Continuing with the soul we have to look at another principle that Jesus taught. In fact it wasn’t only taught by Jesus but by others as well. Jesus said:
Luke 6
43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Matthew 7
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
What Jesus is teaching is that if a man is not reborn of spirit AND walking according to that spirit he is a thorn tree. In other words if a man is reborn and has received of God’s Spirit but does not walk according to that spirit or obey that spirit, he is STILL a thorn tree, and he will still bear thorns. Think about it if that man walked according to that spirit he would have transformed and had lots of fruit of the spirit. Remember, when he received of the spirit he received the title of righteous. Now he has to do righteousness which are the acts of obedience to that spirit which is transformation or fruits of the spirit.
If a man believes and receives of the Spirit of God once again he is reborn. He receives the title of fruit tree instead of thorn tree. But it does not stop there, that man has to now bear fruit according to his new spirit which is Spirit from God. If he does not obey that new spirit he is committing the unpardonable sin, he is blaspheming the Holy Spirit of God. Here is how Jesus said it:
Matthew 12
31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.
32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
Jesus says make the tree good AND its fruit. Jesus did make the tree good when we believed and received of His Spirit. We now, in obedience to that Spirit, make the fruit good. That fruit is transformation and righteousness. See before Jesus we were all dead spiritually, we were all thorn trees. But because of the Lord’s sacrifice if we believe we become fruit trees again. Before Jesus we all bear thorns and were not able to bring forth righteousness. Even our best deeds were not considered as righteous because we were thorn trees.
Isaiah 64
…You are indeed angry, for we have sinned — In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved.
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
The prophet says that ALL our righteous deeds before Jesus were as filthy rags. Only after we believe and are made fruit trees again can we bear fruit. But please remember bearing fruit takes effort and time, it is transformation and transformation is death to self. When we die in soul we bring forth good fruit. When we don’t die to self we bring forth thorns!! This is how Paul says it:
Hebrews 6
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;
8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
In the end the trees that transform and bear good fruit will inherit everlasting life. The trees that don’t transform are thrown in the fire and perish. More on this next time.
Till then God bless.
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