Quick Read #23: By Their Fruits
Along with the numerous statements of great, indeed fundamental theological importance, the Holy Bible also contains a truism of great value:
By their fruits you shall you know them. (Matt 7:20)
Given during the Great Sermon, it is a standard we can use to discern, decode or measure beliefs and opinions to determine their worth, intent and morality. It is a concise and practical tool given by Jesus, which anyone can use no matter their situation or education; described by John Wesley as a short, plain, easy rule to distinguish true from false prophets.
So let’s first look at supposed democracy. While the ‘tree’ of democracy is allegedly ‘for the people by the people’ it is usually not the case due to the fragmented party-political systems most countries operate under. As many democracies can govern with less the half the votes cast, the majority of the electorate is effectively disenfranchised. Over the last few years with lockdowns and mandates, most elected governments have, in essence, operated a form of dictatorship. In terms of democracy as a balanced and just form of government for all, its ‘fruit’ is for all intents and purposes corrupt. And much of the fruit of governments has gotten a whole lot worse since then.
As far as the movies are concerned its damaged fruit is pretty obvious, there are so many examples it’s not possible to list them all. And while the feature of the Harry Potter movies, for example, is bravery, friendship, and self-sacrifice, their fruit is the promotion of witches, wizardry and baffling messages for at risk minds. The Back to the Future trilogy has a young Michael J. Fox blaspheming the name of Jesus on a regular basis letting everyone know it’s OK. He is not alone. The Holy Name of Jesus is commonly abused in film and television displaying the foulness of its crop.
As for the theology of the church when compared to the Gospel, bad fruit abounds; the first and most significant, the trinity creed. Every denomination has tainted fruit of one type or other, and each has strayed from the truth of Christ and the Gospel in some respect. Some directly oppose the sound teaching and principles of Jesus and the Apostles, while others simply ignore it. The thing to be alert to is the ounce of poison in a lake of truth, and why Jesus gave us this way of sorting the good from the bad, and how to recognize wolves dressed as sheep.
Now, while we have taken a brief look at the fruit of church and worldly things, we must look at our own fruit also. Is it of profit to those around us? Do we live by the command to love our neighbour or is it time for some reflection. As Paul reminds us: what fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? (Rom 6:21) But as we see in Galatians (5:22-23) he outlines the fruit of the Spirit as opposed to the flesh, which fall subject to the laws of men. Conversely, Godly fruit is not condemned being of the Spirit: ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; (Rom 7:4)
Of the Holy Bible, it has wonderful fruit in abundance from which we should take freely each day. It is the source of truth and life through the Spirit in it, the LORD Jesus Christ, thus we can in confidence eat of this tree without fear, and are in fact encouraged to. It is the fruit of promise, the fruit of prophesy, it reveals the fullness of love from the LORD and His Christ for all mankind.
So let us be alert to the wiles of this world, armed with the tools given us by Jesus to discern the good from the bad that we do not become exposed to the duplicity of rulers, religions and men. Rather, by being grafted into the one true vine, let us bring forth its perfect fruit to clothe those around us by our charity and peace and in doing so: offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name. (Hebrews 13:15)
In love and peace as always,
James