By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them

[marks]

Matthew 7:15-20 KJV
15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Know them? That is, the false prophets.

I routinely hear this passage applied generally to believers, in the sense of, You'll know whether they are Christian by their fruit. Isn't that saying something different though?

What is the fruit of the false prophet? Would it be the discouragement when the prophecy isn't fulfilled? Perhaps the confusion resulting in words not from God? Perhaps ruined faith in the hearer?

Was Jesus intending that we should judge each other's salvation based on our own opinions of our own perceptions of others? We see something in someone, and we're Fruit Inspectors, so we form our ideas about them.

This seems to me to clash with 1 Corinthians 13, love believes all things, hopes all things. Am I really supposed to be judging others based on what I think of their "fruit"?

Much love!

 

[Robert Gwin]

Matthew 7:15-20 KJV
15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Know them? That is, the false prophets.

I routinely hear this passage applied generally to believers, in the sense of, You'll know whether they are Christian by their fruit. Isn't that saying something different though?

What is the fruit of the false prophet? Would it be the discouragement when the prophecy isn't fulfilled? Perhaps the confusion resulting in words not from God? Perhaps ruined faith in the hearer?

Was Jesus intending that we should judge each other's salvation based on our own opinions of our own perceptions of others? We see something in someone, and we're Fruit Inspectors, so we form our ideas about them.

This seems to me to clash with 1 Corinthians 13, love believes all things, hopes all things. Am I really supposed to be judging others based on what I think of their "fruit"?

Much love!

Yes Marks, Christians are easily identified. The most identifiable fruit would be the God they worshiped. Would you say that a Christian would worship the God that Jesus did?

 

[atpollard]

This seems to me to clash with 1 Corinthians 13, love believes all things, hopes all things. Am I really supposed to be judging others based on what I think of their "fruit"?

Galatians 5:7-12 [NASB]

“You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear the punishment, whoever he is. But as for me, brothers and sisters, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been eliminated. I wish that those who are troubling you would even emasculate themselves.”
​

Is it Love to ignore wolves devouring the sheep, or to confront them and allow the WORD OF GOD to judge them and their own words and deeds to condemn them?

 

[marks]

Yes Marks, Christians are easily identified. The most identifiable fruit would be the God they worshiped. Would you say that a Christian would worship the God that Jesus did?

My question here is, considering that this passage is about identifying false teachers by their fruit, is there somewhere in the Bible where you are reading about identifying Christians by their fruit? I can't think of one.

So then, should we really be taking a passage about one thing, and using it to support this whole idea about being each other's "fruit inspectors"?

Are we REALLY supposed to be judging each other's salvation based on our opinions of our perceptions of them? We ARE to do that when it comes to false prophets. But our brothers and sisters?

Is it Love to ignore wolves devouring the sheep, or to confront them and allow the WORD OF GOD to judge them and their own words and deeds to condemn them?

I believe we guard the sheep, those God has entrusted into our care.

Much love!

 

[Robert Gwin]

My question here is, considering that this passage is about identifying false teachers by their fruit, is there somewhere in the Bible where you are reading about identifying Christians by their fruit? I can't think of one.

So then, should we really be taking a passage about one thing, and using it to support this whole idea about being each other's "fruit inspectors"?

Are we REALLY supposed to be judging each other's salvation based on our opinions of our perceptions of them? We ARE to do that when it comes to false prophets. But our brothers and sisters?



I believe we guard the sheep, those God has entrusted into our care.

Much love!

Keep in mind Marc the audience, Jesus was talking to his followers, to God's people, and yes each one of them knew their faith. Christians do know the faith, therefore they are able to observe if one of their brothers or sisters are straying, and in fact are obligated to take action to help them, or can be held accountable themselves.

No sir, none of us have the final say on salvation, Jesus holds that right exclusively, only he has the keys to life or death.

 

[Not me]

Matthew 7:15-20 KJV
15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Know them? That is, the false prophets.

I routinely hear this passage applied generally to believers, in the sense of, You'll know whether they are Christian by their fruit. Isn't that saying something different though?

What is the fruit of the false prophet? Would it be the discouragement when the prophecy isn't fulfilled? Perhaps the confusion resulting in words not from God? Perhaps ruined faith in the hearer?

Was Jesus intending that we should judge each other's salvation based on our own opinions of our own perceptions of others? We see something in someone, and we're Fruit Inspectors, so we form our ideas about them.

This seems to me to clash with 1 Corinthians 13, love believes all things, hopes all things. Am I really supposed to be judging others based on what I think of their "fruit"?

Much love!

Excellent marks!

A blessing and food to take before God…
A meal indeed… :)

Be blessed in Him, Not me

 

[marks]

Keep in mind Marc the audience, Jesus was talking to his followers, to God's people, and yes each one of them knew their faith. Christians do know the faith, therefore they are able to observe if one of their brothers or sisters are straying, and in fact are obligated to take action to help them, or can be held accountable themselves.

No sir, none of us have the final say on salvation, Jesus holds that right exclusively, only he has the keys to life or death.

What saying here is what Jesus told His followers concerning "fruit inspection" was concerning false prophets, and not "by their fruits you shall know My followers", for instance.

With that exception in John 17 that the world will know He sent them by their love for each other.

Much love!

 

[Robert Gwin]

What saying here is what Jesus told His followers concerning "fruit inspection" was concerning false prophets, and not "by their fruits you shall know My followers", for instance.

With that exception in John 17 that the world will know He sent them by their love for each other.

Much love!

You are correct Marks, and he indirectly used the term the other way as well, but no doubt you recognize that one has to know the fruits of Jesus to recognize those who do not produce those fruits. A Christian can be recognized by their fruits as well.

One of those fruits you alluded to, and is the primary way of identifying Jesus' disciples, is the love they have among themselves Jn 13:34,35

 

[marks]

You are correct Marks, and he indirectly used the term the other way as well, but no doubt you recognize that one has to know the fruits of Jesus to recognize those who do not produce those fruits. A Christian can be recognized by their fruits as well.

One of those fruits you alluded to, and is the primary way of identifying Jesus' disciples, is the love they have among themselves Jn 13:34,35

That's a good connection, the fruit of the Spirit is the good fruit, and the fruit of the false prophet will be contrary to those. Serving themselves instead of others, grim, dour, disseminating fear and doubt, impatient, harsh, lacking self-control.

We're told that we will know them, the false prophets, by their fruit. Jesus told His disciples that others would know His disciples by their love for each other.

We'll know them by their fruit, they'll know us by our love.

Neither of these are to say we'll know each other by our fruit, or by our love.

We'll know ourselves by our love,

1 John 3:18-22 KJV
18) My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19) And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20) For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22) And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

When we love others, we are assured that we are His. But even if we lack that assurance, God isn't limited by that, He knows what's real about us. But in loving others, we can assure ourselves, to have confidence with God.

Much love!

 

[Not me]

We'll know them by their fruit, they'll know us by our love.

Still like this, it has such a ring of truth in it…

Pondering before God, blessings, Not me

 

[Daniel Veler]

Matthew 7:15-20 KJV
15) Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Know them? That is, the false prophets.

I routinely hear this passage applied generally to believers, in the sense of, You'll know whether they are Christian by their fruit. Isn't that saying something different though?

What is the fruit of the false prophet? Would it be the discouragement when the prophecy isn't fulfilled? Perhaps the confusion resulting in words not from God? Perhaps ruined faith in the hearer?

Was Jesus intending that we should judge each other's salvation based on our own opinions of our own perceptions of others? We see something in someone, and we're Fruit Inspectors, so we form our ideas about them.

This seems to me to clash with 1 Corinthians 13, love believes all things, hopes all things. Am I really supposed to be judging others based on what I think of their "fruit"?

Much love!

Two men that walk in the Spirit will bear witness of each other. A man who has not the Spirit walks a different path. No the fruits of the HS and the Friuts of the wicked then you’ll understand. It was never meant to judge one another but to have fellowship.

 

[Robert Gwin]

That's a good connection, the fruit of the Spirit is the good fruit, and the fruit of the false prophet will be contrary to those. Serving themselves instead of others, grim, dour, disseminating fear and doubt, impatient, harsh, lacking self-control.

We're told that we will know them, the false prophets, by their fruit. Jesus told His disciples that others would know His disciples by their love for each other.

We'll know them by their fruit, they'll know us by our love.

Neither of these are to say we'll know each other by our fruit, or by our love.

We'll know ourselves by our love,

1 John 3:18-22 KJV
18) My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19) And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20) For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22) And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

When we love others, we are assured that we are His. But even if we lack that assurance, God isn't limited by that, He knows what's real about us. But in loving others, we can assure ourselves, to have confidence with God.

Much love!

Thank you Marks, you know the sad fact is that as we near the end of this world, it was prophesied that the love of the greater number would grow cold, speaking of course of those in the world, but sadly it even affects the Christian congregation as well, I do not see the love among the sheep as I saw 40 yrs ago. Of course we see the distinction Mal 3:18, but we truly should have more love than we do.

 

[Brakelite]

@marks
In the following, I believe Jesus wasn't directing the principles herein to just teachers or prophets. We are all obligated to bear fruit, without which we are thrown into the fire. Therefore if the fruit we witness in others does not measure up to the biblical standard, (which I do not believe are limited to the fruit of the Spirit as explicitly revealed in Galatians) but are also witnessed in our obedience.

KJV John 15:1-5
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.