Matthew 7:15-20 Interpretation.

Bro.T

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"You will know them by their fruits."

I think a lot of people think this means they will have the Fruit of the Spirit, but I have also heard that the Fruit is Good Doctrine as well.

Looking for your interpretations of these verses.


I like to first post the actual verses in Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Now these could be pastors, or anyone consider religious thats among you. Calling on the name of Jesus and using his name for power and glory. But refuse to do the thing Jesus did when he walked on this earth as flesh. Let's skip down to verses
(v.21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. You mean you must do more than call on the name of the Lord to enter into the kingdom of heaven? (Which will be set up on this earth)? (v.22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? (v.23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Again this is not the harlot, the thief, or the murder, these are religious people; some had the power to cast out devils. And what did they put before the Lord? Their works! It’s obvious that their iniquity overrode their wonderful works. But they put their works on the table before the Lord, that’s what you are going to be judged by, your works!

It’s easy for people to say how much they love the Lord, they may be able to deceive man, but God knows the mind. Many profess they know God, but in their works they deny him everyday. Paul said in (Titus 1:16) They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him; being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Yea, most people are talking about how they know God with their lips, but by they works they are doing something totally different.
The Lord God commanded you to remember the Sabbath day (which is the seventh day of the week) to keep it holy and you deny him to his face by saying “I go to church on Sunday (the first day of the week). There's no other day to go to church on, but what's written in the Bible. So people have been taught to do the things that's not written in the Bible and to use the Bible to justify it.
 
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Jesse Dornfeld

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As I have read answers and pondered this question myself, I do feel that Jesus is not getting at something specific, but something broad, which is why it is difficult to categorize as this thing or that thing. Personally, I originally thought this meant the Fruit of the Spirit since that seems to be so fundamental to the Holy Spirit living in us, but as I pondered this, it seemed what Jesus was getting at is a whole life aspect. What is fruit? Fruit come from a branch that comes from a tree that comes from the ground that comes from the earth. Basically, Jesus is getting at something so fundamental to reality that it even sounds cheap to say it has to be this or that specifically. God made the earth. That is what the fruit is grounded it. I liken this to what Jesus said over and over, and in this way, I feel Jesus had ONE message - repent and believe the Good News! What is the Good News? It is that Christ came to the earth to die for sinners so they could have life in Him. He is the fruit. He is the vine, He is the tree, He is the ground, He is the earth. So we are to be grounded in Him and Him alone and if we do this, we will bear good fruit.
 
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Bruce Leiter

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Reasonably good doctrine should accompany a believer but it may or may not be a fruit -and who's to judge between good and poor doctrine anyway? The obvious fruits stem from love: doing the works prepared in advance (Eph 2:10), doing "for the least of these" (Matt 25), teaching the love of God and His word to a lost and hopeless and dying world, contributing time and resources to those in need, overcoming sin, obedience in general.

The Bible is the only basis on its own assumptions and principles for good doctrines. Yes, you're right that Ephesians 2:10 refers to good works, but those deeds begin with God's gift of new life (verses 4-9) after our being born dead to God (verses 1-3). Love is the key but only as defined by the Bible as a commitment to God and others, not some fuzzy feeling or attraction to others or God.
 
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Bro.T

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As I have read answers and pondered this question myself, I do feel that Jesus is not getting at something specific, but something broad, which is why it is difficult to categorize as this thing or that thing. Personally, I originally thought this meant the Fruit of the Spirit since that seems to be so fundamental to the Holy Spirit living in us, but as I pondered this, it seemed what Jesus was getting at is a whole life aspect. What is fruit? Fruit come from a branch that comes from a tree that comes from the ground that comes from the earth. Basically, Jesus is getting at something so fundamental to reality that it even sounds cheap to say it has to be this or that specifically. God made the earth. That is what the fruit is grounded it. I liken this to what Jesus said over and over, and in this way, I feel Jesus had ONE message - repent and believe the Good News! What is the Good News? It is that Christ came to the earth to die for sinners so they could have life in Him. He is the fruit. He is the vine, He is the tree, He is the ground, He is the earth. So we are to be grounded in Him and Him alone and if we do this, we will bear good fruit.

It's much more to it then that, but repenting is key as you say. To live a Christ like life, you have to come out of the world. Jesus warned us that the road to salvation is straight and narrow and that only a few of us will find it. Many are traveling down the wrong road, which leads to destruction. This is because many of us have heard about salvation but few of us want to do what is necessary to get salvation (many are called but few are chosen). (Matthew 7:13, 14). Didn't Jesus say in John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. So to bare forth good fruit you have come out of the world. True saints realize that God's law must be obeyed to receive eternal life. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). Why does the bible seem to teach that the law has been done away with, if we must still keep the commandments?

When the bible speaks of laws we no longer have to keep, it is speaking of the sacrificial laws. These laws were a school master pointing us to the fact that Jesus would be sacrificed for our sins. Since Jesus died we are no longer under a school master, (required to offer up bulls and goats for our sins). Now we must believe (have faith) Jesus died for us (Hebrews 10:4,9-10). This doesn't mean we don't have to obey God's moral laws of conduct. That would be like a man getting paroled from prison and then ignoring the same laws that sent him to prison in the first place. Jesus only died once, so if we willfully break God's law, after accepting Jesus, our reward will be eternal damnation (Hebrews 10:26-27). Let us avoid this at all costs, seeking a better reward. Jesus will return real soon and reward us all according to our works (Revelation 22:12).

Throughout the bible we find that in order to receive eternal salvation we must keep God's commandments to the end. If we make a mistake we must not give up, but continue to strive for the prize (Philippians 3:13-14). The last chapter in the whole bible reminds us of this one last time. "Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have right to the tree of life." (Revelation 22:14). After this we find only seven more verses in the bible, and none of them does away with God's commandments.

The commandments of God are not hard to keep (I John 5:3) and furthermore, they teach us love in the highest degree. If you love Jesus you will keep his commandments (St. John 14:15). You will not displease the Lord by: Worshipping other gods, having graven images, taking his name in vain, breaking his Sabbath day (which is Saturday not Sunday), or dishonoring your parents. On the other hand, if you love your neighbor as yourself you will not kill him, commit adultery with his spouse, steal from him, falsely accuse him, or covet anything of his.

This is true love, and if obeyed how much better would our world be? This is why Jesus said that the two greatest commandments are loving the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind; and loving your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:35-40). These two commandments are the foundation of the entire law. Many reject the law, but it is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good (Romans 7:12) even today. These are the thing one must do to bare good fruit.
 
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eleos1954

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"You will know them by their fruits."

I think a lot of people think this means they will have the Fruit of the Spirit, but I have also heard that the Fruit is Good Doctrine as well.

Looking for your interpretations of these verses.

fruits -- their actions

actions need to align up with what is taught ... good fruit will have both sound teaching and act according to those teachings.

Matthew 7

21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
 
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Bruce Leiter

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Are you saying that we can earn our salvation by obeying the moral law? That's what it sounds like.

Also, it sounds as if you want to stay completely away from the world. How do you do that?

Do you obey God's moral laws perfectly? Can you? Look at 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 for Paul's commands. Do you obey those perfectly?

I don't believe that we can ever in this life obey God perfectly. If we think we do, we're guilty of pride. See the Apostle Paul's estimate of his life in Philippians 3:10-14. If he admits that he's imperfect but must still struggle toward that goal, then I can't either. But I must run that race with Paul.
 
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fhansen

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The Bible is the only basis on its own assumptions and principles for good doctrines. Yes, you're right that Ephesians 2:10 refers to good works, but those deeds begin with God's gift of new life (verses 4-9) after our being born dead to God (verses 1-3). Love is the key but only as defined by the Bible as a commitment to God and others, not some fuzzy feeling or attraction to others or God.
Well, I certainly didn't hint, even, that this love is merely some warm and fuzzy feeling, etc. And regardless of one's accepted source or sources of revelation, disagreement over correct doctrine still occurs in serious manner. So, for example, we have sola scriptura adherents on these forums debating contradictory positions with each other over relevant matters of belief, both with often very plausible arguments from Scripture.
 
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pshun2404

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"You will know them by their fruits."

I think a lot of people think this means they will have the Fruit of the Spirit, but I have also heard that the Fruit is Good Doctrine as well.

Looking for your interpretations of these verses.

Symbolically, fruit is the product of anything...even a line of thought (Genesis 3:5 to be a god unto self or lord of one's own life), or as Jesus calls it "bad fruit" from "bad seed"... and we can see what kind of fruit Jesus tends to prefer in Matthew 25:31-46...people who are allegedly saved who do not produce such things in their lives are probably NOT sheep (Romans 8:9) He tells them "I NEVER knew you"....but remembver this...fruit are not gifts....they must be planted and cultivated over time and eventually (like Paul says "in due season") you shall reap..so sow to the Spirit whenever possible. What should we sow? Love, peace, self control, longsuffering, and so on..if you plant these they will produce fruit.
 
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fhansen

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Are you saying that we can earn our salvation by obeying the moral law? That's what it sounds like.

Also, it sounds as if you want to stay completely away from the world. How do you do that?

Do you obey God's moral laws perfectly? Can you? Look at 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 for Paul's commands. Do you obey those perfectly?

I don't believe that we can ever in this life obey God perfectly. If we think we do, we're guilty of pride. See the Apostle Paul's estimate of his life in Philippians 3:10-14. If he admits that he's imperfect but must still struggle toward that goal, then I can't either. But I must run that race with Paul.
And yet obedient we must be or else we remain unchanged, not new creations but still merely white-washed tombs-snow-covered dung-heaps- for all practical purposes. The New Covenant is about real change, however, and evidence or fruit of that change. God determines if our obedience was sufficient, how well we've done with the grace, the gift of Himself that He's given us as he places His law in our minds and writes it on our hearts.
 
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Bro.T

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fruits -- their actions

actions need to align up with what is taught ... good fruit will have both sound teaching and act according to those teachings.

Matthew 7

21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.


That's right, Good fruits and action, sounds like James 2: (v.17) Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. The bible has been telling people alone that you must have fruits to prove your faith. (v.18) Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. True faith goes hand in hand with good works. (v.20) But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? A person can have all the faith they want, but if they have no works to go along with that faith, that faith is in vain, that faith is dead.
 
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timothyu

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I don't believe that we can ever in this life obey God perfectly
But we can place allegiance with Him in understanding why His will is superior to our own and attempt do as He said, not putting our will ahead of His. (Paul is not my Messiah)
 
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Jesse Dornfeld

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fruits -- their actions

actions need to align up with what is taught ... good fruit will have both sound teaching and act according to those teachings.

Matthew 7

21Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Sure, but to what ends and by what means?
 
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Bro.T

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Are you saying that we can earn our salvation by obeying the moral law? That's what it sounds like.

Also, it sounds as if you want to stay completely away from the world. How do you do that?

Do you obey God's moral laws perfectly? Can you? Look at 1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 for Paul's commands. Do you obey those perfectly?

I don't believe that we can ever in this life obey God perfectly. If we think we do, we're guilty of pride. See the Apostle Paul's estimate of his life in Philippians 3:10-14. If he admits that he's imperfect but must still struggle toward that goal, then I can't either. But I must run that race with Paul.

That's true what Paul says that you wrote, but we do not want to focus on what we can't do, because that can take the will out of a man. Jesus said in Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Now let's take a look another verse Jesus says in Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Of course this is not a overnight walk, but you have to really start it. Jesus said in Matthew 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

So Jesus said, “but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments,” No matter what you read in the Bible, these commandments have to be kept to enter into life, or you will be judge by them. Now let’s read further into what Jesus is saying here in Matthew… Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

This includes the Sabbath day on the seventh day of the week (Saturday).
This also include,Thou shalt have no other gods before me. (this includes Easter, Christmas, going to church on Sunday and any other pagan or tradition of men that may cause another God to be worship)
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Exodus 20:3-8)

Now Paul says in Colossians 2: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Now this is how you get taking out of the world. Repenting and doing these Commandments the Lord has laid before you that's written in this Bible. Doing this, one may become sanctified from his or her family and friends. But pay attention to what Jesus says in Matthew 12:46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
 
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