10 Steps to Understanding Biblical ‘Fruits’
Are Fruits Of The Spirit Works? Actually, fruits are not works, and it’s not your fruit. You either have this fruit, or you don’t. This ‘fruit’ is either good or it’s bad, and there’s no biblical message teaching that believers have good fruit one day, and bad the next.
Here are 10 simple steps to understanding the true meaning of fruits.
1-“You will know them by their fruits” – Matthew 7:15
2-How is this taught in a religious setting? Works. Serving. Christian Performance.
3-But in truth, this verse is actually addressing false teaching.
4-When Scripture talks about believers it’s called the ‘fruit of the Spirit’
5-In other words, it’s NOT your fruit. It’s the Spirits. In other words, it’s not your behavior or works, it’s the Spirit’s love, peace, joy, patience, and self-control in you.
6-Matthew 7:16 says “You will know them by their fruits”, but in context, it’s referring to an unbeliever teaching legalism or any way to God aside from Christ crucified.
7-We see that if we just back up one verse and read Matthew 7:15 “ Beware of the FALSE Profits, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves”…….you will know them by their fruits.
8-How can I say fruits are not works? Would you agree that every Christian sin and at times we are even capable of doing bad things? Of course, you would.
9-Well the very next verses in Matthew 7:17-18 say “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree CAN NOT produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit”.
10-So if Christians are still capable of doing bad things, yet we CAN NOT produce bad fruit, then clearly the fruit is not OUR works or OUR performance. It’s the Spirits! And the Spirit is not capable of producing bad fruit.
In fact, Matthew 7:19 talks about those who don’t bear fruit as being those that will go to hell. So either you better get real busy and save yourself from losing your salvation, or you already bear good fruit because Christ lives in you, and thereby you are sealed to the day of redemption. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire”.
But thanks be to God that we can rest because when God looks at the fruits of believers He is not measuring our performance, serving, or giving. No. He is measuring Himself, and His own fruits, His Son, as He works in and through us.
Philippians 1:11 “having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God”.
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Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
