Replies

By their fruit ye shall know them!

Matt. 7: 16-20
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.

The opposition MO is to divide and conqueror.

Man needs to listen to the Lord and search the scriptures this is where truth lies and the Holy Spirit will bear witness to all that is of our Lord.

John 5: 39
39 ¶ Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Acts 17: 11
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

I just noticed that your reply 136 addressed to “all” was posted in reply to my post 135; I apologize for this late response.

You raised two more of the Scriptural tests for False Prophets, the Berean test and also the good tree/bad tree fruit test of Matthew 7:

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:15-20

Your next remark – which I presume to be your example of fruit was this:

The opposition MO is to divide and conqueror.

The Scriptures however are very clear about the fruits of the Spirit:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

A more appropriate example would be that someone who is apparently anxious (upset, unsettled, worried, uncertain) is not led by the Holy Spirit. His priorities are not straight, we should ignore him when he gives spiritual advice.

And from anyone who claims to be a prophet, we should see all of the fruits of the Spirit. If he claims to be speaking for God but what we see in looking at his life or words is hatefulness, dissatisfaction or sadness, anxiety, meanness, pride, roughness, impulsiveness, etc. - he is to be ignored.

Immediately following the good tree/bad tree test, is Christ's warning that good intentions, good works and claims of authority will not do:

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. 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. – Matthew 7:21-23

Or to put it another way, the preceding fruits of the good/bad tree test of Matthew 7 are spiritual - they are not about methods, intentions, claims or works but rather Who Christ IS and who we are in Him.

To know Christ we must abide in Him and He in us. Without Him we can "do" nothing (emphasis mine:)

I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. – John 15:5

[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. - Romans 8:1-9

Meditate on this: God’s Name is I AM.

The answer to every question should begin and end with His Name.

To God be the glory!