BY THEIR FRUIT YE SHALL KNOW THEM

Matthew 7:15-20 tells believers how to recognize the difference between a genuine prophet of God, and a false prophet of Satan. Matthew summarizes by saying, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them" (v.20). The passage makes it clear that each produces a fruit that identifies what kind of "tree" they are. In other words, a spokesperson for God speaks words that produce life in those who are spiritual dead, while a messenger of Satan simply "adds nails to the coffins of the lost." In his letter to the Church of Ephesus, the Apostle Paul wrote of the contrast between the two:

"And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (for) by grace ye are saved" (Eph. 2:1-5).

Notice the difference. Walking in the lust of our flesh, according to the way of the world, that is, under the influence of Satan and his prophets, we were spiritually dead. Thanks be to God, for because of His grace, He has sent His prophets with His Gospel which has the power to save us (Rom. 1:16), to give us a new birth, a spiritual birth (Jn. 3:3-8); He has "quickened us!"

When one is born again, or has been brought to life spiritually, there is evidence that we have become a "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17). God's children bear spiritual fruit, fruit which reveals who and what we are. Paul wrote, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance...." (Gal. 5:22-23). Genuine Christians should be easily identifiable, because when we are walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25), "our fruit will be showing."

It is of the utmost importance that believers walk in the Spirit and produce fruit that will draw the lost to listen to our testimony. God is in the "multiplying business." In the Parable of the Sower or Soils, Jesus spoke of a different kind of fruit, a fruit that results in reproducing others after their own kind (Matt. 13:23; Mk. 4:20; Lk. 8:15). The good soil brought forth fruit-producing plants, which grew, matured, and produced "seed" that resulted in reproduction. Remember, the "seed" that produced living, reproducing plants was the Word of God (Matt. 13:19; Mk. 4:14; Lk. 8:11). That means that if we want to win the lost to Christ, we need to do two things: we need to produce fruit to draw the hungry, and we need to have for seed, the Word of God.