GOD DIDN’T CALL ME TO BE A FRUIT INSPECTOR!!!

GOD didn’t say that you had to like every preacher that comes on the TV.  You don’t even have to like the ones that come on the radio!!!



However, you can dislike someone without running them down or listing every fault they have.  There is a difference in NOT liking someone and in speaking out against them and condemning them!!!    



Sometimes folks ask me what I think of one preacher or another.  Some of the folks they are talking about are preachers that I just don’t care for, so I say, I really don’t watch that person a lot.  And then I tell them that I don’t watch every preacher who comes on the TV.   



Then, I change the subject.  I’m NOT going to discuss some preacher’s faults with you or anyone else.  And just because I don’t care for a particular preacher doesn’t mean that he or she isn’t of GOD!!! 



I try to be very cautious with my answer, because there is always a reason when someone asks you about a preacher!!!   



The WORD tells us to treat others with the same compassion that we want to be treated!!! 



Luke 6:36-37 (KJV)

³⁶Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

³⁷Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven



You know, I certainly don’t like it when others talk about me or run me down!!!  I don’t know anyone that does!!! 

Luke 6:31 (NKJV) And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.



GOD taught me many years ago, that I was NOT to judge others!!!  HE made it very clear to me that I was NOT to be running folks down or even talking about them!!!



Matthew 7:2-5 (ESV)

² For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

³ Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?

⁵ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

Over the years, many folks have used a particular scripture to say that they have the right to judge folks.  Of course, they have taken this scripture out of context.  You have to be very careful about doing that!!!
 


Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Matthew 7:16 (KJV)



This isn’t even the whole verse!!! 



If you look, you will see that there are scriptures above and below this verse that tell us what the writer was actually talking about. 



Here is the scripture that I am referring to in its entirety!  Today, I am using the Common English Version because it is plain and to the point!!! 



Matthew 7:15-23 (CEB)

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are vicious wolves.

¹⁶ You will know them by their fruit. Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles?

¹⁷ In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and every rotten tree produces bad fruit.

¹⁸ A good tree can’t produce bad fruit. And a rotten tree can’t produce good fruit.

¹⁹ Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.

²⁰ Therefore, you will know them by their fruit.

²¹ “Not everybody who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter.

²² On the Judgment Day, many people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name and expel demons in your name and do lots of miracles in your name?’

²³ Then I’ll tell them, ‘I’ve never known you. Get away from me, you people who do wrong.’

So, let’s look at verse 15.  I’m going to point out the obvious.  Verse 15 is warning us about FALSE PROPHETS!!! 



Matthew 7:15 (CEB) “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you dressed like sheep, but inside they are vicious wolves.



So, since we already know that verse 15 is talking about false prophets, we need to remember that when we read verse 16. 



Matthew 7:16 (CEB) You will know them by their fruit.

Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles?



Verse 16 says, “You will know them by their fruit.”  So, it seems quite clear to me that verse 16 is also talking about false prophets. 



Now, let’s look at the rest of verse 16. 



Matthew 7:16 (CEB) …Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles?



I think that we all know the answer to this question.  It’s, “No!”  Most of us know that grapes are found on grape vines and figs on fig trees.   



Let’s go on and read verses 17-19.  These verses tell us all about the fruit you can expect to find on a fruit tree.  And of course, these verses are also referring to the fruits of people, in particular false prophets versus those that are righteous before GOD!!!



Matthew 7:17-19 (CEB)

¹⁷ In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and every rotten tree produces bad fruit.

¹⁸ A good tree can’t produce bad fruit. And a rotten tree can’t produce good fruit.

¹⁹ Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.



I think these scriptures are PLAIN!!!  IF YOU BELONG TO GOD, YOU WILL HAVE GOOD FRUIT!!!  IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH A PERSON’S FRUIT, THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THAT PERSON. 



And yes, people make mistakes!!!  That is why we go to GOD about these things!!!  And that is also why we keep our big mouths shut!!! 



Why does the writer tell us again in verse 20 that we will know them by their fruit?  Well, the word therefore means, “Considering what I have just told you…”


Matthew 7:20 (CEB) Therefore, you will know them by their fruit.



So, if we consider what GOD has told us in verses 17-19, we will know and understand what fruit a person is producing!!! 



GOD wants us to know, understand, and be able to tell the difference in folks that are of HIM and folks who are NOT!!! 



Now, I want to point out that knowing and understanding is very different from calling out, condemning, or speaking against folks!!!



When Jesus sent HIS disciples out to preach THE WORD, HE told them to be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. 


Matthew 10:16 (KJV) Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.



GOD reminded me of this scripture last night, so I wrote it down.  I knew that HE wanted me to include it in this post. 



Let’s finish the passage that we have been studying.



I know that I skipped verse 19.  So, let’s look at that verse now. 



Matthew 7:19 (CEB) Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 


GOD tells us here that HE is going to take care of the false prophets!!!  HE is going to do it!!!  HE doesn’t need our help!!!  



This verse doesn’t say, Go you among them and point them out!!!  Or go you and show them up!!!  No, if GOD wanted us to do that, then HE would say so in no uncertain terms!!!     



Let’s read the last 3 verses of Matthew 7.


Matthew 7:21-23 (CEB)

²¹ “Not everybody who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven will enter.

²² On the Judgment Day, many people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name and expel demons in your name and do lots of miracles in your name?’

²³ Then I’ll tell them, ‘I’ve never known you. Get away from me, you people who do wrong.’

JESUS makes it plain in these 3 verses that these folks will be judged on that great day.  HE tells us that ONLY those who are doing the will of FATHER GOD, are going to heaven!!! 



How do we know HIS WILL???  THE WORD tells us THE FATHER’S WILL!!!   We read and do what THE WORD says!!!  We have to line-up with THE WORD!!! 

I’ve heard folks use Matthew 7:16, as an excuse to judge other folks!!!  But as I said before, they never quote all of it.


NOT once has GOD told me to be a fruit inspector!!! 



I believe that the passage that we have been studying is in the Bible, so that we can understand that NOT everyone that says they are of GOD IS!!!  GOD wants us to be aware of what is going on and HE wants us to pray!!! 


Never once did HE say, you go around inspecting everyone’s fruit and telling anyone who will listen that those folks’ fruit is rotten!!!



And NOT once have I found in HIS WORD where HE says, You go around revealing other peoples’ secrets and telling their faults to other people.


BUT DON’T I HAVE TO WARN EVERYONE ABOUT THESE FOLKS???


NO!!!  That’s NOT YOUR JOB!!!!!  But you can PRAY for them!!!    


And it’s NOT my job either!!!


It’s our job to mind our own business and do what GOD has told us to do!!!


To be truthful, everyone has problems!!!  And other people’s problems are NONE of our business!!!   


GOD is the ONLY one who can clean a person up!!!  HE is the one who delivers and saves!!!



When we see signs that someone’s fruit is rotten, we are to go to GOD in prayer!!! 


Just turn that person over to THE LORD!!!  And PRAY for them every time they come to your mind!!!  


STAND BACK AND WATCH GOD WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HE WILL, you know!!!