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“Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”
— Matthew 7:17
That is the great, unchanging principle that runs through all the lyrics you have given. It is repeated, emphasized, and reinforced by the words of Jesus Himself in multiple passages. God is revealing to us a spiritual law, just as real and just as unchanging as the law of gravity:
Jesus does not begin with fruit. He begins with the tree. Many Christians try to improve their fruit without ever submitting to God’s work on the tree. But Scripture is clear: a bad tree cannot be made to produce good fruit simply by polishing the fruit. The tree itself must be addressed.
Christ is not merely giving moral advice. He is unveiling the difference between:
“By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:20). This is both a warning and a deliverance: a warning against deception, and a deliverance from confusion. God has given us an objective test: the fruit.
Let us now see how this principle unfolds in Scripture.
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The primary reference, Matthew 7:17, is part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Jesus is nearing the end of this foundational teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven.
### Who is speaking?
The One speaking is Jesus, the Messiah, the incarnate Word of God. He is not offering suggestions. He is declaring the laws of His Kingdom. His words are not only instruction but judgment. In this sermon, He reveals who truly belongs to Him and who does not.
### To whom is He speaking?
He is speaking to His disciples and to the crowds gathered around Him (Matthew 5:1). They are religious people, steeped in the Law of Moses, familiar with prophets, teachers, and religious leaders. They are not pagans. They are “church-going” people of their day.
### What is the situation?
In Matthew 7:15–20, Jesus is warning about false prophets:
> “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
> — Matthew 7:15
False prophets do not present themselves as wolves. They appear like sheep. They sound religious. They may use the right language. They may even appear gifted. The danger is that their outward appearance contradicts their inward nature.
Jesus gives the antidote: “You will know them by their fruits” (v. 16).
He then develops this with an analogy everyone in that culture would understand:
> “Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?” (v. 16)
The answer is obvious. The type of plant dictates the type of fruit. Then He extends that into His central principle:
> “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
> A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
> Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
> Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
> — Matthew 7:
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