The Good Tree Brings Forth TRUTH

 

The scriptures above have often been taken out of context & interpreted to mean a variety of things that Christ was never intending.  Let's take an honest look at this very serious message.  What follows is the passage in its context:

 

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. 

Matthew 7:15-18

 

So what we find is that Christ was in fact making a scathing indictment against the very leadership that claimed to represent him. Up to this point in the passage he is not suggesting ignorance, but premeditated falsehood.  A series of similar accusations were documented in the books of Jeremiah & Ezekiel centuries earlier.  Here are a couple of examples:

The prophets prophesy lies in my name:

I sent them not, neither have I commanded them,

neither spake unto them:

they prophesy unto you a false vision & divination,

& a thing of nought,

& the deceit of their heart.

Jeremiah 14:14

 

There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof,

like a roaring lion ravening the prey;

they have devoured souls....

Ezekiel 22:25

 

Like Christ, these Old Testament prophets were speaking about the intentional spreading of lies in God's name.  However, after Christ revealed the fact that his very enemies were found among those teaching his word, he went on to a separate but related topic.  Let's continue along, still in Matthew chapter 7:

 

20-Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

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.

Matthew 7:20-21

 

This part of the chapter is not only shocking.  It's TRAGIC!  Here Christ has shifted his focus off of those who KNOWINGLY prophesied & spoke lies to God's people. Now he's condemning those who not only believed the lies, but imitated & ignorantly perpetuated the lies themselves.   This passage unequivocally states that many believers, both in & outside of leadership positions, are completely & unknowingly out of alignment with God’s will.  What’s more—they don’t even understand the fact that they were probably never really saved at all!  If we continue reading the passage, the tragedy only accelerates:

 

22-Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?

& in thy name have cast out devils?

& in thy name done many wonderful works? 

23-And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:

depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

Matthew 7:22-23

 

This portion illustrates very succinctly what I tried to explain in my letter entitled ‘Finding The Narrow Path’--the fact that believers often fail to remember that not all 'miracles' are of God Jehovah.  The reality is that many in the Christian community assume their salvation based on the many ‘blessings’ they receive.  They fail to grapple with the very real threat of seductive satanic miracles designed to lure God’s people onto the wide path towards destruction.  Rather, they presume to stand centered under the full protection of God's authority while they exhibit little or no regard for living according to His commandments.  You can see in Matthew 7:22 that even many who believed they were chosen prophets of God had actually been doing the bidding of the enemy all along.  Again, this unwitting participation in advancing the satanic agenda is an issue that we find recorded in the books of Jeremiah & Ezekiel:

20-I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran:

I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied.

25-I have heard what the prophets said,

that prophesy lies in my name,

saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

Jeremiah 23:20,25

 

Let not your prophets & your diviners,

that be in the midst of you, deceive you,

neither hearken to YOUR dreams

which ye cause to be dreamed.

Jeremiah 29:8

 

The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream;

& he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.

What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 23:28

 

Thus saith the Lord God;

Woe unto the foolish prophets,

that follow their own spirit & have seen nothing!

6-They have seen vanity & lying divination,

saying, The LORD saith:

& the LORD hath not sent them:

& they have made others to hope...

Ezekiel 13:3,6

 

These last verses are speaking woe to foolish prophets who sinned in ignorance.  This is what the bible has to say about such sins:

And if a soul sin,

& commit any of these things

which are forbidden to be done by the commandment of the LORD;

though he wist it not, yet is he guilty,

& shall bear his iniquity.

Leviticus 5:17

 

And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance,

& the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly.....

Leviticus 4:13

 

The 3rd commandment reads:

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.

Exodus 20:7 

 

Clearly, failing to represent God or to represent Him properly is an egregious sin.  The scripture from Leviticus states plainly that ignorance does not provide exemption from culpability, nor should it.  Misrepresenting God & His will jeopardizes souls. Even Moses had to learn the seriousness of God's perspective on this issue when he struck Mount Horeb with his rod to bring forth water but failed to give God the glory in front of the congregation.  It was a difficult day for Moses because  it was the day his sister Miriam died.  Nevertheless, God did not excuse the omission & it was for this reason alone that Moses was not permitted to enter the promised land.  Thankfully today we have an advocate in heaven.  However, there can be no forgiveness without an understanding of the seriousness of the crime & that can only come through intensive bible study. 

 

In other writings I've expressed my belief that the 'in-between' Christian can to more damage to God's ministry than can the atheist & will incur the greater wrath.  Why?  The atheist doesn't claim to know or represent God on any level.  The prospective convert isn't looking to an atheist to explain God.  Rather, it's the confused Christian that is most likely to prevent other souls from finding true salvation as well as corrupting the vision of those who already started along the path.

 

When I use 'in-between' in this context, I'm not necessarily referring to someone who is without passion for God.  Rather, I am speaking about the Christian who is not concerned by the fact that true Christianity is rarely practiced in the churches of today, that what is being practiced is an amalgamation of authentic Christianity with a heavy dose of pagan practice. In fact, they are often unaware that pagan influence constitutes the greater portion of the current faith. This is what Paul had to say about the danger of embracing a false doctrine:

 

But I fear, lest by any means,

as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty,

so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

4-For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus,

whom we have not preached,

or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received,

or another gospel, which ye have not accepted,

ye might well bear with him.

2Corinthians 11:3-4

 

Both the books of Daniel & Revelation speak of the Satanic 'little horn' that most of the earth would worship in the latter day period.  It is written that this little horn would have great power to seduce & destroy the souls of many.  This is what Daniel has to say:

 

I beheld, & the same horn made war with the saints, & prevailed against them;

22-Until the Ancient of days (Christ) came,

& judgment was given to the saints of the most High;

& the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. 

25-And he shall speak great words against the most high,

& shall war out the saints of the most High,

& think to change times & laws.....

Daniel 7:21-22,25

 

And this is what Ezekiel had to say about false leadership:

 

Her priests have violated my law,

& have profaned mine holy things:

they have put no difference between the holy & profane,

neither have they shewed difference between the unclean & the clean,

& have hid their eyes from my sabbaths,

& I am profaned among them.

Ezekiel 22:26

 

And Zephaniah:

 

Her prophets are light & treacherous persons:

her priests have polluted the sanctuary,

they have done violence to the law.

Zephaniah 3:4

 

Most of you are already aware of the fact that Christmas, Easter & Sunday worship are all pagan integrations.  Yet you continue to observe them.  The truth is that anyone believing that the 7th day sabbath & biblical Holy Days are not relevant to our time simply hasn't made the effort to read the Word with care.  There is really no reason to be confused on this issue.  The importance of observing the sabbath dates is pain stakingly documented throughout the Old Testament & Christ's words only supported what was already understood.

 

To the false leaders of his day Christ said:

Full well ye reject the commandment of God,

that ye may keep your own tradition. 

Mark 7:9

 

But in vain they do worship me,

teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Matthew 15:9

 

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin,

and have omitted the weightier matters of the LAW,

judgment, mercy, and faith:

these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Matthew 23:23

 

....this people draw near me with their mouth,

& with their lips do honour me,

but have removed their heart far from me,

& their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men...

Isaiah 29:13

 

Most of you also understand that the prosperity message is antithetical to true Christianity but you tolerate it.  These are the words of Christ:

No man can serve two masters:

for either he will hate the one, and love the other;

or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.

Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Matthew 6:24

 

Sell that ye have, & give alms;

provide yourselves bags which wax not old,

a treasure in the heavens that faileth not,

where no theif approacheth neither moth corrupteth.

34-For where your treasure is,

there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:33

 

This is what Paul had to say:

 

3-For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;

but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,

having itching ears;

4-And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,

& shall be turned unto fables.

2Timothy 4:3-4

 

And in Jeremiah we read:

The prophets prophesy falsely,

& the priests bear rule by their means;

& my people love to have it so:

& what will ye do in the end thereof?

Jeremiah 5:31

 

So what went wrong?  Much is attributed to a misreading of Pauline Doctrine as well as the nefarious political aspirations of the Roman Catholic church.  Fortunately, I already wrote about these topics elsewhere on this site so I'm not compelled to review them here.  Instead, I'm going to provide you with several more links below, including to 'Letter To A Friend'.  You can read the entire letter or simply jump to section 4 in order to read the part that's relevant to this topic.  I'm also providing a link to a page entitled 'Observing God's Laws Is Not Optional'.   On it you will find videos that explain how & why Paul's writings have often been misunderstood by the Gentile community of believers.  The last item I am providing is contact information for you to purchase a book I strongly urge you to read as soon as possible: ' The Great Controversy'.  The book source I'm providing charges only 69 cents plus shipping.  At this price you may want to buy many copies so you can pass them out to everyone you know.  Please take this study very seriously.  We are all preparing to meet our God--& it will be VERY SOON!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Available at Review & Herald Publishing:

The Great Controversy 

(book) by Ellen G White

Contact: Michael

800-876-7313

$.69 + shipping=under $7.00 total