Luke 6: 43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Are you the kind of person who always tries to do hurtful things to other people? Then maybe your roots are not tied to the right source. Good trees can't produce bad fruit and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. Where we get our nourishment from is going to result in whether we are a good or bad tree. For those who are born again, our nourishment comes from the Holy Spirit, and His fruit. The word of God also works to nourish us and cause us to have a very uncommon love that transcends religious beliefs or personal goals. When we are born again God sets up shop in our heart and soul and changes us at our core. Religion at times can short-circuit this process by causing us to believe we are better than others and then the bad fruit begins to taint the whole person. Religious roots are the worst to cause this to happen, but they come across so good and innocent. Paul writes about this to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 3:7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face.
We don't follow laws etched in stone. We follow God's Word and it is etched on the hearts of those who are born again. This fleshly life and all of our reasoning about what is good and bad fall way short of the new life that is given when we receive Jesus. We don't live by a set of rules that can be changed to make us feel better when we don't agree. We live by a total life change that changes our will, our heart, our soul, and the change is a conversion that ushers in a very "spiritual" person. he spirit who is in control is the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus. Paul continues on in 1 Corinthians 3 to explain why the new way, or the Spirit-filled life is so much better and we see this in the following verses 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!
Scripture says we are "slaves to righteousness" and at our core God's goodness comes alive in us. Paul wrote about this in Romans 6:16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. Our good fruit comes from God and the Holy Spirit in our life results in good fruit and that good fruit comes from good roots given to us by God.
What is deposited in the "treasury of your heart"? If it is Jesus then you will bear good fruit. if it is just some religious experience, over time that will fade and you will use your religion to do more bad than good. As we think about the crucifixion and those who were a part of it we see that the people could have released Jesus and not Barabbas, but the religious "leaders" called for Barabbas to be released and crucified an innocent man. Hmm.
Their religion caused them to miss Jesus, the Messiah, and that is still happening today because of religious people doing what they think is "good." Here is the scripture from Matthew 27:20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death.
Who do you choose to follow? Jesus or religion? I choose Jesus, and the only good in me is Him. Thank you Jesus for your roots. John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. NOTHING. NOTHING. NOTHING.
The Pilgrimage Continues,
David Warren
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