Goodboy
Just waiting for the Rapture at this point!
You will know them by their fruits
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Matthew 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
The statement of "Ye shall know them by their fruits." has no meaning without context. Who is them and what are the fruits? You would get to define “them” and “fruits” yourself without context. Most Christians define “them” as other Christians and “fruit” as fruits of the Spirit.
The word "them" is a pronoun, which means it is preceded at some point by a noun, so that you will know who it is referring to. So the pronoun "them'" in Matthew 7:16 is referring to the noun "false prophets" in Matthew 7:15. Jesus is telling Christians how to recognize false prophets, not who is and is not saved.
We have already discovered who them is which is "false prophets", but what are the "fruits" we will know them by? Christians will come up with many answers, most of which are the fruits of the Spirit. The fruit in this passage is very specific and easy to understand and judge a false prophet by once understood.
To help understand what is meant by fruit in this passage, lets talk about a similar word that is easy to understand. If I said I knew a person whose business was very "fruitful", you would know what I meant. It would mean his business was successful, doing very well and profitable. A tree producing "good fruit" has the same meaning as "fruitful" meaning successful, doing very well and profitable. So "fruit" and "fruitful" have the same basic meaning.
In this case we know we are talking about a so called "prophet", so all we need to know is what makes a prophet successful. For a prophet to be successful, all of his predictions must come to pass. Ahh if you get it, see how easy it is. It is so easy to know if someone is a false prophet, just wait and see if their predictions come to pass.
Everything in the bible does not have to be complicated, but must be understood correctly and in context.
Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Goodboy
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Matthew 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
The statement of "Ye shall know them by their fruits." has no meaning without context. Who is them and what are the fruits? You would get to define “them” and “fruits” yourself without context. Most Christians define “them” as other Christians and “fruit” as fruits of the Spirit.
The word "them" is a pronoun, which means it is preceded at some point by a noun, so that you will know who it is referring to. So the pronoun "them'" in Matthew 7:16 is referring to the noun "false prophets" in Matthew 7:15. Jesus is telling Christians how to recognize false prophets, not who is and is not saved.
We have already discovered who them is which is "false prophets", but what are the "fruits" we will know them by? Christians will come up with many answers, most of which are the fruits of the Spirit. The fruit in this passage is very specific and easy to understand and judge a false prophet by once understood.
To help understand what is meant by fruit in this passage, lets talk about a similar word that is easy to understand. If I said I knew a person whose business was very "fruitful", you would know what I meant. It would mean his business was successful, doing very well and profitable. A tree producing "good fruit" has the same meaning as "fruitful" meaning successful, doing very well and profitable. So "fruit" and "fruitful" have the same basic meaning.
In this case we know we are talking about a so called "prophet", so all we need to know is what makes a prophet successful. For a prophet to be successful, all of his predictions must come to pass. Ahh if you get it, see how easy it is. It is so easy to know if someone is a false prophet, just wait and see if their predictions come to pass.
Everything in the bible does not have to be complicated, but must be understood correctly and in context.
Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Goodboy
