Luke 6:43-45
“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Tag: You are what your heart says you are
The false teachers didn't like Jesus' popularity. They saw Him as a threat to their power and popularity. Jesus wanted to point out, that despite their "religious" appearance, they weren't so. Jesus wanted his disciples to see that you can talk and dress up as one thing but what you are internally, will be seen in your conduct eventually. The religious appearance of the false teachers eventually gave way to the evil in their hearts. The principle is quite true, therefore, if you want to change how you act, you have to change the condition of your heart. Change is not external in nature, in is internal. It is not conforming to an image, it is transforming your internally. Note one commentary:
WBC: The application of the parable is clear. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil. Just as trees produce fruit in keeping with their nature, so also do people. The hearts of the righteous, having been transformed by the regenerating work of salvation (Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 36:25-27; John 3:5; Titus 3:5), hold good treasure; the hearts of the unregenerate hold evil treasure. Just as what the fruit trees bear reveals their nature, so also what people say reveals the nature of their heart, since the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart (cf. Prov. 10:32; Matt. 15:18). How people speak most clearly reveals what is in their heart.
Those who follow false spiritual teachers will manifest the same corruption that they do. Only those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ can produce the fruit of repentance (Luke 3:8) that marks a transformed life (2 Cor. 5:17).
Life is an internal happening. We can change the things on the outside all we want. But if we have no internal change of heart we are simply putting lipstick on a pig:
Proverbs 11:22
Like a gold ring in a pig's snout
is a beautiful woman without discretion.
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