A GOOD TREE

Text: Matthew  7:18  

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Yes! In Mark 10:18, Jesus said no one is good except God. But this doesn't mean He doesn't want us to do good. As a matter of fact, He told us severally in His words that without  good deeds you can't make it to the Father. 

 *If the Father is good, and you are of the Father, you must of necessity be good, except you are an illegitimate child.* 

Note that no amount of good deeds can take you to heaven if you are not born again,  but after you are born again, you are expected to add good  deeds to your faith. 2 Peter 1:5.

On different occasions, Jesus likened us to trees, because He knows we can readily relate with it. Trees don't lie and neither do they deceive. A mango tree will not produce cashew fruits and vice versa. Essentially, trees are known by its fruit. In the same way, man is known by his deeds. (Luke 6:44).

Basically, trees are classified into three, viz:

1.) A fruitless tree

2.) A bad tree and 

3.) A good tree.

One thing is common to both fruitless and bad trees, they will be cut down. 

Matthew 7:19 says *Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. And the same goes for every man that doesn't produce good fruit.* 

In Luke 13:6-10, Jesus told a parable of a man who had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for some fruit on the tree, but he found none. So the man said to his gardener, "I have been looking for fruit on this tree for three years, but I never find any. Cut it down."

A fruitless tree and a bad tree (tree with bad fruit) will not just be cut down, but will also be cast into fire.

I am sure you know that Jesus wasn't talking about the trees in the forest or in the fields,  He was actually  talking about human beings. Anyone in the category of fruitless tree or bad tree will eventually end up in fire.

God wants us to bring forth good fruit. John 15:2 says, God Himself cuts off every branch that does not produce fruit in Jesus, and he cuts back every branch that does produce fruit, so that it might produce more fruit.

Matthew  3:10 says, And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 

Ask yourself, is your life producing fruit? If yes, what kind of fruit is your life producing?

Bible Reading:

Matthew 7:15-20.

PRAYER FOCUS

1.) Father, please help me to always abide in the vine, so my life can always produce fruit unto eternal life.