Jesus’ words, “You will know them by their fruit” is often referenced and the question arises, how is it that some Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses seem to produce spiritual fruit if they are not saved? Because, on the one hand it really seems like some of them truly have their lives in order and appear to live biblical lives.
Jesus says, in Matthew 7:15-20,
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
Jesus’ conclusion here is arguably pointing to production of bad fruit as opposed to good. He begins this idea with the phrase, “Watch out for false prophets” indicating the direction of the conversation. Even though He says that “every good tree bears good fruit,” this is not His focus in the text. Still, His conclusion is often what is applied to cult members who appear to have their lives in order.
Just about every word in Matthew chapter 7 concerns making right judgments (see also John 7:24). In contrast, Jesus also tells us what results in making poor judgments concerning following false prophets, which I have written about here. Jesus reveals how utterly deceiving false prophets can be, which is why we need to stand guard.
On the other hand, Jesus elsewhere discusses appearances versus reality. At times, artists can paint or sculpt depictions of fruit that look delectable. One may want to reach into the painting or grab a sculpted pear or blue-berry pie to take a bite out of it because the delicious details hold uncanny resemblance to real fruit, but in reality, none of these are edible. Sometimes, there are those who appear to produce beautiful, useful, spiritual fruit, but Jesus rhetorically asks us to take a closer look.
In Matthew 23:25-28, Jesus says,
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness (Emphasis added).
There are some who are well known for producing beautiful, spiritual fruits, but on the inside, they are filled with bones of the dead and everything unclean. The motivation for such is addressed by both Paul and Jesus. Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:1-7,
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”
Some use spiritual truths and strive to appear spiritual to others for personal gain. They have an “appearance of godliness,” and it benefits them because it enables them to capture those who are weak. Paul charges his readers to avoid those who have the appearance of godliness, but are not in fact, godly.
Again, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:17, “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.” Paul is comparing himself and those with him to “those who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain” (1 Timothy 6:5). He is saying that the motivations of some are not genuine and trustworthy. Just because something looks good, does not mean that it is. Just because cult members appear to have their lives in spiritual order does not mean that they do.
Jesus also exposes false motives. In Matthew 6:5 Jesus teaches, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. The “hypocrites” want to appear spiritual to others. They have a dark desire for such a reverence and worship, because their master is not God. This is why Jesus so deeply opposed such behavior. It is in opposition to true holiness.
So how do we tell the difference between true spiritual fruit and deceiving spiritual fruit? What does all this mean? It means that there are those who produce fruit that looks good, but it is not, and they do it to appear like a good source, but they are not. Appearances can be quite deceiving, which is why the Word of God calls its readers to look beyond appearances and impressions (“Make a right judgment” –John 6:24). We tell the difference by closer examination of the fruit.
So, does production of fruit mean that some cult members are saved? To those who follow alluring false prophets and pretenders who use deceit as their instrument, Jesus says, “I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” The followers of such false prophets are those who claimed to have done "many mighty works in His name," yet are abandoned by Him.
Written by Nace Howell through the grace of the Lord Jesus.
© Nace Howell, 2025
Comments
Post a Comment