GO DEEPER

March 15, 2018

Matthew 7:17-18     

“Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.”

These are those black and white verses from which we cannot run away or explain away. These are those instructions that trouble the spirit of the heavenward pilgrim because there are no alternative explanations outside the direct injunction presented by Jesus. Jesus made it clear. You know a tree by the fruit it bears. So, let’s stop kidding ourselves by giving ourselves all types and forms of excuses to permit moral failures and spiritual lapses. This is a call to go deeper; to move away from the shores of shallow thinking, into the deeper waters of heavenly encounter.

A good tree CANNOT bear bad fruit. What can be clearer than this? The word “cannot” put an end to every discussion. If I am a good tree, redeemed and sanctified by Christ, how can I bear bad fruit and think it’s ok. It’s not ok. It’s not acceptable, and I must refrain from explaining away any rotten fruits that are evident in my life. If any fruits show the selfish, ugly life of non-regeneration, then I must fall on my knees and weep for mercy. I cannot pride myself in my length of years in Christ. I must only pride myself in the outworking of grace that’s producing good fruits in me. While it’s all of grace, I must cooperate with grace otherwise the fruit cannot experience transformation. You know the tree by its fruit. If your fruit is rotten, don’t continue to live life as normal. Stop and ask yourself hard questions and knock earnestly on heaven’s gate until you receive fresh insight and grace from above, ushering you away from the corrupt life into the blessed life. We must go deeper, for that’s where we can find help.

“Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, I cannot accept rotten fruit from my tree. You did not save me from rottenness for me to produce rotten fruit again. Deliver me from all forms of decay. Fill me with grace and power and freshness and unction. Overtake me in every way such that I CANNOT bear bad fruit. This I cry for, in Jesus name. Amen.”

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