“Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 3:10)
Beloved, Of all the problems that exist within the church today, none pose a greater threat to the health of the corporate body of believers than the misunderstanding of what salvation entails. Now, before I go any further let me say very clearly that the responsibility for this misunderstanding is to be laid at the feet of pastors. God has charged His ordained pastor to teach, in clearest terms possible, the full counsel of God’s word including the passages that are not popular. It seems that many pastors have forgotten that when confronted by the truth of God’s word we must change our attitudes and behavior to align with what God’s word instructs. We are not to lead the churches we serve into ignoring or “dancing around” the issue because some (or most) will find such teachings distasteful. We are not to value personal opinions (as evidenced by attendance figures) above the clear and compelling admonitions of God’s word. This is in fact the issue at hand in our world today and it is nothing new. John the Baptist warned that every believer is to continue bearing fruit in keeping with repentance (Luke 3: 8). He spoke these words to a group of people who were doing what many are still doing today; claiming a profession that is not backed up by any tangible evidence. In short, John calls every believer to “put his money where his mouth is” and “don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk.” If we are going to claim the name of Jesus Christ as our Savior, then we are required to produce evidence of this claim in how we live every day. In other words, the proof is in the pudding. Jesus warns that if this simple reality is not true in the life of the individual, then not only will God’s blessings not come to him but that person is in danger of hell itself! I don’t say this to be crude or insensitive; I say it because that is what God’s word says and I love you too much to see you fall headlong into eternal death without warning. Every person (tree) who does not bear good fruit (that is the tangible evidence of continued, ongoing, every day repentance) will be cut down and thrown into the fire (condemned to hell). I said this misunderstanding is the greatest threat to the church’s health. This is simply so because until we have experienced the real changing power of God in our own lives we cannot share that experience with anyone else. Absolutely every other ministry the church undertakes is predicated on this simple truth; you can’t tell someone else something you don’t know. Before we can call those around us to repent, we have to be repenters ourselves.
Word for the weak
Evil, ποιέομαι [poieomai]: vb.; (4160); do, make, perform, act, carry out, cause to be, work, toil; make, create or fashion, behave toward someone in a particular way; assign to a task, be of opinion.
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