January 5, 2012

Matthew 7

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? ¹⁷ Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Perhaps verses 15-20 are dealing specifically with prophets, or false prophets, but the whole bad tree bears bad fruit reference.  I would never presume to disagree with the direct words of Jesus Christ, but . . .
Do not nonChristians the world over "bear good fruit"?  People of many nonChristian faiths, no faith at all or nonChristian members of Christian churches are feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and advocating the the weak and oppressed.  Are these not examples of "good fruit"?  

So what is true:
A.  These types of activities are not "good fruit".
B.  These types of activities are not "good fruit" unless performed by Christians.
C.  These types of activities are "good fruit" regardless of who performs them.

If C is true, then can "grapes (come) from thornbushes"?  Or are nonChristians who perform "good fruit" activities not considered "thornbushes" in God's eyes?  If that is the case, then there is no delineation between  believers and nonbelievers in God's eyes in regards to good deeds.


Then there is the whole "good tree cannot bear bad fruit" line.  I have been a Christian since I was a young lad in Bolivar, but believe me when say that my life has borne a lot of "bad fruit".  Does that mean I was not a Christian, even though I had accepted Christ all those years ago?  Did I lose my Christianity during those years?  There are several scriptures that would seem to refute that even being a possibility.

Feel free to weigh in on any of all of these questions.