Luke 6:44
For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
Every tree is known and judged by the fruit it bears, so a person's character and spiritual condition are known by the words, actions, conduct and results the life produces. As thorns do not yield figs and a bramble bush does not yield grapes, the kind of fruit reveals the true nature of the tree. No respected name, religious profession, knowledge of truth or claim to privilege can make a person righteous or make bad or absent fruit good. Every person will be judged and rewarded according to deeds and works, not according to profession, with the question being what fruit was borne and whether one is fit to stand or fit to be cut down. Genuine faith is shown by corresponding works, including repentance, obedience, mercy, purity, kindness and love to God and to others.
Tree Known by Fruit
Every tree is known and judged by its own fruit, and a person's character, work, spiritual condition and fitness are known in the same way by the words, actions, conduct, deeds and results the life produces. This is the calmest judgment of the human heart, that life and its blessed influence upon all it has touched reveal what the person is, with that influence continuing as a witness even after death. Words and actions are the fruit by which the character behind a profession is known, so critical and talebearing speech reveals an unsanctified heart and a harmful influence, while boastful, self-righteous speech and dishonest conduct reveal a bad character even when one believes religiously right. The fruit borne determines whether one is regarded as a good tree or as one fit to be cut down, for bitter, evil fruit must be replaced by fruit precious unto eternal life.
As thorns do not yield figs and a bramble bush does not yield grapes, so thorn bushes do not produce apples or pears, and the kind of fruit reveals the true nature of the tree. A worthy name, status, respected name, religious profession, or claim to be Abraham's child cannot make bad or absent fruit good and cannot prevent removal and destruction when conduct is unrighteous and contradicts the claim. Those who fail to bear good fruit may be removed and replaced by others who will carry out the work in purity and righteousness, for others can be raised up to fulfill the purpose. In the same way trifling, joking, and flattering familiarity that encourages coquetry and flirting are thorn berries revealing a thorn bush, morally wrong and contrary to the purity truth creates in the soul, and a person without good character shown by results cannot be trusted to fill a position of responsibility.
All people bear fruit of some kind: if the tree is corrupt the fruit is evil, and if the tree is good it cannot produce evil fruit, for good fruit comes from a good tree. Bitter, evil fruit must be replaced by fruit precious unto eternal life, and Jesus makes it possible for fallen people to bear that precious fruit through obedience to God's commandments, as Israel's obedience was to distinguish them before other nations. When envy and strife shape conduct, truth professed and intellectually agreed with has not been woven into character but is merely attached outwardly, like thorn-berries on a tree. The truth as it is in Jesus bears pure and peaceable wisdom, shown in being easy to reason with, merciful, impartial, and sincere.
Profession Proved by Deeds
A respected name, religious profession, knowledge of truth, or claim to be Abraham's child cannot make a person righteous when conduct contradicts the claim. As thorns do not yield figs and a bramble bush does not yield grapes, so bad or absent fruit is not made good by a worthy name or status, and a fruitless tree is not saved from destruction. Words and actions are the fruit by which the character behind a profession is known, and evil works expose a character against which truth testifies. Boastful, self-righteous speech joined with dishonest conduct reveals a bad character even when one believes himself religiously right.
God's promises, blessings, and favor are conditional on obedience, so being enlightened, loved, or given promises does not excuse sin. Those who claimed Abraham's faith had no true claim to his faith or to the promises when their lives lacked justice, benevolence, mercy, and love for God. Being Abraham's descendants did not secure favor when conduct was unrighteous and evil, for ancestry and status do not secure what obedience alone secures. Those who fail to bear good fruit may be removed and replaced by others who will carry out the work in purity and righteousness, for God can raise up others to fulfill His purpose.
Every tree is judged by its fruit, so every person will be judged according to deeds and rewarded according to works, not according to profession or faith. Professing the Christian name is a small matter, but living the Christian life is a great and sacred thing and no light thing. The question at judgment will never be how much was professed but what fruit was borne, revealing whether one is a good tree or a bramble bush. That fruit decides whether Christ regards the person as a good tree or as one fit to be cut down, whether a tree in the Lord's garden fit to stand or fit for destruction. There is only a little time now to secure the immortal crown and to have a record of good acts and fulfilled duties recorded in heaven, for if the tree is corrupt the fruit is evil, and if the tree is good it cannot produce evil fruit. Bitter, evil fruit must be replaced by fruit precious unto eternal life, while a life of self-care and avoidance of burdens reveals its character in contrast to self-denial and sacrifice for others.
Genuine faith is shown by works that correspond with it, requiring the fruit of repentance and faithful obedience. Justice, benevolence, mercy, holiness, truth, purity, patience, kindness, courtesy, and love for God mark God's people. Practical godliness includes mercy, benevolence, and how one treats others, so keeping duties to God while neglecting duties to people falls short. A Christian profession must appear in words and actions marked by patience, kindness, and courtesy as fruits of the Spirit, and mere profession or knowledge of truth cannot substitute for righteousness in daily practice. One who does not bear such good fruit is not a tree of righteousness, and both believers and unbelievers judge a professing Christian by that fruit.
Fruit in Daily Life
A person's true standing as a Christian and spiritual condition are shown by the daily results the life produces rather than by powerful first prayers and exhortations, by being favored as a minister and thought a perfect Christian, or by one's own exalted estimate of self. God measures capabilities by that outcome, and both believers and unbelievers judge a professing Christian by that fruit. Christian profession must appear in words and actions marked by patience, kindness, and courtesy, which are fruits of the Spirit, and one who does not bear such good fruit is not a tree of righteousness. A religious life centered in self rather than in Christ, marked by egotism and self-exaltation and strained ideas about others, produces a sad instead of a savory influence in the home, and that fruit exposes where the life is really centered.
Critical and talebearing speech reveals an unsanctified heart and a harmful influence, for every follower is known by the fruit of character and conduct. Boastful, self-righteous speech and dishonest conduct reveal a bad character even when one believes religiously right, since profession of faith is not good fruit apart from obedience to Christ and genuine faith is shown by corresponding works. Continued selfishness, fretfulness, harshness, oddities, a mind constantly occupied with fixing up something for personal advantage and then disposing of it to good advantage, taking advantage of others in dealing, and a course that tears to pieces, wounds everywhere, and has a withering blighting influence upon the cause of God proves a bad tree under God's frown and gives a harmful example to the flock. Trifling, joking, and flattering familiarity that encourages coquetry and flirting are thorn berries revealing a thorn bush, morally wrong and contrary to the purity the truth creates in the soul. Where envy and strife shape conduct, truth professed and intellectually agreed with has not been woven into character but is merely attached outwardly like thorn-berries on a tree, whereas truth as it is in Jesus bears pure and peaceable wisdom shown in being easy to reason with, merciful, impartial, and sincere.
Those who laud and flatter the minister while neglecting works of righteousness bear fruit proving they are converted to the minister and not to God. That fruit shows whether in the message sent from God they heard the voice of the Holy Spirit or merely the voice of man to flee from the wrath to come. A life marked by self-care and avoidance of burdens reveals its character by its works, in contrast to self-denial and sacrifice for others, and each one is rewarded according to those works. Good fruit is a course of action that leads others to Jesus while mercy is still inviting, listening to that voice and drawing them to the attractive loveliness of Christ so they earnestly seek the Lord and repent of sin, while bad fruit works in the opposite line and uses influence to hold another back from seeking the Lord.
Without good character a person cannot be trusted to fill a position of responsibility, and harmful influence with failure to show fruits of repentance shows one cannot yet be trusted to lead and care for the church. A harmful trait revealed in conduct brings an evil influence that if not overcome can undermine the virtues of the character. The faculties are like seed that must be cultivated, and choices determine what kind of character grows. Good character is built steadily through daily effort, use of abilities, making the most of opportunities Providence gives, and diligent cultivation in connection with the Source of wisdom, with Joseph and Daniel as examples to follow and Christ as the perfect pattern. This is the calmest judgment of the human heart, that character and work are known by the life and its blessed influence upon all it has touched, with that influence continuing as a witness even after death.