The Bad and the Good Tree

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" Matthew 7:16-22

Good works is not evidence of having good fruit. Many will say to Jesus that they have done many good works in His name and yet Jesus will say He never knew them.

What is Jesus talking about when He says ye shall know them by their fruits? A good tree brings forth good fruit whereas a bad tree brings forth evil fruit. What determines whether the tree is good or bad?

One portion of Scripture says, 

"They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one" Romans 3:12. 

It basically says that we are all evil and therefore we must conclude that since we are all corrupt then we must all bring forth bad or evil fruit. How are we to become a good tree that brings forth good fruit?

Jesus tells us, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

What is the will of Jesus' Father?  

"And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40).

It is salvation in Jesus Christ that supernaturally makes us into a good tree that will hopefully begin bearing good fruit sooner rather than later. Do you know of the fruit of the Spirit? Without the new birth we could not manifest God's fruit.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" Galatians 5:22-23.

But how are we really to know the good tree (those born from above) from the corrupt tree?

"A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him" Proverbs 12:14.

The book of 1 John gives us tests to determine if a person is of the good tree. They are justified or condemned by their fruit of their lips.

Here is a few from 1 John:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" 1 John 1:8.

"He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now" 1 John 2:9.

"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son" 1 John 2:22.

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world" 1 John 4:1-3.

Do you see that by examining so-called Christians by works alone may not help us in determining if someone is truly of God. We are to test them. Try their spirit. An impostor will always slip up sooner or later in their tongue due to their ignorance of the true gospel.