miz3 Posted July 6, 2011 Author Posted July 6, 2011 John317, Read Matthew chapter seven about the good trees and the bad trees. Please tell me what it means. Quote
Moderators John317 Posted July 6, 2011 Moderators Posted July 6, 2011 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. This passage is not about people being free moral agents. It's about how to tell a false prophet from a true one. It isn't saying that a false prophet has no choice but to be a false prophet. It is merely telling us that although we are not to judge people's motives, we aren't to be naive when people come to us claiming to be a prophet and to speak for God. We are to test them to see if they are genuine. Jesus says that a major way of testing them is by their "fruits"-- i.e, whether their lives are consistent with their teachings and also whether the results of their work tells for good or evil. One thing Christ is not saying is that people have no choice whether to be good or evil. Notice that the instruction given by Christ would be meaningless if people had no real choices to make. Quote John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
miz3 Posted July 6, 2011 Author Posted July 6, 2011 John317, The Principle is that things are what they because of what they are! That is the Principle! In verse fifteen Jesus states that He is applying the Principle to prophets. That is the specifics. Principle and specifics. The Principle could be applied to lawyers, to pastors, to carpenters, to judges, to fishermen, etc. The Principle is------We humans are what we are because of what we are! The "fruit" will tell us what kind of person we are! It will also tell us what kind of lawyer, pastor, carpenter, etc. we are. It will also tell us what kind of friend we are, what kind of son/daughter we are, what kind of parent we are, etc. The specifics could go on and on! Yet the Principle remains the Principle and is unchanged! The Principle is the Principle and does not change! The specifics change but the Principle remains! You got the specifics right, John but you missed the Principle! Quote
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