intro
Hello this is Dreamwalker1960
Before I begin today’s lesson I have to say that I messed up a fact in the previous podcast. I had states that Jesus talked to His disciples after His crucifixion in John 15, this was incorrect. It was before. It doesn’t take away from the lesson, it just shows I am human.
To start I will refresh you of the previous two broadcast. In the first we established that the “lukewarm” were people that had received the grace from God and thus salvation. Yet they turned their backs upon Jesus to listen to watered down teachings of the Gospel.
Then in the last broadcast. We showed that Jesus Christ is the vine and you can only be a part of the vine if you had salvation. Yet if they did not bear fruit they were removed from the vine and given over willingly unto the fire, because they found the world more entertaining.
Today we expand upon what we found out in our study of John 15 last time.
Today we will look into Matthew 7 where Jesus explains on how to identify false prophets and as to who may enter into heaven. But why here. Because here we have another fruit bearing example much like John 15 but with direct bearing upon why fruit is born or not born. Now even though the verses in question goes from verse 15-23 we will overlook some of them for the sake of time and hit upon the important ones for our discussion. However I will list all nine of them for the sake of context.
Matthew 7: 15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
The breakdown
We look more closely beginning with verses 17 and 18. So here they are in the KJV
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.
Bringeth; bring forth – G4160 – poieo – to make or do [Strong’s]
Evil – G4190 – poneros – hurtful, i.e. evil (in effect or influence) [Strong’s]
“’poneros’ is used in {this verse} to denote ‘unserviceable’ or ‘useless’ fruit as distinct from the ‘karpos kalos’ of the good tree.” [TDNT]
a: unserviceable – not suitable to be used [Collins Dictionary]
A corrupt; can a corrupt – G4550 – sapros – rotten, i.e. worthless [Strong’s]
Good – G2570 – (which is different from the “good” at the beginning of this verse) – kalos – good i.e. valuable or virtuous
My translation of verse 18 – A good tree cannot bear useless fruit, neither can a rotten tree bear valuable fruit.
Verse 19 (KJV) – Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Is hewn down – G1581 – ekkopto – to exscind; to frustrate [Strong’s]
a: exscind – to cut out or off [dictionary.com]
“Hewing down is a symbol of the complete separation of a man from life” [TDNT]
Cast – G906 – ballo – to throw (in various applications, more or less violent or intense) [Strong’s]
The fire – G4442 – pyr – pur – fire [Strong’s]
A judgement [TDNT]
Now we will move on to verse 22 in the KJV
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Prophesied – G4395 – to foretell events, divine, speak under inspiration, exercise the prophetic office [Strong’s]
Have cast out – G1544 – ekballo – to eject [Strong’s]
Devils – G1140 – daimonion – a demonic being [Strong’s]
Wonderful works – G1411 – dynamis; dunamis – force, specifically miraculous power (usually by implication a miracle itself) {[Strong’s]
The insinuation of this verse when taken in context with verse 21; (Not everyone 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. {KJV}).
Is that these are people are standing before the Great White Throne on that day of judgement that will occur after the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 20:11- 15)
Now as was established in verses 17 and 18 only someone who is good or saved can give prophecy, cast out demons and do true miracles. This supports what we covered in the last podcast of John 15. These people were once saved and given grace through their salvation in and from Jesus Christ as was shown in Galatians 1.
Verse 23 – And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Will I profess – G3670 – homologeo – to assent, i.e. covenant, acknowledge [Strong’s]
In the TDNT it continues into a deeper breakdown – to promise, to admit, to concede, to make a statement, to bear witness. It goes on to say Jesus used this wording as a form of excommunication.
a: excommunication – excluded from the rights of church membership [Merriam-Webster Dictionary]
To be excommunicated you have to be a part of the church in the first place. I must also state here that Jesus’ use of this wording is a type of Jewish legalese used when some type of judgement is taking place.
Iniquity – G458 – anomia – illegality, i.e. violation of law or wickedness [Strong’s]
In the TDNT it is note as:
…. The word “nomos” (G3551) give two shades of meaning to “anomia.” The reference is either a. to a fact, “there is or was no law,” “without a (the) law,” or b. the word means “against the (a) law,” with an implied judgement since it is assumed that there is in fact a binding law.
This supports that this verse is a type of legalistic statement. So Christ is distancing Himself from those He had once welcomed unto the vine. Yet now, since they chose the world over salvation. He is placing as much distant between Himself and them by using such an extreme stance. Due to free will every human being has a choice in how they wish to live their lives. God and His Son our Savior truly and completely desire to have us in the vine of Christ. Yet it is we who decide how we will or will not bear fruit. It is we humans that have the most important part in this relationship with God through His Son our Savior. Yet millions of people willingly choose not to bear fruit.
So the implication is that Jesus is stating here that He will stand as a witness testifying that these people who were once counted as member within the Church of Jesus Christ and have been removed due to their willful breaking of the laws given within the Bible and choosing to live willingly in the world, instead of with God who had bestowed the grace upon them through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross.
Summary
So here I have given further foundation that those that are the lukewarm are those that have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. I have also shown that the evidence of this is that they did or do great works for Jesus Christ. They have done miracles and even cast out demons. All of which cannot be done unless Jesus Christ is with them as was established not only in verse 17 and 18, but also John 15:5-11.
Then somewhere along the lines they turned away from the teachings of the Bible which is our laws we are to follow, and so they are cut off from the Holy Vine that is Jesus Christ since they choose to no longer bear fruit. And as is shown in verse 19, as well as in John 15:6 are willingly cast into the fire.
So everyone should think about where they are with their life with God. Are they praying constantly? Are they obeying the laws of the land that do not go against the Bible? Like for example following the speed limit. Are they studying the Bible, not just reading it but going deep into the word as I have been doing with these broadcasts? This is what we all have been asked to do. God loves everyone and seeks to have all with Him. But due to the free will He has given all of us. He knows many will choose to be their own god. Seek out Jesus and ask for His help. He will help those that only ask and pray for it.
To see a detailed breakdown of this please go to dreamwalker1960.com
I hope this helps those listening to come to understand.
God Bless