“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” Matthew 7:15-20
As we all know, there are people who do not teach the Bible honestly or truthfully. With the Bible being vast, sometimes people can teach the Bible based on their opinions and not on the truth of God’s words. But, this passage gives us a shortcut of how we can discern who is a citizen in the Upside Down Kingdom, And who is a false prophet: their fruit.
It would be weird if an apple tree produced an orange. Apple trees produce apples. Orange trees produce oranges. Similarly, somebody who is rooted in Jesus will produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Somebody who preaches a false gospel will produce false fruit. We can tell because they're fruit doesn't match the description of the Vine. Jesus explains what kind of fruits the Holy Spirit produces Galatians 5:23: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If somebody is not producing any of these qualities in their lives, odds are they don't know the Holy Spirit and are not rooted in Jesus.
Maybe you just read the list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and you realize that you don't display any of these qualities. Ask the Holy Spirit to meet you right now, so that you can have a stronger relationship with Him. Jesus doesn't have to think about or force fruits to come about; it’s who He is. Likewise, when we walk with the Holy Spirit, we just naturally start to look like Jesus. We become like the One we behold.
Questions for Application
- Read John 15:4-16 and reflect on how to personally abide in the true vine; Jesus.
- List out the fruit of the spirits mentioned in Galatians 5, and ask the Lord to increase those fruits in your life.
- How can you tell that someone is a false prophet, based on what Matthew 7:15-20 says?
Prayer
“Father, thank You for producing the fruits of Your Holy Spirit in me. Would you continue to teach me how to abide in You, and how to not be deceived by the world? I want to be rooted in You! Help me to root my life in You, and to stand on Your words only. I love you!"