43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Luke 6:43-45)
The Lord Jesus taught that a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. In other words, a good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit. What do the tree and the fruit represent here? The tree symbolizes a person’s inner life, and the fruit represents their words and deeds. A good inner life leads to good words and deeds, while a bad one leads to bad words and deeds.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)
Here, the Lord Jesus said that He is the vine and we are the branches. We must remain in Him, and He will remain in us, so that we may bear much fruit. For apart from Him, we can do nothing.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
This passage speaks of the fruits of the Spirit. We must remain constantly in the Lord and be continually united with Him to bear these fruits.
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (Matthew 7:15-16)
In this parallel passage, the Lord Jesus warns us to beware of the false prophets, who appear in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ferocious wolves, outwardly resembling the Lord’s sheep but inwardly they are wolves.
May God bless you and your family!
