By Their Fruits

By Their Fruits

Jesus said that “By their fruits shall you know them”. He was referring to those who follow Him and, I guess, this includes us. There is a list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galations 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t always display all of these. Sometimes I do and sometimes I definitely do not. 

I also believe that the fruit Jesus referred to can be very different from the fruit displayed in the list above. Our lifestyle may reflect some or most of the list but our actions and our words can produce a whole different group of descriptors. What we say and do can produce hurt, sadness, quarrels,  disappointment, dissatisfaction, anger, jealousy, gossip. slander, even war and insurrection.

Two very different fruits aren’t they. Yet we shall be judged, by God and man alike. As Jesus said, “By their fruits you shall know them.” This truly does mean, I believe, that we are to judge for ourselves. However, please note that He does not say anything further than for us to judge – we are not to condemn, nor punish, nor anything else – that is God’s job. We are simply called to forgive “seventy times seven” if necessary, to gently and in love point out the error, but not to condemn or convict. Holy Spirit does that, not you nor I.

So when it comes to us judging others ministry, there maybe one or two fairly large flaws, but we are still to look at the fruit. One or two bad apples don’t spoil the whole barrel. So we are not intended to “throw the baby out with the bath water” as it were. I believe we are to judge solely so as to throw out the bad but to keep that which is good. There are several very public ministries, even as we speak, that may not be perfect – but look at all the good fruit. In a way, it doesn’t even matter to us about the bad stuff because we do not know about their personal relationship with the Lord. All we know, or need to know, is that they may have to answer to the Lord for it all one day. Remember too, that shepherds will be judged by God more strictly than sheep.

So, perhaps we should remember these things when we criticise and condemn others ministries for their flaws instead of giving God all the glory for their fruit. By our condemnation we withhold glory from the Lord. Also perhaps we should remember the Lords Words about motes in others eyes when there are planks in our own eyes.

Judge the fruit. Discard the bad but keep the good and thank God for it too.