Matthew 3:10
“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
Any farmer who has an orchard plants the trees so they will bear fruit. That is the only way the farmer can make a living. If he planted the trees and they never bore fruit, he would quickly become bankrupt. He needs the trees that he planted to bear fruit in order to make a living.
Jesus used a tree as the illustration to teach us how to discern who to follow or to whom we should listen. There are many trees out there, but the only type of tree you should follow is the tree that bears good fruit. He says that the tree whose fruit is bad is to be“hewn down, and cast into the fire.” In this illustration, there are several principles that will help you to discern if a preacher or church is a good or bad tree. Let me give you some observations concerning these principles that will help you to avoid following the wrong tree.
First, every tree bears some sort of fruit. It doesn't matter if the fruit is edible or not, it always bears some sort of fruit. Likewise, every church or preacher bears some sort of fruit. It is your responsibility to determine if the fruit is good or bad. A Christian who plays ignorance concerning the fruit is only trying to cover their rebellion towards God. If you are saved, you have the Holy Spirit indwelling you, and He will help you to discern the fruit if you will yield and listen to Him.
Second, fruit is a result of the tree. We know what an apple tree is because it bears apples. Likewise, when a pastor, church or Bible college has fruit that always tends to be liberal, you must take away that the tree is a liberal tree. I certainly understand that every place has its bad fruit, but, on the whole, the fruit will help you learn what the tree is like because the fruit is a byproduct of the tree.
Third, fruit should come from the old. The apple isn't a result of an apple, but an apple is a result of the tree. Many Christians get enamored by places where they copy other apples instead of copying the tree. Proven fruit is fruit that comes from the methods of those practiced in the past. Stop justifying the fruit of places where the fruit is not a result of the old.
Fourth, fruit doesn't kill the tree from whence it came. Could you imagine if the fruit killed the tree from whence it came? If that happened, that tree would become extinct. There are too many churches that are trying to kill the influence of those who have already gone to Heaven and have left us the paths that we should walk. If a place is going to criticize those men of God whom God used in the past but praise the modern day preachers whose fruit is not good fruit, you need to stop all associations with that place or preacher.
Fifth, fruit will perpetuate the tree, not the fruit. The fruit of an apple tree is not an apple, but its fruit is another tree. Always watch out for those places that put more emphasis on the present actions instead of the perpetuating process. If you are only concerned with what you have today without looking at where that came from, you will end up forsaking the old.
Friend, there are many places that carry the “Christian” label, but just because they carry that label doesn't make them Christian. Look at their fruit and see if it is a result of the old. Only places that perpetuate the old should be followed.