"You will know them by their fruits"

A few months ago I was doing a bible study with friends and we were reading through Matthew 7 but the following verses caught our attention:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits, you will know them"

Matthew 7:15-20 (NKJV)

In the next few verses, Jesus also says:

"Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV)

Jesus says that you will know them by their fruits (this makes me think of actions), but then says that their actions don't define them as heaven-bound. I was left confused for a few months until a classmate of mine in Bible college gave a sermon where he explained that the fruits Jesus talks about are not a performance; they are the fruits produced by God's Holy Spirit.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law."

Galatians 5:22-23

Jesus says that a good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. So if my accomplishments don't define my faith, then do my intentions define it? Not necessarily.

In James 2, we see that faith without action is dead.

"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ... But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds."

When we move past knowing OF God, and we really begin to know him personally, that spiritual intimacy should challenge us to change our behavior and compel us to LIVE out the work that God has done in us. This means living AND leading with love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The fruits of the Spirit that I have trouble living out might be different from yours, so every day we can start by asking God to help reveal our areas of growth and to provide opportunities to exercise those areas.

Closing prayer:

"Lord, I ask that you will open my eyes in a spiritual way so that I will be able to identify the areas in which I falsely believe that I can earn my salvation. Help me remember that my salvation cannot be earned, but it is a gift that you bless me with because of your grace and compassion for me. Lord, I pray that the way that I live will be a reflection of your love and a testimony to how you are working in and through me. I pray that I will not only claim to know you but that I will really, wholeheartedly know you in a way that compels me to live out the fruits of the Spirit that you exemplified for us when you sent your son down to earth. In Jesus' name, Amen.