We all know what happened when our forebears went out on their own and listened to the lie. They ate of the fruit of the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil". Things went downhill from there. As a result of pride and desiring to know what God knows, all mankind, excepting psychopaths, live in fear! We know that we deserve death and that we all face it. We know that our spirits will die a spiritual death unless we're in total denial. However, help is on the way!
Revelation 2:7 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."
Revelation 22:13 "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
There is much speculation on what is the "Tree of Life". Some believe it's a tree having curing properties thus allowing mankind to have eternal life, others believe it's the Cross on which Jesus was crucified and others believe that Jesus is "The Tree of Life". There are reasons for all three ideas, but I believe that Jesus is THE TREE OF LIFE! He was right there in the Garden of Eden, and Adam and Eve could have eaten of that tree, just as we partake of the Eucharist to this day. The blood and body of Jesus represents the fruit of the tree; the Cross!
Yes, the blood and body of Jesus were the fruit of the tree; that Cross on which he sacrificed himself for us! We're to be as Jesus. We're told that many places. We're to partake of the elements in remembrance of him. The wine represents the blood of Jesus and the bread, the body of our Lord. Those who are worthy (disciples of Christ) eat of the fruit:
1 Corinthians 11:27 "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."
Believers only eat of the fruit of that tree, Jesus! You never hear of Adam and Eve eating of the "Tree of Life". It's possible they never did. However, by grace I believe that Jesus convinced them! I sinned and I'm convinced and they were no different than me.
As Christians we are symbolic of trees as well! We're to bear fruit. We're to go forth and multiply, telling others about Jesus so that they too can eat of the "Tree of Life". However, before we speak for Jesus we're to bear fruit:
2 Peter 1:5 "And beside this (giving up corruption and taking on a divine nature), giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That's quite a list of fruit we're to bear and some call that works! These are not works, they're fruits of the spirit giving evidence that we love the giver of those fruits: Jesus!
Diligence is working hard. It's doing works! Being as Jesus takes two of us. Jesus provides the incentive. We provide the integrity in honoring him. The fruits of the spirit are works!
Virtue is the inner disposition to do what's right with Jesus. It's the desire to please God who died for us.
Knowledge is having truth. Truth is what God says. Therefore, knowledge is believing God's word.
Temperance is moderation on what is thought, felt and done. The exception to temperance is zealous. In fleshly aspects we're to have temperance. For God we're to have zeal!
Patience is putting our own desires aside and doing what God wills using God's schedule.
Godliness is living as Christ would have us. We're to love God and other people. Godly people obey God's commands.
Kindness is how we treat others. We're to do unto others as we would have them do unto us! (Unless some have a streak of masochism of course).
Charity is love in action; providing to those in need by self-sacrifice. Charity is you doing because you love, not because it's dictated.
My observation: Christians don't bear much fruit. Jesus is gracious enough that he made us a tree to bear, but bear we don't!
Christians feud not only with those of the world, but with their Christian brothers as well. There is no unity within the living church because the trees are dying:
Jesus did this:
Matthew 21:19 "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
By grace we're living "fig trees". We're to bear fruit, but if we don't water and fertilizer our tree through the word, our fruit, just as the fig tree, will quit bearing and wither away. We're to use God's word and practice God's precepts to keep a lively tree!
Church's have dead trees or withering trees. People just don't demonstrate that they have any fruit. Patience, godliness, love and so forth are lacking! It's our way or the garbage dump. "Our way" is spoiled fruit and one bad apple spoils the barrel. Many churches are contaminated with rotten fruit. A Christian's efforts should be on bearing pleasing fruit; pleasing to God.
Right now make a decision. The rotten apples of dissent: arguing, pride, gossip, back-biting, apathy and hateful behavior needs to be thrown out. There's a place it can be thrown: on the altar! Quit gathering figs with thorns! Resolve to change this day!
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