The Truth Who Sets Men Free

January 22

“ (16) You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? (17) Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. (18) A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit,” Matthew 7:16-18

Combining the principle that whatever is sown will also be reaped (Galatians 6:7-8) with the tendency towards increase means that no matter what a person sows—unless somebody or something intervenes and interrupts the cycle—more will be produced than was sown.

Living according to Christian standards, or morals and ethics, can be faked for a while. Consider these verses: "Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit." Christian standards, and morals, and ethics can be faked for a while. But, no matter how guarded a person is, the fruits produced will betray him. That principle that Jesus gave was also given in the Old Testament by Moses, in Numbers 32:23, where Moses said you can "be sure your sin will find you out."

Bitterness, divisiveness, envy, jealousy, lethargy will eventually show. How much of the fruit will be produced cannot be accurately predicted because there are too many variables involved. But because of the principle of increase over what was originally sown—whether good or evil—there is every likelihood that more is going to be produced than was sown.— John W. Ritenbaugh

Jesus stated this truth by saying, "A little leaven (yeast) affects the whole batch of dough," Galatians 5:9. We must be ever-vigilant in our walk with the Lord or we will discover that at best our zeal will be diminished and at worst our actions, our words, our attitudes will become an antithesis to the teaching of the Gospel.

If this sounds far-fetched, it is not. The pages of Church membership are replete with names of former members and adherents who have withdrawn from active participation or who have renounced the faith.

The evil one “goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may destroy,” I Peter 5:8, and we know it isn’t ungodly people he targets with his machinations, for they are already in his camp; no, his campaign is against believers in Christ! The intent of our archenemy is to lure us away from the “TRUTH (JESUS) who sets us free,” John 8:32.

If we do not hold fast to Truth in this age of delusion and deception, we run the risk of being among “the elect,” that Christ said “would be deceived,” Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22. May we abide in Christ who is TRUTH so our minds and are hearts will be guarded from the flourishing seeds of deception that are all around us.

May we diligently labor in the behalf of His Kingdom, sowing seeds of His truth to counter the false gods and doctrines of demons spoken of in I Timothy 4:1 where Paul says, “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils…”

We are warned of the schemes of the evil one and we know how to counter them. We must be resolute in our pursuit of and dissemination of the knowledge of the One who is the TRUTH who sets men free (see John 8:32).