires knowing Christ in personal intimacy, within the truth of the entire Gospel of Good News, which Christ came to deliver individually to each and every one of us.

How does this all tie in with yesterday’s Luke 12:48 verse?

We established in that post that God has already given us the Kingdom.

We see that the Bible makes it clear that belief in Christ is not to be undertaken lightly, that much will be required and demanded of us who have been given, and who have received, the Kingdom--been given and received Christ Himself. That is the “much” that we have been given: God in Christ and His Holy Spirit.

So when we choose to seek and enter the Kingdom, saved by Christ alone, we no longer perceive, respond and act in the old earthly way. What is demanded and asked of us, per the Luke 12 verse, is to grow more and more like Christ. 

That means that, as our love for the Lord our God increases with all of our heart, minds, bodies, strength, soul and spirit, we are driven to please Him. And we do it freely, in the joy and life that He Himself stated He came to fill up in us (John 10:10 and 15:11).

So, no longer can we keep ourselves in charge.

No longer can we take offense when Jesus says that people took offense at Him first.

No longer can we self-righteously judge others when Jesus says that God will judge everyone and He will avenge—our job is merely to focus on the log in our own eye.

The call of God in Christ Jesus, the "much" that is required of us, is to (and Scripture provides many more teachings on How to live as Christ) do the following:

“...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18a).

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you" (Ephesians 4:30-32).

Participate in the divine nature by adding to our faith:

“goodness; and goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love” (2 Peter 1:5b-7).

And listed as the most important by Jesus Himself, because it is the way to the good tree that bears good fruit:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).

And if we say we love Him, then it is required of us to love Him, and thus, to obey Him:

“If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15).

“Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me” (John 14:24).

We cannot “follow” some vague god of denominational devising that has been disembodied from the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We cannot conjure up a good “god,” or even a good self, from our fallen, sinful inner nature and hope to grow good fruit. These Godless acts will always be tainted with selfish motivation and pride, which is why God calls these sorts of personal deeds “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6).

Instead,

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:6-7)

The difference between a life of belief “in” and a life that believes Christ and His Gospel is the difference between whether we will be a tree that bears good fruit or a tree that bears bad fruit in the sight of God.

Once we believe Christ and His Gospel, we are ready to examine and live out the “much” that is “demanded” of us.

copyright Barb Harwood