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2009/3/3
| The Evidence of the Fruit |
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annabel
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The Evidence of the Fruit > by Dr. Paul Chappell > > > “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in > sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening > wolves. 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.” > > Matthew 7:15–17 > > > Live so that if someone were to guess your “tree” by > your fruit, they would know you were planted in > Christ. > > A young American engineer was sent to Ireland by his > company to work in a new electronics plant. It > was a two-year assignment that he had accepted because it > would enable him to earn enough money to > marry his long-time girlfriend. She had a job near her home > in Tennessee, and their plan was to pool > their resources and put a down payment on a house when he > returned. They corresponded often, but as > the lonely weeks went by, she began expressing doubts that > he was being true to her, exposed as he > was to comely Irish lasses. The young engineer wrote back, > declaring with some passion that he was > paying absolutely no attention to the local girls. “I > admit,” he wrote, “that sometimes I'm tempted. > But I fight it. I'm keeping myself for you.” > > In the next mail, the engineer received a package. It > contained a note from his girl and a > harmonica. “I'm sending this to you,” she wrote, > “so you can learn to play it and have something to > take your mind off those girls.” The engineer replied, > “Thanks for the harmonica. I'm practicing on > it every night and thinking of you.” At the end of his > two-year stint, the engineer was transferred > back to company headquarters. He took the first plane to > Tennessee to be reunited with his girl. Her > whole family was with her, but as he rushed forward to > embrace her, she held up a restraining hand > and said sternly, “Just hold on there a minute, Billy > Bob. Before any serious kissin' and huggin' > gets started here, let me hear you play that harmonica!” > > Billy Bob’s love for his girlfriend would be shown by his > harmonica playing skill. If he had truly > saved himself for her, he would be somewhat skilled on the > harmonica; but had he not been faithful, > his playing would show it. > > God shows us the same principle in our verses today. He > says that good trees would be shown through > their good fruit, and likewise corrupt trees would be shown > through their corrupt fruit. > > In other words, you can tell a person by their actions. If > someone is doing good works and living > for the Lord, then their love for God is sincere. But if > their words aren’t matching their actions, > then they are living a lie. While works do not save us, > they do show our love for Christ. > > The fruit of a tree tells you what type of tree it is. > Apple trees produce apples. They cannot > produce oranges; otherwise, they would be orange trees. In > the same way, Christians live sincere, > godly lives for Christ. This is not to say Christians do > not fall into sin from time to time, but > true Christians realize their sin and repent of it. They > seek to make things right with God rather > than living in sin. > > Have you ever met someone who told you they were saved and > loved God, but then lived as if they were > lost? As God says, you will know them by their fruit. Are > you someone who is known as a true > Christian or someone who says one thing but lives > oppositely? Make sure your actions match your > words. Live so that if someone were to guess your > “tree” by your fruit, they would know you were > planted in Christ.
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