Hope that these insights encourage you to love God, yourself, and others more richly! Passages are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
How we relate and interact with other people demonstrates our faith and specifically the nature of our hearts. Others will recognize us by our fruit. Let’s reflect on the truth that Jesus teaches in Matthew chapter 7 and a parallel account in Luke 6. Consider the context of Matthew chapter 7: part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The Enduring Word Commentary provides an excellent verse by verse explanation for both passages:
Thanks to Pastor David Guzik for providing this free resource. You can download the commentary as an app for your phone or tablet. He uses the King James Version.
The Ezra Project is a great resource for learning about Greek words and practical applications of this knowledge to your spiritual journey.
https://ezraproject.com/about/
Photo taken 11/11/23 of cloud formations TN
Context of Passages
The context is Jesus warning about false prophets. What are false prophets? A false prophet is a person (possible a group) that promotes teaching(s) or beliefs that seek to exploit, use, and lead others astray. How do we recognize them: by their fruit.
In our lives, every word and every action is fruit from our hearts. . .When our hearts change, our fruit changes.
https://www.gotquestions.org/you-will-know-them-by-their-fruit.html
Matthew 7:15-20
A Tree and Its Fruit
(Luke 6:43–45)
15Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Luke 6:43-45
A Tree and Its Fruit
(Matthew 7:15–23; Matthew 12:33–37)
43No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44For each tree is known by its own fruit. Indeed, figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor grapes from brambles. 45The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Setting Sun changes the appearances of clouds, photo TN
Application(s)
What is the fruit of your life? Luke reminds us that “good things come from good treasure”. Evil comes from evil within a heart. We all have areas that we need to grow, mature, and become more Christ like. Consider that it’s the pattern that reveals the “fruit”. One behavior doesn’t necessarily define us, but a recurring pattern is an indicator of “heart” issue.
Are we living our lives as a tree that bears good fruit and refreshes others? Or are we stuck in patterns of behavior that isolate and injure ourselves and those who encounter us? Consider the fate of the false prophets: destruction by fire. Jesus uses vivid words to describe the eternal destruction of the “wolves” and “false prophets.” The Got Questions provides some example of past false prophets. Consider how things ended for them and their followers: destruction and death.
“Many false prophets have come and gone, and many of them lived in blatant sin while preaching their message. Jim Jones openly engaged in adultery, drug use, and profanity. David Koresh had child “wives” as young as 11. False teachers might display the “fruit” of sexual immorality, greed, materialism, gluttony, and other sins while justifying their behavior and lifting themselves up as something holy.”
“Unfortunately, many people through the years have been duped into following such characters and joining them in justifying the sin. If only they had heeded Jesus’ warning that “you will know them by their fruit.”
“No matter how good or convincing someone sounds, if he is bearing bad fruit, his message should be avoided.” https://www.gotquestions.org/you-will-know-them-by-their-fruit.html
What we believe and whom we follow matters! Our example for others also matters!
Clouds reflecting the sunlight. Are we reflecting God’s Nature and Light in our lives?
Journey of Growth
Jesus calls us to walk with Him in a journey of faith. Consider the many passages of scripture that speak to us becoming more Christ like. As we walk with Him, we become more like Him. I discuss walking in Holy Spirit in the following post:
True Faith: Walking In Spirit
When the New Testament authors talk about knowing God and Jesus, they typically use the Greek word for know that refers to an “intimate knowledge” that comes about through personal experience. For more on Ginosko: link one is for word usage count/meanings, link 2 explains application(s)
https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/ginosko.html
Are we growing daily? Seeking to walk with Christ and others in meaningful, interdependent relationships?
Image created using Night Cafe Studio
Words of Grace & Hope 