False prophets were recurrent in Old Testament times. They forecasted just what the king and the local people wanted to hear, asserting that it was God's message. False teachers are similarly as frequent today. Jesus says to be careful with those whose words sound religious however who are inspired by popularity, power, or prestige. We can tell who they are on the grounds that in their instructing they limit Christ and laud themselves.
• Deuteronomy 13:1-4, If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
• Jeremiah 23:16, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
• Acts 20:29, For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
• 2 Peter 2:1, But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
• 1 John 4:1, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
So, if a tree is known for its fruit, how do you know one piece of fruit from the other? We are taught from an early age what each fruit looks like, how it tastes, how it smells, and for what it is used. When you consider fruit, you are likely to consider something sweet and delicious to eat. Apples, berries, and oranges are all fruits. In any case, researchers consider fruit a piece of a plant that contains seeds. The fruit probably will not be sweet. Indeed, it probably will not be edible by any stretch of the imagination. Yet, it is a fruit.
Fruit is generally delicate and succulent, however not always. Some of the time it is covered by a hard, defensive shell. Consider a watermelon, for example. It is delicate and delicious within; however, the outside is intense. Some fruit may be bitter, and some fruit may be sour.
Some of the fruit characteristics could be considered characteristics of a Christian. Does the Christian have a fruitful appearance? If so, that Christian may be spiritual on the inside; or the Christian may be spiritually barren?
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22, Abstain from all appearance of evil.
We ought to assess the teachers’ words by analyzing their lives. Similarly, as trees are predictable in the sort of fruit they produce, good teachers reliably show appropriate conduct and high moral fiber (character) as they endeavor to experience the certainties and truths of the Scripture. This does not mean we ought to have witch hunts, toss out Sunday teachers, ministers, and other people who are not exactly great, or less than perfect. None of us mere humans are perfect. All of us are liable to sin, and we should show the very kindness and mercy to others that we need for ourselves. When Jesus discusses degenerate and corrupt trees, he implies teachers who are intentionally teaching false doctrine. We should look at the teachers’ thought processes, their motives, which way they are taking, and the outcomes they are looking for.
• Matthew 12:33, Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
• Luke 6:43-49, For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Real fruit verses fake fruit. Fake fruit looks good, but it has no substance. How do we know good fruit? By the actions, the words, the ministry, and the lifestyle. You can clean a car but if the spark plug is not correct, the car will not work. We are not to judge but to examine the person’s life.
People watch us every day. Does God get the glory or do we?
When the fruit has been plucked from the tree, it begins to die. The fruit must stay connected to the tree so that it can get its nutrients from the tree. As such, we must be connected to Christ, if we are not, we slowly begin to die spiritually. If the tree is not growing, it is not productive, therefore it is not bearing fruit. If the tree is not productive and produces fruit, then the tree is not growing.
• Romans 8:5-8, For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So, then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
We must stay prayed up and studied up or we will grow cold and indifferent to God’s Word. If not, our spiritual fruit will begin to rot as natural fruit lying on the ground or on the countertop. Has anyone seen a banana going bad, or any piece of fruit for that matter? That piece of fruit is dying. It is decaying.
Is our Christian life like a piece of fruit that is going bad?
