15. Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17. Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19. Every tree that does ot bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Jesus warns against false prophets who will try to pervert the faith. People can appear harmless and sound like Christians, but in fact are dangerous, twisting important doctrines and teaching salvation other than by faith in Christ. Many cultists live strict lives and are some of the nicest people you'll ever want to meet.
Jesus uses the illustration of fruit trees. If you see a tree full of rich, ripe apples you know it is a good tree. Good trees produce fruit. Bad trees produce no fruit or bad fruit. The key to spiritual fruit-bearing is our relationship with Jesus Christ and letting His Spirit have His way in our lives. Transplanted trees may take three years before it bears fruit. It needs consistent watering, feeding and care. Those who are young in the faith usually don't display all the attitudes and actions of mature believers, nor should you expect them to.
The false prophet is concerned for himself, cares for self more than Jesus, the flock or others. The bad fruit is seen in gluttony, greed, looking for personal gain, teaching for profit and what he can get out of it rather than what he can put into it.
If a person is building a following of people around himself instead of Jesus and the Bible is only used as a springboard to declare his own doctrine, beware. When people start claiming they have some new religious revelations or visions from God revealing added truth, then something is not right. If a preacher is the only one who is right, then there is a problem.
Galatians 5 speaks of the fruit of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit. Something is wrong if we are not fruitful. I John says it, "If we walk in darkness and say that we are in the light we lie and the truth is not in us."
Having salvation produces fruit. No branch can bear fruit by itself Jesus told His disciples a branch must remain in the vine. “Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." (Jn. 15:4,5) You see the point isn't so much on the fact that we are producing fruit as it is that we are building a growing healthy relationship with God who bears the fruit in us.
Application: Seek to abide in Christ
Prayer: Lord, I know that in myself I can do nothing. As I abide in You, Lord, I know that I will have a fruitful life. It is You in me that bears fruit in my life.
