Thank you for taking a look †
You go and buy some fruit. It's sitting out. You inspect it. You look at the outside and see if it's healthy for you. If it shows signs of beginning to rot, you pass on by. I think these days we a huge disconnect in understanding how Christ taught so simple. (processed foods, being served, fast food as opposed to wholesome fresh produce foods). On the other hand, we want ripe fruits and teaching where you have no choice but to grow with plenty of nourishment. As with eating we don't always see the results as we look into the mirror. We know it's happening and must be patient. At times you see huge increases, and you want more of it. This takes reflection (that mirror), consideration, and inspecting ourselves as well. Where we stand in the faith. Quite simply, you cannot be growing if some false teacher is up there revolving around one verse for an hour, twisting it in application how they see fit.
(Matthew 7:15-20) "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Prophets meaning teachers. They should be confirming the Word. All of it. Who walks into a front yard that says beware of dog? But even more here beware of wolf. The senses are up as in one is in the danger zone. A sheep is harmless, but a wolf a predator, the big bad wolf excessively greedy is hungry like a wolf. A sheep says I have a shepherd. There is no false teacher who does not say, "the truth will set you free." There is no false teacher who does not say, "Jesus."
16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Two kinds here. Christ first goes to grapes. Do they teach the cross and what it means? The foundation, the milk? Grace through faith? Repentance through belief? (Hebrews 6:1-3) a good spot to check out as well). Grapes are always symbolic for the blood of Christ. Remember what was put on Christ' head later on? Thorns in complete mockery. And so would be the result in teaching the cross and the heart and mind changing on account of the cross through belief and repentance. (Reference John 19:1-5, among others).
(Picking and then gathering. The first acts in deciding what is going to be eaten. Thorns and thistles very prickly. Christ giving us this analogy because before you pick, your going to think twice beforehand. Knowing the danger before we put our hand in there before we even think to eat. The whole point is not teaching the cross correctly, in turn making people more bitter, rough around the edges).
(Grapes are gathered from clusters. Grapes symbolic for the blood of Christ. But here not even to the process of eating/drinking. One should know beforehand whether (God's true Word) they are getting bitter gall from the selection process).
See Christ is posing these questions? We cannot read over that. It is a must to be considered. Christ just got done teaching 2 chapters in change in motives. Now the questions He poses for us to look at afterwards. You don't want to get caught up in thorns and/or thistles.
Figs, from a fig tree. Do they teach what the good figs are? the evil figs? The doctrine associated with the evil figs? (Jeremiah 24). As we have gone over time and time again you cannot support (Give Godspeed, bless their doctrine) the evil figs and be drinking the correct wine, the blood of Christ from the cross. Figs always represent the fig tree, the parable found in Jeremiah 24. You go in there roll up your sleeves with their doctrine your going to stuck. Works with hands pricked all bloodied up. Here in the pic you go for the cluster. Now an amazing turn of event at the harvest when Christ comes back he reaps them clusters for the blood they rejected. Point is they tried to form like clusters being backwards (Revelation 14:17-20; of the vine of the earth. Symbolic of them being of the world).
In direct reference: Song of Moses: (Deuteronomy 32:32-33) "For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:
33Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps."
(Just like satan in the garden of Eden, don't take in that rotten fruit. Consuming it. It appears edible and taken in for consumption. Long on promises to get in the church door but short on results. As satan was himself as the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the serpent. Fairy tales from a talking snake being talked into fruit salads literally! NOT in the Bible. What was to be considered? Listening to satan and taking that corrupt fruit in , it brings death. Don't let a false teacher take you right with them).
The following needs to be considered:
(Quenching that thirst and hunger. Fruits cover both as they are made up of mostly water. More questions than answers? Revolving doors? These are not teachers. Teachers should invite questions, not get defensive if they cannot answer questions, then they to admit it not make stuff up).
But now before eating, Christ goes to the root. The selection process, before you select anything you use the physical senses God gave you. What is nourishing and what is not.
17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
(Good fruit, full of vitamins and minerals, nourishment for the soul and spirit). Your going to learn and grown in the Word healthy. Seeing the results. Big-time gains in spiritual health).
The false teacher no chance to begin with. The trunk of the tree coming from the root, the origin--their foundation. They have nothing good to serve. But, having their arm outstretched arm in greed for themselves. Just as satan was as the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
(Of course, it will be their own words, not God's Words in turn having that healthy production of God's Word every season. Just as physical exercise we see growth from eating healthy and choosing the correct "diet." As it goes, going to hear God's WORD should be a lifestyle change. Not just in it to lose weight and look good, but eating healthy. Staying consistent).
That is an amazing thing with God's Word here. No matter the season you're going to grow.
18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
(It's not going to happen. It's going to be a steady flow of nutrition, thus nourishment).
19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
To nothing. Blotted out. Why we are to lay the axe to the tree. God plants a new tree. We get to the root of the problem through repentance. No repentance through Christ at belief. What He is saying here is He will force that axe on the tree and put it where a tree that has no use belongs.
20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
(A corrupt tree is not in it for the right reasons, the wrong motives. Just like satan in it for self. What else did satan do? Destroy faith. Faith comes by hearing the Word(s) of the Lord. There is no way you can build faith without studying and putting the Word in your heart and mind verse by verse. This of course takes dedication with sincerity).
Amen †
No comments:
Post a Comment
Questions and Comments