Breaking the Law
We hear the term “bearing fruit” said by Jesus all over the four Gospels. “Bear fruit”, and “You will know them by their fruit”, etc. What does this mean? What is this fruit Jesus is always talking about bearing? Whatever it is, it’s probably important, because He cursed a fig tree for not bearing any fruit…and that was just a tree!
In the letter to Galatians, Paul lists the Fruit of the Spirit. This is seriously one of my favorite passages in the Bible. I think I know this better than John 3:16! Anyway, Galatians 5:22 lists the Fruit of the Spirit, which are:
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-Control
And ends with “…against such there is no law.” Why does Paul say against this there is no law? In Matthew 7:21-23, there are some powerful words coming from Jesus. “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'” Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB)
Here we see that just because someone acknowledges Jesus’ power doesn’t qualify him or her as a member of the Kingdom of God. In fact, not even miracles such as casting out demons and prophesying—in the name of Jesus no doubt—will get you into heaven. Some may say, “But they said it in the name of Jesus!” But that doesn’t cut it for God. Jesus says that these people were practicing lawlessness…. and we know that anything apart from the Fruit of the Spirit is lawlessness. So what does this mean?
Good works don’t get us into heaven. But if we practice lawlessness, if we don’t bear fruit, we won’t be able to enter heaven, and will be cursed just like that fig tree! If we are Christians imitating Christ, if we are bearing fruit like Jesus commanded us to do, our lives should be completely centered on the Fruit of the Spirit…because apart from that, there is no law.
In the letter to Galatians, Paul lists the Fruit of the Spirit. This is seriously one of my favorite passages in the Bible. I think I know this better than John 3:16! Anyway, Galatians 5:22 lists the Fruit of the Spirit, which are:
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-Control
And ends with “…against such there is no law.” Why does Paul say against this there is no law? In Matthew 7:21-23, there are some powerful words coming from Jesus. “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'” Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB)
Here we see that just because someone acknowledges Jesus’ power doesn’t qualify him or her as a member of the Kingdom of God. In fact, not even miracles such as casting out demons and prophesying—in the name of Jesus no doubt—will get you into heaven. Some may say, “But they said it in the name of Jesus!” But that doesn’t cut it for God. Jesus says that these people were practicing lawlessness…. and we know that anything apart from the Fruit of the Spirit is lawlessness. So what does this mean?
Good works don’t get us into heaven. But if we practice lawlessness, if we don’t bear fruit, we won’t be able to enter heaven, and will be cursed just like that fig tree! If we are Christians imitating Christ, if we are bearing fruit like Jesus commanded us to do, our lives should be completely centered on the Fruit of the Spirit…because apart from that, there is no law.
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Nice job, Matt. That's some pretty powerful imagery with the fig tree. And good job connecting it with your previous post. Keep it up!
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