- Every Tree is known by his own Fruit - Every human being produces some type of “fruit” with their lives that can be either good or evil. That fruit stems from their words, actions, and thoughts. The kingdom that a person is in actually dominates, or drives, his life with unyielding force. It is rooted in his soul and influences his every thought, word, and action. A good man is that who have been placed in the Kingdom of God by God Himself. Likewise that who is under Satan’s control or kingdom of darkness is the evil man. Every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Luke 6:43-45 "For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45A good man [saved] out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man [unsaved] out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh."
Jam 3:11-12 "Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh."
Luke 3:8 "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 9And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."
Jude 1:11-12 "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;"
- Unfruitful Old Testament Church (Nation of Israel) as Kingdom of God - Lord Jesus Christ entered into the human race and grew up in the midst of Israel, the people of God, yet they rejected Him; they did not honor God. They did not worship Him as eternal God, but they thought that He was of Satan, of Beelzebub. Christ whose name is called "Faithful and True" has that type of faith as seen Luke 17, and power to declare an eternal curse and to carry it through. Israel, therefore, was fruitless; it bore no fruit as a Nation. It is possible, however, for a Jew, an Israelite, someone who is born in Israel, to become saved, just like it is possible for any other person of the world to become saved, if they happen to be one of God’s elect. When Christ came to the fig tree typifying Nation of Israel, there was no fruit, so He cursed it with an eternal curse ”Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever" and it withered away. The kingdom of God has been taken away from Nation of Israel, and given to New Testament Church bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Matt 21:19 "And when he saw a fig tree [Nation of Israel] in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away."
Luke 17:6 "And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you."
Jude 1:12 "These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;"
Matt 21:33-44 "Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen [Nation of Israel], and went into a far country: 34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you [Nation of Israel], and given to a nation [new testament Church] bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
- Unfruitful New Testament Church as Kingdom of God - In Rom 11, the picture that God is painting is that the natural branches are Israel. They were broken off; they were cut off. Once Christ went to the Cross, the veil of the temple was rent in twain (Matthew 27:51) and Israel ceased to be the holy people. Jerusalem ceased to be the Holy City. Israel was cut off. As we have seen in Matt 21, the kingdom of God has been taken from Nation of Israel, and given to a nation [new testament Church] bringing forth the fruits. God warned the New Testament Church in verse 20 and 21, "Well; because of unbelief they [Old Testament Church] were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:", "if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee". New Testament Church built as Jesus Christ as the corner stone, started gloriously on the day of Pentecost but soon sown with Tares by the enemy Satan. Soon it became "high minded" and apostate putting itself above the Word of God. Wheat represent true born-again believers and Tares represent name sake Christians.
Isa 11:10 "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse [Lord Jesus Christ], which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious."
Rom 11:16-24 "For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?"
Matthew 13:24-30 "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
- True Church as the Kingdom of God is like a Grain of Mustard Seed - The kingdom of God began very small. Christ, who is the head of the kingdom of God, was despised and rejected of men; He came unto His own, that is, the nation of Israel, and His own received Him not. Jesus is likening Himself to a corn of wheat and if He die He will bring forth much fruit. Christ is the beginning of the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God has grown to include a vast multitude which no man can count.
John 12:23-24 "And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
Mark 4:26-32 "And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. 30And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 32But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it."
- Trees of Righteousness are the Planting of JEHOVAH - Rom 4:6, declares that righteousness is imputed, or bestowed, upon a person without man’s works. The eternal, invisible Church consists of all born-again believers from every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation that are redeemed by God. Isa 61:1-3 crystallizes not only the mission for which Jesus came to earth, but the very heart of the Gospel of God’s sovereign grace.
Psa 1:1-3 "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."
Isa 61:1-3 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me [Lord Jesus Christ]; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified."
Matt 15:13 "But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up."
- Believers are God's Spiritual Handiwork - As "Trees", Christians also "Grow" (in Grace). Furthermore in John 15 we find a lengthy teaching on spiritual growth and fruitfulness, both of which are governed by the divine “husbandman”, or farmer, God Himself and how he nurtures and waits patiently for the believer to bear fruit.
John 15:1-8 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
Psa 92:12 "The righteous [whom God saves by imputing them with Christ's Righteousness] shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon."
Matt 13:3-8 "And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5Some fell upon stony places [stony hearts] , where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8But other fell into good ground [to whom God has given the hearts of Flesh] , and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold."
Jam 5:7-8 "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."
Luke 13:6-9 "He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."
Rev 14:1-5 "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand [number represents the complete of God's Elect], having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 2And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand [number represents the complete of God's Elect], which were redeemed from the earth. 4These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault [because they are covered with Christ's Robe of Righteousness] before the throne of God."
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