Matthew 7:15-23

I was standing in the kitchen when I heard the announcement on the evening news coming from the television in the next room: “The FDA suspects salmonella in many of the country’s tomatoes.” I listened to the report and promptly went to my fridge, reached to the back of the second shelf and pulled out a small package of tomatoes I had recently purchased. I looked at them. I held them under the light. I took them out of their packaging, ran them under some water and prayed, “Oh God please let these tomatoes be okay, you know how much I love them on my salad!”

In this passage Matthew gives us a report similar to the one I heard on the news that day. Setting aside the age-old argument about whether a tomato is actually a fruit or a vegetable, he informs us that we are called to be fruit inspectors. He warns that there are those who look like sheep but inside they are vicious wolves. They look fine, but, like the tainted tomatoes, once you get beneath the surface you will find that they are truly poisonous. They have the outward signs of belonging to the people of God but they really don’t have a personal relationship with Him through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

“You will know them by their fruits,” verse 16. This is not justification by works but the indispensable evidence of justification by faith. This is not to say that outward works are irrelevant. Titus 2:14 says that our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ “gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, EAGER TO DO WHAT IS GOOD” (emphasis mine). The distinction can be summed up this way:

External obedience, that is, outward works, do not always indicate a right condition of heart, but, a right condition of heart will always produce good works.

The ability to do good works is not a guarantee that you are a Christian. But someone who is savingly known by Jesus will naturally evidence it by a life that reflects the character of Jesus and the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).

Authenticity in the Christian life is a serious matter.

Do you know God?

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).

When you hear or read what God has done for sinners in the cross and resurrection of Jesus, does this appear in your heart as a great and glorious thing? If you can utter an earnest “Yes!” then you have warrant to rest in gospel for your salvation. I love the fact that Jesus says “I never knew you.” He does not say, “I knew you at one time but I no longer know you,” nor “I knew you at one time but you strayed away from me.” but rather, “I NEVER knew you.” Unbelievers never come to see the glory of Christ as compellingly glorious. These people only want fire insurance. But genuine believers want more than rescue from harm. They see Christ as being more beautiful and desirable than all else. This is why the Apostle Paul could say, after many years as a Christian and full-time minister, “…my determined purpose is that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly]…” (Philippians 3:10, Amplified Bible)

He’s coming again soon. Know Him well!