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The meaning is established in the OT and reinforced in NT. Isaiah portrays fruit as justice and righteousness. Paul described fruit as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” which the Holy Spirit produces in the Believers life. Both OT and NT focus our attention on character: are those good and right acts which are produced by a person whose heart is in tune with God’s own character and nature.
(Gal 5:22 - 23 KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
(Gal 5:22 - 23 NLT) But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.
As the Holy Spirit flows freely in our lives, a rich and beautiful character “fruit” grows.
The Holy Spirit has a variety of ministries to believers. He empowers them for holy living, and here we see that He works a progressive moral transformation as we are obedient and responsive to the Lord. That transformation is displayed in character and personality, producing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Not by works:
There is no way, however much we plow and harrow, or cultivate and hoe our character, to produce this crop by ourselves. This crop is produced only by God the Holy Spirit, and only in those who live in Him, your response ability is to remain in the word of God and be obedient to what God says and not be conformed to this world, as you do this the Holy Spirit will mold your character to look like Christ.
John the Baptist said: Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance
Luke 3:8,9 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
John the Baptist warned that fruit trees are destroyed if they do not produce good fruit.
Jesus Said:
Luke 13:6 - 9 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Jesus expects us to be fruitful. His patience for the fruit in us, his trees is limited.
Psa 1:1 - 4 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
The fruit of the Spirit is a cluster which grows and appears at their appointed time. It is only after the sun has shined, the rain has fallen, the weeds have been pulled that the fruit becomes evident and can then be recognized as such. We must examine our hearts for weeds.
James 3:11,12 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Eph 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
A plant needs water = Wells of salvation "the word"
Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
A plant needs sunlight = the Lord "Jesus"
Isa 60:19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
Gal 5:22 - 25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us:
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
self-control
The fruit produced by the Spirit includes no specific acts or behaviors. The fruit of the Spirit are internal, traits of character. This character is produced only by God the Holy Spirit, and only in those who live in Him. We cannot be like Jesus until all selfishness, worldliness and all lusts of the flesh are cut away.
Gal 5:17 - 21 NLT v.17 The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.
v.18 But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.
v.19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure,
v.20 idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group,
v.21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
(Gal 5:21b KJV) they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results, evil fruits:
Adultery, fornication
uncleanness
lasciviousness
idolatry
witchcraft
hatred
variance
emulations
wrath
strife
seditions
heresies
Envyings, murders
drunkenness
revellings |
sexual immorality
impure thoughts
eagerness for lustful pleasure
participation in demonic activities
hostility
quarreling
jealousy
outbursts of anger
selfish ambition
divisions
the
feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your
own little group
envy
wild parties
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and such
like:
(Mat 7:21 - 23) v.21 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.
v.22 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?
V.23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Miraculous powers do not give proof of unadulterated relationship with Jesus, valid faith. The claim here is centered on "in thy name.'' False teachers gain public approval for themselves. They do not act in accordance with God's will. Love for self, not for others, dominates their lives. God only claims throws as His own that are humble, obedient servants, manifesting the Cartier of Christ.
Fruitfulness is consistently used of acts which flow from and reveal character.
(Mat 12:33 KJV) 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.
(Mat 12:33 NLT) "A tree is identified by its fruit. Make a tree good, and its fruit will be good. Make a tree bad, and its fruit will be bad.
Throughout Scripture, fruit is a symbol of Gods transforming work within believers.
Yet here Jesus spoke of recognizing false prophets by their bitter fruit.
(Mat 12:34 KJV) O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Mat 12:34 NLT) You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.
(Mat 12:35 KJV) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. (Mat 12:35 NLT) A good person produces good words from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart.
(Mat 12:36 KJV) But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (Mat 12:36 NLT) And I tell you this, that you must give an account on judgment day of every idle word you speak.
Idle word, “careless words”
The words that slip out when one speak casually to their family, coworkers, or friends.
(Mat 12:37 KJV) For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. (Mat 12:37 NLT) The words you say now reflect your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will be condemned."
Now let reread
Mat 7:22,23 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
It is the sinful nature
Notes what these people do and who they say they are.
they call Jesus Lord, they are Christians
they prophesied in his name, "Jesus"
they cast out devils
they do many wonderful works
A tree is known by its fruit, we are known by our fruit. If we are righteous, we shall yield good fruits, but if we are corrupt, we shall produce evil.
Luke 6:43 - 45 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.
(Mat 7:15 KJV) v.15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
v.16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
v.17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
v.18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
v.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
v.20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
The prophets were to carry God’s words to the people of Israel and to the nations at large. They had a charge to keep: it was simply that they were to speak God’s word. The true prophet said what the mouth of the Lord directed him to say, but the false prophet pronounced what came from his own heart, rather than what came from the mouth of the Lord.
(Ezek 3:17 KJV) Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
(Jer 23:16 KJV) 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
If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him
To recognize false prophets, the Christian must examine the way they live and their message.
Do they proclaim only what people want to hear that makes life easy and pleasurable while ignoring the demanding and difficult requirements of discipleship?
First: doctrinally. Jesus, God’s Son, has come in the flesh.
This confession will never be made by false teachers.
Second: by lifestyle. The world, with its “cravings, the lust of the eyes and the boasting of what he has”, these things are to be put away by the mature believer. When a teacher speaks from the viewpoint of the world, is all ways testifying and talking about his or her life, you know more about there life than the Word of God. There teaching is out of harmony with the written Word. The Holy Spirit helps believers by bring lack of peace, or ease; within your spirit. The Holy Spirit is limited to a believers conches, if a believer has quenched the Spirit and there by serried there conches, there lack of peace could be because they have trained there conches with wrong teaching and beliefs. The Word of God is our only true standard to follow.
1 John 4:1 -6 v.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.
v.2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
v.3 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.
v.4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
v.5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
v.6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
(1 John 2:16 KJV) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
(2 Tim 3:16 KJV) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The Scripture’s are sufficient to protect us from false teaching and to strengthen us.
“Teaching” a general word;
“Rebuking” a word associated with convicting
of sin or error
“Correcting” a term that means restoring to
an upright or original condition
“Training” rearing a child by training and
guiding him in how to live.
With this, we have all we need to equip us for good works.
(2 Tim 4:2,3 KJV) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
Sound doctrine always results in holy living. Healthy doctrine is expressed not only in confession of belief or faith but in fruitful living, and holy living must be based on healthy doctrine.
Mark 4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
Mark 4:3 - 8 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some * fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
Mark 4:9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 4:14 - 20 The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some * sixty, and some an hundred.
The way you hear the word, and receive it will determine the amount and quality of the fruit.
Satan comes to steal the word of God from you. You have to have roots in the word yourself, not just a hearer of it, the one that meditate on it day and night, and does the word, the teachings of Jesus. You need to rout out the thorns, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things. According to the degree that you do these things, you will bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
For a Study on The
Parable of the Sower
Jesus said:
In John 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away
Branches are unable to bear fruit by themselves. They must be connected to the vine. Roots and trunk support the life of the branch, and only the branches that “remain in” the vine has the potential for fruitfulness.
If we trust in Jesus, and obey the truth the words of Jesus, meditate on his word and delight in him, then a continual flow of grace is produced, and brings forth fruit his character in us. Just like a tree or vine that has sap which produces fruit. Only in a personal relationship with God the father throw Jesus is fruit bearing possible. Unless we are living in union with our Lord and seeing His fruit produced in our lives, all else is meaningless. Jesus loved us and laid down his life for us, we are commanded to lay down our life "soul life" in love for each other. Our old man the sinful nature, must die and God's character must come forth in us.
Our life must die, we must forsake all for Jesus, because of our love for him, continuing in his love by keeping his teachings. Herein is the Father glorified, as we die to our life, and our character and receiving his character.
For a Study on The
Vine and the Branches
