A good person (a true pastor) bears good fruit; an evil person (a false pastor) bears evil fruit.

A good person (a true pastor) bears good fruit;

an evil person (a false pastor) bears evil fruit.

 

  

 

 

 

“For there is no good tree that bears bad fruit, nor again a bad tree that bears good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:43–45).

 

 

 

As I meditate on these words, I desire to receive the lesson that the Lord gives through them.

 

(1)    When I meditate on Luke 6:43–45, I also want to meditate on Matthew 7:16–20 in connection with it: “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits.”  In doing so, I want to receive instruction from God’s Word by meditating on one central point.  That one point is this: “Each tree is known by its fruit” (Lk. 6:44; Mt. 7:16, 20).

 

(a)    The first half of Luke 6:44 in today’s passage says: “For each tree is known by its fruit ….”  The first half of Matthew 7:16 and verse 20 say: “You will recognize them by their fruits …” (v. 16a), “Thus you will recognize them by their fruits” (v. 20).

 

(i)                 Here, the “them” referred to in Matthew 7:16a and 20 are “false prophets” (v. 15): “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

 

·         It is by the “fruit” of these false prophets that we can “recognize them” (vv. 16, 20).  Then what exactly are “their fruits” (vv. 16, 20)?  In other words, what kind of “fruit” enables us to know whether someone is a false prophet rather than a true prophet?

 

-          When I asked a computer artificial intelligence (AI), “How can you tell if someone is a false prophet?” it answered as follows: “To discern false prophets, you should examine whether their teachings align with the truth of Scripture, whether their lives and character bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and whether they deny the essence (divinity) of Jesus Christ.  The Bible teaches that they can be discerned especially by their fruit (transformed lives) and their faithfulness to the Word.

 

n  1. Consistency of teaching with Scripture

 

Distortion of Scripture: They interpret or alter the Bible arbitrarily for their own benefit. In particular, they may ignore or distort the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

Denial of core biblical truths: They may not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, or they may claim to be the returned Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or God Himself, thereby denying the uniqueness of Christ.

 

2. Life and character (fruit)

Greed and corruption: They pursue worldly desires such as money, power, and sexual gratification, using God’s Word as a means to achieve these ends.

 

Absence of the fruit of the Spirit: Instead of the fruit of the Spirit seen in true prophets—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—there appear traits resembling satanic behavior (lies, jealousy, strife, etc.).

 

Pride: They exalt themselves and are skilled at deceiving and misleading others.

 

3. Fulfillment of prophecy

 

Truthfulness of prophecies: One should examine whether what they prophesy actually comes to pass. However, since signs or miracles alone can be difficult to use as a standard, their words must be evaluated together with their life and conduct.

 

4. Conclusion: Know Scripture deeply

 

The best way to recognize counterfeits is to deeply understand the original—Scripture itself (especially its teaching about Jesus Christ). When you know biblical truth, you can discern false teachings. The Bible warns that false prophets outwardly come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15)” (Internet).

 

·         I am sharing only two portions from a meditation I wrote on July 18, 2018, under the title “False Pastors and True Pastors,” which was centered on Jeremiah 23:28–29:

 

“False pastors do not proclaim the words that come from the mouth of God; instead, they speak the deceitfulness of their own hearts. They utter lies from false hearts. To God’s people who are committing sins, they preach sermons of comfort, saying, ‘You will have peace,’ and ‘No disaster will come upon you’ (v. 17). False pastors scratch the itching ears of their listeners rather than proclaim sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:3). There is no rebuke, no warning, and no exhortation (v. 2). Instead of turning God’s people away from their sins, they rather strengthen them so that they continue to sin (Jeremiah 23:14). False pastors are leading the saints astray (v. 13). This is inevitable because the false pastors themselves are running along a crooked path (v. 21 — ‘running’). As they defile themselves and commit evil, even committing wicked deeds within the house of God, impurity eventually comes out from them and contaminates the entire church.”

 

“A true prophet speaks the word of God with faithfulness. A true prophet listens attentively to God’s word and therefore hears it (v. 18). Having received it, he faithfully proclaims that word to God’s people (v. 28). He never carelessly wags his tongue like the false prophets do (v. 31). The word proclaimed by a true prophet is like ‘fire’ and like ‘a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces’ (v. 29). Therefore, a true prophet faithfully proclaims the powerful word that can melt and shatter the hardened hearts of souls. By faithfully preaching that powerful word, the true prophet causes God’s people to ‘turn from their evil ways and evil deeds’ (v. 22). He causes God’s people to remember the name of God (v. 27) and to come to God (v. 14). Therefore, a true prophet is beneficial to God’s people (v. 32).”

 

·         From another meditation I wrote on July 18, 2018, under the title “We Must Know That There Are True Pastors Among Us,” centered on Ezekiel 2:5, I share three criteria by which we can distinguish who a true pastor is:

 

First, a true pastor proclaims God’s word as it is, whether people listen or not [(Ezekiel 2:7) “For they are a rebellious house. Whether they listen or refuse to listen, you shall speak my words to them”].

 

A true pastor proclaims God’s word exactly as it is. Whether people listen to God’s word or refuse to listen, he proclaims it as it is. Even if that word is one of lamentation, mourning, or disaster—words people do not want to hear—he proclaims God’s word exactly as it is. He never adds to or subtracts from God’s word (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32). Rather, he faithfully proclaims God’s word as it is (Jeremiah 23:28).

 

The reason we fail to recognize such a true pastor is that we do not want to hear the sound teaching of God’s word as it is (2 Timothy 4:3). Instead, we prefer to hear sermons that scratch our itching ears according to our own desires (v. 3).

 

Second, a true pastor does not fear people [(Ezekiel 2:6) “And you, son of man, do not fear them or their words, though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house”].

 

A true pastor does not fear people. He does not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul (Matthew 10:28). Rather, he fears God, who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (v. 28).

 

The reason he does not fear people is not only because he fears God, but also because he believes that God is with him, will save him, and will deliver him from the hands of people (Jeremiah 42:11). In other words, because a true pastor believes that the great and awesome God is with him (Deuteronomy 7:21), he does not fear people.

 

Third, a true pastor does not rebel like rebellious people [(Ezekiel 2:8) “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you”].

 

A true pastor is faithful to God. Since what is required of stewards is faithfulness (1 Corinthians 4:2), he is faithful even unto death (Revelation 2:10). He obeys God’s word regardless of whether God’s voice sounds pleasing or displeasing to him (Jeremiah 42:6).

 

In obeying, he learns obedience through suffering, just as Jesus, the Son of God, did (Hebrews 5:8). And in the process of learning obedience, like Jesus, he lays down his own will and prays that only the Lord’s will be done (Luke 22:42). A true pastor not only prays that the Lord’s will be done, but, like Jesus, humbly submits to the Lord’s will, obeying even to the point of death (Philippians 2:8).

 

The reason we fail to recognize such a true pastor is that we desire our own will to be done rather than the Lord’s will.

 

(b)    This is Matthew 7:17: “So, every good tree bears beautiful fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.”  That is, true prophets (“good trees”) bear “beautiful fruit,” but false prophets (“bad trees”) bear “bad fruit.”

 

(i)                 Here, the word “beautiful” comes from the Greek word καλούς (kalous), which encompasses the concepts of intrinsic excellence, moral beauty, suitability, and usefulness.  Unlike ἀγαθός (agathos)—which often emphasizes benevolence and is used in verse 17 for “good” tree—this word stresses value that is recognized and worthy of respect.  Therefore, this term can be used across aesthetic, ethical, and practical domains, and Scripture uses it to describe actions, objects, people, and outcomes as “good” in the sight of God (Internet).

 

·         Its connection to God’s character: This adjective is often used to refer to God’s own goodness.  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17).  Since God Himself is the ultimate standard of καλός (goodness), everything that possesses this quality reflects God.  In John 10, this word is applied directly to Jesus Christ: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).  Here, the word expresses both noble character and sacrificial action (Internet).

 

-          Thus, good prophets, who are “good trees,” are prophets who are good in God’s sight and who display the character and sacrificial actions of God, the Good Shepherd.

(ii)               Here, in “bad tree” (Mt. 7:17), the word “bad” comes from the Greek word σαπρόν (sapron), which properly means rotten, decayed, spoiled, or overripe; figuratively, excessively ripe, and therefore corrupted (Internet).

 

·         That is, false prophets, who are “bad trees,” are people who are corrupt in the sight of God.

 

-          Jeremiah 17:9 says: “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?”  False prophets possess deceitful and deeply corrupted hearts.

 

(iii)             Here, in “bad fruit” (Mt. 7:17), the word “bad” comes from the Greek word πονηρούς (ponērous).  This term stands in direct opposition to divine goodness and essentially describes a condition filled with suffering, emphasizing the inevitable pain (misery) that always accompanies evil (Internet).

 

·         False prophets, who have deceitful and deeply corrupted hearts, will receive the unavoidable judgment of God and will perish.

 

-          Matthew 7:19: “Every tree that does not bear beautiful fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

 

n  Not by outward appearance or words alone, but by the actual results of one’s life (fruit), a person’s true nature can be known; and those who do not live good and beneficial lives will ultimately face judgment (Internet).

 

-          Jeremiah 14:14–15: “And the LORD said to me: ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name.  I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them; they are prophesying to you false visions, divination, vanity, and the deceit of their own hearts.  Therefore, thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, “Sword and famine shall not come upon this land”: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed.’”

n  “God specifically declares the judgment that will come upon both those who prophesy falsely and the people who believe their words.  Sword, famine, and plague were symbols of the disasters that would come upon Judah at that time, and they demonstrate God’s righteous judgment upon those who settle into false peace” (Internet).

 

(c)    Matthew 7:16 and 18 say: “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? … A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear beautiful fruit.”

 

(i)                 This passage teaches that just as the fruits borne by each tree cannot be exchanged, false prophets (“bad trees”) can only bear bad fruit and can never bear beautiful fruit, while true prophets (“good trees”) bear beautiful fruit and can never bear bad fruit.

 

·         The problem, however, is that false prophets, who are “bad trees,” are inwardly like “ravenous wolves” but outwardly wear “sheep’s clothing” (v. 15).  Because of this, it is not easy to discern false prophets merely by their outward appearance. Then how can we know what is inside them?

 

-          It is precisely by the “bad fruit” they bear—“thornbushes” and “thistles” (v. 16)—that we can discern that they are false prophets.  The following are concrete examples of such bad fruit:

 

“False teaching: proclaiming false prophecies or distorted messages, not according to God’s will, but for personal gain or popularity.

 

Wrong attitudes in life: outwardly appearing pious, but inwardly filled with greed and selfishness.

 

Destructive results: those who follow their teachings become spiritually confused, are led down the wrong path, and ultimately arrive at destruction.

Spiritual fruit: just as a good tree bears good fruit, a bad tree—that is, a false prophet—can never bear good fruit, and the fruit it bears is ultimately harmful, like thornbushes or thistles” (Internet).

 

n  Here, the “harmful fruit like thorns or thistles” of false prophets refers to teachings and actions that may look plausible on the surface but in reality spiritually afflict people, cause harm, are unrelated to the kingdom of God, and are useless and damaging.  The specific meanings of such harmful fruit are as follows (Internet):

 

“Spiritual suffering and destruction: teachings that cause confusion, shake faith, and ultimately lead people to ruin.

 

Useless and empty teaching: futile doctrines that inflict pain like thorns, instead of producing true fruit such as love, righteousness, and peace.

 

Another gospel: the act of proclaiming a heretical or distorted gospel that departs from the core of Scripture.

 

Evil deeds revealed in results: not merely words, but lives and actions that produce negative and harmful outcomes.”

 

(d)    Luke 6:43–44: “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.”

 

(i)                 Here, the “good tree” refers to a “good person,” and the “bad tree” refers to an “evil person.” Verse 45 says: “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

 

(ii)               The statement “For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush” (v. 44) explains the principle that the fruit borne differs according to the nature of the tree.  Through a person’s words and actions (fruit), one can know that person’s nature (tree).  A good person bears good fruit, and an evil person bears evil fruit (Internet).

 

(iii)             A person’s words and actions directly reflect the condition of that person’s heart.  A good person speaks good words from good thoughts and intentions, while an evil person speaks evil words from evil thoughts and intentions.  In other words, outwardly expressed words and actions are precisely what has been “stored up in the heart,” serving as evidence that reveals one’s inner being (Internet).

 

·         All words and actions that a person outwardly expresses (what comes out of the mouth) are the result of thoughts, emotions, and values that are already deeply rooted within the heart (what fills the heart) (Internet).

 

-          Mark 7:20–23: “And he said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’”

 

n  Through Jesus’ explanation of this parable, we must discern what defiles us and what does not defile us.  Therefore, we must not, like the Pharisees, fall into extreme mannerism and hypocrisy, being preoccupied with washing away only outward defilement.  Instead, we must recognize our inner sins, believe in the power of the precious blood that Jesus shed on the cross, and devote ourselves to cleansing the defilement of our hearts by confessing and repenting of our sins.

 

(e)    Lyrics of the gospel song “Looking for Yet Another Fruit”:

 

Thank You—I did not realize it before, how precious a being I am.

From the beginning of time until now, God’s love has always been directed toward me.

Thank you, to you who taught me that love, to you whom the Lord has permitted.

Serving even more with the love of Christ, now I too will proclaim it to the world.

You were chosen by the Lord and planted in this land to be loved and to pass on that love,

as He looks for yet another fruit.