Comments on: Bearing Fruit Deception

By: Jamey

Jamey — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:44:30 +0000

Very good article and comments. I was the epitome of the “good” girl growing up. I never got in any major trouble or rebelled against my parents too terribly. I obeyed all of my teachers, and church leaders, etc. I prayed a prayer at the age of 6 because I was told that was how to get saved. I was not a Christian, but learned how to act like one. I worked in the ministries of my church and loved doing it, but I was not truly Born Again. Anyone who has looked at me throughout my life would say that I was a good Christian girl. They were inspecting my supposed fruit, but I didn’t have Christian fruit. I just knew how to play the game. Before my conversion, Matthew 7:21-23 applied more to me than Matthew 7:15-20. I did think I was saved while I was growing up, but if I had died before I got truly saved, Jesus would have said to me, “Depart from me. I never knew you.” It doesn’t matter how much someone does for their church or for the cause of Christ.

By: Zaphod

Zaphod — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 22:37:19 +0000

The bearing fruit issue reveals that fundamentalism is essentially a works based religion. The idea that one is saved by grace is negated by the need to prove one’s salvation by “bearing fruit”. If you don’t work hard enough or follow the preacher’s orders than you were never saved, only those who perform “enough” good works can be sure that they are saved. Fundamentalists go even further by telling their people that the only way to sustain God’s blessing is to work in the church at every given opportunity–ultimately the church/pastor can never be satisfied and so it goes until the individual is burned out and his/her family destroyed.

By: greg

greg — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:06:16 +0000

Hi Crystal – I just posted on “tithing.” I hope to hear from you about that.

Don’t you think it’s a stretch for you to be telling me what my ex-pastor meant?

Many things you are saying have some truths attached to them, but we must be very careful when it comes to “judging.” I might be working with the pastor building an extension on the church and he hit his thumb with a hammer, what comes out of his mouth may not “sound” very christian. Does that “negate” all of his good works?

Yes we are new creatures in Christ, but still have a sin nature, surely your IFB teaches that!

You are peppering your responses with “pieces” of scripture, pls use bible references when you respond, so we can actually dialogue with actual “scripture” You are doing in this comment exactly what I have seen in many IFB churches and that is use part of a verse and then simply “ramble” on about anything you think it means. Exhibit #1 is the discussion of Matthew 7:16 “By their fruit you will recogize them” Fine, but we must look at this verse in context. V-15 says “Watch out for false prophets. they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” ……..the context is not Joe the IFB preacher to go around judging fruit, not even close!!!! It’s warning us to watch out for “false Prophets.” …I really hope you can see that….so very many good folks listen to IFB preachers make huge mistakes in interpreting scripture…..could it be that your pastor has done the same…..from your comment it sounds like that!!

By: Charles

Charles — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:36:01 +0000

Crystal, can you show me where in that passage (or even anywhere in the Bible) it says that other Christians are supposed to look at my fruit and judge me based on the fruit they see?

There may be a “line between being saved and being just a professor” but it’s not your job to define or figure out where that line is. I don’t know what Bible you’re reading, but my Bible says that we aren’t supposed to judge other people (Matthew 7:1).

By: Crystal

Crystal — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:44:13 +0000

@greg I don't go to your Church, but let me say when your former Pastor said being a fruit inspector what he really meant. Just my opinion... Basically, you can tell when a TRUE BORN AGAIN BELIEVER is really saved by their ACTIONS- FRUIT! Fruit is symbolic. You can tell a professor from a real believer! I can anyway! Yes, God is the judge, but the Bible speaks about BELIEVERS being able to distinguish the difference. Here is an example.... someone claims their saved, but says God d***! That is a fruit that says to me you are just a professor! In other words, there is a line between being saved and being just a professor! Let me say, yes we all sin and will never be perfect until we get to heaven! Come on now, someone who would talk this way is not an indicator for me that they are saved if they say they are. THE BIBLE SAYS WHEN WE ARE BORN AGAIN, WE BECOME A NEW CREATURE! GOD IS NOT A LIAR, AND I CAN PROVE THAT YOU DO BECOME A NEW CREATURE IN CHRIST! You don't act the way the world does, you don't say the things the world does, everything changes and you have a different outlook in your new birth with Christ! One more thing I would like to add.... when you are a truly saved person, God chastens His child. Some people get away from God that are truly saved and if anyone that claims they are saved and maybe not living right or just away from God, that person will be corrected and chastened by God Almighty! The Bible even says so! If you are not being chastened by God, then I would really search my heart and seek if I were TRULY REBORN AGAIN!!!

By: Anthony Baker

Anthony Baker — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:18:42 +0000

I have to insert my 1 3/4 cents, if that’s OK. I think you did a great job of pointing out that we are not commanded to bear fruit, we are told that we “will” bear fruit. Bearing fruit is the result of abiding in the True Vine. He gives us life, therefore we bear fruit.

Now, the problem I have is with people who claim the name of Christ, yet are producing fruit antithetical to what is promised by the Holy Spirit (Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, etc.).

By: greg

greg — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 05:11:32 +0000

Shannon – Matthew 7:16-20 is more about false prophets and by extension false ministries, not so much individuals.

But what really blew my skirt up, is equating Billy Graham and Mother Teresa with the Harlot church of Revelation. I would ask where do you get that from, but I doubt it would matter or that I would pay any attention. But what is ironic is that we were just talking about judging others and you make this huge devil’s canyon leap.

By: shannon

shannon — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 15:14:31 +0000

ETA:

I didn’t want to imply that the Lord is not drawing any Jews to salvation today. Of course, until the Rapture the Lord is building His ‘Church’ from Jews and Gentiles.

Also, nowhere in Matthew 7:16-20 verses used by the IFB are we told to “judge” anyone’s fruit. We will “know” them by their fruit does not imply we are to “judge” them. This word implies that we have the right to “condemn” them. If people aren’t saved they are condemned already.

I also note the mentions of the “Billy Graham’s” and “Mother Teresa’s” “of the world”…..They are most likely, based on false/plastic ‘fruit’, “of the world”, as they and the like are assisting in the building of the Harlot church of Revelation….the One World false ‘church’. Matthew 7:13

By: shannon

shannon — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 14:19:44 +0000

Very good!
The Holy Spirit is the One who produces the “Fruit” of the Spirit of God in/through those born anew of the Spirit John 1:12,13. When the IFB says we are to be ‘fruit inspectors’, they are using the verse of Matthew 7:16-20.
Galatians 5:21,22 of course, reveal the “Fruit” of the Spirit of God.
The flesh and the enemy can mimic the fruit. This is why it is vital to understand that the enemy infiltration into the physical church and behind the pulpit is very real. 2Corinthians 11:13-15.
Also the sentence of “All we have to do is stay connected to the vine (Jesus) and we WILL bear fruit.” If we go back and look at John 10:28,29, we note the Jesus is keeping us, not the other way around. We needlessly worry of losing our salvation and being cut-off from the Vine.
The unbelieving Jews have been temporarily blinded, allowing for the believing Gentiles to be grafted in. THIS now is the “Church”.

Great subject matter that is so misunderstood and mis-taught in the ‘church’ today.

Shannon

By: greg

greg — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:20:02 +0000

Steve – This is so good! I wonder how many times I have heard my old fundy pastor say, “Bless God I know I can’t be judging people, but I’m a pretty good fruit inspector!” And I wonder from where he gets the idea that he is “supposed” to be a fruit inspector. (kinda taking the place of God, methinks) remember getting some light on this passage from Joyce Meyer, now I disagree with Ms Joyce over many things, but her teaching about this passage was dead-on, I still remember her standing on the platform, arms out, like a tree, and attempting to force fruit to grow, her point being a fruit tree doesn’t struggle to produce fruit, it remains in the vine and “naturally” produces fruit, just as you have so wisely pointed out in this comment.

You said “fruit is a natural by-product of being connected to the vine (Jesus) and we WILL bear fruit.” Isn’t that such a much better message of grace. That type of messge makes me “want” to serve Jesus that much more, instead of hunkering down and “blaming” myself for not producing “enough” fruit as someone else, and feeling guitly about it. It frees one to be all they can be in Christ, and to do the very work that he has called me to do.

Thank you for this grace-filled message.