There are many ways to live as a believer of Christ, but also, there's one way to Christ that's truly effective. No doubt, our journey will be individual, yet I find that scripture often illustrates the difference between "fruit" and "good fruit" so we can recognize this distinction and learn from these examples:
Those who healed and cast out devils but didn’t know the Lord (Matthew 7)
Those who prophesied in His name but didn’t know the Lord (3 Nephi 14)
Those who are delighted by a spark of light, but don’t realize God is a blazing fire. They love the light they have, but don’t consider how much light they don’t have (Isaiah 50)
Those who carefully prepared for the marriage and the feast, but insufficiently, and didn’t know the Lord (Matthew 25)
The Pharisee and the Publican pray to the Lord in the temple, but only one is cleansed by the Lord (Luke 18)
Those who pray, thanking their Lord for His favour, but are way off (Alma 31)
Those who build a house but it’s on sand, when Christ is meant to be our foundation (Matthew 7)
Those who build a church unto the Lord, and say they're the Lord’s but they're not (2 Nephi 28)
Those who see their prosperity, but don’t consider it’s not from the Lord. They feel so blessed to have all they need in the gospel and don’t realize they’re also wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked (Revelation 3)
Those who are so happy they’re prospering in Zion but don’t consider how they’re not at all (2 Nephi 28)
Their Church has teachers and doctrines, but they’re corrupted (2 Nephi 28)
They're producing fruit, and lots of it, but it's not the good fruit the Master is trying to cultivate (Jacob 5)
In all of these examples these believers focused on all they are (they are believers, working their way to Christ), but remained very unaware of all they still are not (being entirely consecrated, redeemed, and manifesting the works of God).
It takes humility to ask the Lord, "Is it I?" or "what lack I yet?" but ask those questions, because ain't nobody got time nor energy for a bad harvest.
I think this is an excellent thought provoking message. The world would have us believe that doing whatever we feel best about is the most authentic and real way a person can be, regardless of whether it is the kind of fruit that God is looking for from us in having taken His name upon us. It can also be that we mistake our church devotion and commitment for doing the works of righteousness while our hearts are set upon things that aren’t the Lord, or we are seeking to obtain a reward but not to glorify the Father and Son. So this is a good reminder that just being good, or being religiously devoted, isn’t a guarantee one is producing the kind of fruit the Lord wants in His harvest.
Yes, I believe “good fruit” is defined. It’s not just a loose term that we can inject our own interpretations to. Looking into the scriptural definition of “good,” “good fruit,” “good works,” and “dead works” was such a valuable study.
Thank you for setting up a place in our hearts to ask this question. And thank you for sharing scripture to reference and reflect. Looking forward to the answers I get.
Sure thing! I’m really looking forward to the conversation.
Really excited about your site! Always feel your posts are uplifting and full of insights leading to a closer relationship to Christ.
Thank you Teri! I’d love to hear your insights at any time!