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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Take your Bible. Take your Bible and turn to the book of Jude, the book of Jude. Or you might want to call it Jud, but Jude. Chapter 4. So as you find chapter 4, let me know. You got it? Tom, you’re just too smart for me. I can’t get anything past you. The book of Jude looked there in verse 3. Jude and verse 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly, earnestly, contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Someone wants to add to it we contend. It means that we stand up for the truth. says, I am set for the defense of the gospel because there’s always someone who wants to change the message and behind it is the devil himself. He has false teachers and they got a false message and they come up with the wrong conclusions. And verse 4, for there are certain men crimping unawares, when I first read the years ago I was cripping in underwear and I looked at that thing and said what I had I didn’t know how to read the Bible I didn’t know you know Leviticus and Malachi and you know all the Old Testament book a job I thought these are crazy names and so you know it took a while took a while still let’s take it a while I’m to learn some of them and so he says here in verse 4 for there are

certain men, Crep, and unwares who were before of old or dain to this condemnation. Ungodly men turning the grace of our God into let’siviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. And you’d be surprised. Some of these ungodly men are people who claim to know the Lord and love the Lord and all that and they change the message. And we are supposed to contend with these things. Now I want to show you some things and I have mentioned this before but I want to go slower.

I want to be a little bit more deliberate. I want to make sure that you really see the scripture and you follow what I’m saying without too much stuff. You know, not so much fluff, just good content. So the title of this is, You Shall Know Them By Their Fruits. You will find a lot of people will say, you shall know them by their fruit and what they mean is they have been called by God to be fruit inspectors.

They walk around with a great big old magnifying glass and they are beholding all of those who claim to be a Christian to see whether or not do you have the qualified fruit. And so they want to know if you’re really safe because if you’re really safe, you’re not going to go out here and do these bad things automatically you’re going to do all these good things. So there’s those that are fruit inspectors. And so there is a verse in the Bible that says you shall know them by their fruits.

And it says that in Matthew chapter seven. And so if you look there at this verse. It says, enter ye in at the straight gate. For wide is the gate, broad is the way that lead up to destruction, and many there be which go in there at. Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life. Few there be that find it. So there’s several things that I want you to see about this verse. Here’s a couple things that you will find in those verses that we have.

we just read. There’s two gates, two ways, two groups of people, two results. So when it has two gates, a straight gate and a wide gate, there are two ways broad and narrow. So you can see the comparison in just these two verses. Two groups of people, there’s many, and there’s few, two results, destruction, life. So we know that the choices are there, and it tells us to contend for the truth of the gospel. And if we don’t do it, the lost can’t find God.

We find them through the gospel message. Therefore, we’re not to be the cause of their blindness or there’s remaining without truth and without light, we’re supposed to help persuade people. So I want to show you a few things about these scriptures. There are two directions. Not everyone that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Now in this verse, enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Down in the other verse is talked about depart from me. So enter depart. That’s two directions. Some people are going to make it into heaven and some people are not going to make it into heaven. And there’s a reason why. If you’ll notice in the very middle there, enter the few that find the way. I believe according to what I see in the scriptures that there will be more people in hell than there will be in heaven. Broad is the way many narrows the way few and then He makes the statement, many shall say to me in that day, so this many must be those that are on that broad way.

They’re the ones who think they’re going to make it. So look at the next verse right in the in the middle of your page here. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works. These people were expecting to go to heaven. They were expecting to get in to the kingdom. Whatever it was, they were expecting. And they referred to the reason why.

A lot of times we ask people, do you know where you’re going when you die? Yes, I’m going to heaven. How do you know? So where are you going? We’re going into the kingdom. How do you know? We’ve cast out devils. We’ve done winning wonderful works. We’ve done this and that and the other. We’ve done all these wonderful things. So they were trusting in what they did. And the Lord says, that’s not going to cut it. And so He says, and then will I profess unto them?

I knew you once and then you lost your salvation and now I don’t know you anymore. That’s not what he said. He said, I never knew you. So there are people, many people, on the broad way, going in the wrong direction. They think they’re going on the right way and they’re going the wrong way. Don’t you think it’s going to be devastating upon a lot of people when they leave this world and wake up in the pit of hell.

And they thought all the time they were on their way to heaven. And they were trusting in their works to get them there. So he says, then will I profess unto them, I never know you, depart from me. That’s going to be the most shocking event to take place in some people’s lives. To find out at that moment it was all in vain. You were trusting in the wrong thing. You were going in the wrong direction. You was on the wrong road, wrong gate.

I’m sorry, depart from me, you that work iniquity. And look what he calls iniquity. They were casting out devils. They were prophesying in his name. They did many wonderful works. And he says, that’s work of iniquity. What they were doing. It’s the same thing as you find in Isaiah 64, 6 where it talks about all of our righteousness is as what? Healthy rags. So the Bible stays true all the way through. It doesn’t change. And so it’s a devastating thing when he says, the many that do not find the way.

prophets teach false messages which produce corrupt fruit. Let me read to you again because it’s so important. This message tonight is a message that I wish every preacher would really sit down and think about because their messages are not clear and they don’t take it seriously as though it’s really that important and it’s either muddy or totally false and it’s a shame. God did not give to any person the right, the authority, to mess with His message. False prophets teach false messages and false messages produce corrupt fruit and these people that were many are those that believe the false message of the false prophets.

So in 715 he says, beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves and they’re going to tear you apart. They don’t do this in order to really get you into heaven, just like the Pharisees. He says, you shut up the kingdom of God against individuals so that they can’t go. Their message is false. Jesus told them that, woe unto you scribes and Pharisees. In Matthew chapter 7 and verse 16, he says, ye shall know them by their fruit.

When he says, ye shall know them in context, who is he talking to? He’s talking to the false prophets about the false prophets. How you can tell a false prophet is by the false prophets message. And you shall know them by their fruit. The people that believe their false message are the fruit of the false message. So that when they get to that place where they stand before God and says, have we not? Lord, Lord, have we not. And he says, I don’t know who you are.

But they believed because they trusted a false message. So can people trust a false message? Yes. Are there false teachers in the world? Yes, they are. And how do you know if they’re false when they add one work to the gospel of grace? It’s a false message. Grace is the gospel. Now, look at the next statement. Do men gather grapes of thorns? Have you ever heard of such? There’s no such thing. Figs of thistle? There is no such thing.

But you see, that’s what they’re teaching. They’re telling something that’s totally false, trying to create something that’s in their minds real and they believe it. But the only thing is they thought they were getting some grapes and they got thorns. They thought they were going get figs and they got this on. You didn’t get what you thought you were going to get. And they are like clouds without water. There is nothing there. It’s all empty. It’s a waste of time.

In the same portion of scripture, there are two trees. Matthew 7, 17 says, even so, now get this, because this is something that most people, they do not get what he’s It’s clear that they don’t get it. Even so every good tree, bring the fourth good fruit. But a corrupt tree, bring the fourth evil fruit. So you’ve got two trees. And according to this, two kinds of fruit. You’ve got good fruit and you’ve got bad fruit. So in Matthew 7, 18, it says a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit.

Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Note the impossibility. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. There can be no bad fruit on a good tree. And there cannot be any good fruit on a corrupt tree. impossible. So what’s she talking about? Now if you have ever listened when I did a sermon on then came Amalek or the two natures, you’re talking about the two mercs. You’re talking about the two natures. That’s all this is. It’s an illustration of the two nature.

We use two arms. Jesus simply used two trees. And so He says, the first tree, when you’re born into the world, is a corrupt tree because this tree came from a corrupt seed. And that’s why He says there’s none righteous, no not one. There is none righteous, not one. one, this bad tree can’t bring forth good fruit. So when Jesus came, He said He was looking for some righteous fruit on the tree, and He couldn’t find any righteous fruit on the tree.

So in the book of Matthew, He says He’s going to take the axe and lay it to the root of the tree and cut down every tree that brings forth not good fruit. So God is looking for some good fruit. But good fruit comes from a good root. So we have a root problem. So a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. Now whenever we talk about the new nature, you trust Christ’s Savior, He gives you a new birth.

That’s this one over here. It’s not this one, redone, remade, converted. This is something brand new. The new birth is born of God. And he says that he is born of an incorruptible seed so that this new birth cannot bring forth one single act of sin. That’s why when you read 1 John in chapter 3 verse 9 that whosoever is born of God. Well, which one of these is born of God? Well, this one over here. It cannot commit sin because his seed remaining in him and he cannot sin because he’s born of God.

This one is born of God. It has no corrupt seed. It did not come from a bad root. It came from the good seed which is the word of God and therefore, this one can only bring forth good fruit. This one can only bring forth bad fruit. This one can’t bring forth good fruit. This one can’t bring forth back from it. The two natures is taught there in the book of Matthew in chapter 7 as he explains the gospel, the truth.

So there were people who were trying to teach people if you live a certain way and do certain things you’ll produce the good fruit and your good fruit will get you into heaven because you know Jesus is a fruit inspector and he’s looking for the fruit and you just live the best you can.” And God’s already says, not by works of righteousness which we have done. No man can save himself by his works. He cannot deliver him. So there is an impossibility of the flesh producing good fruit or the new birth producing bad fruit.

It can’t happen. Matthew 7, 19 says, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewed down and cast into the fire. So this is what God says is going to be the result of every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit. What does that mean? Every person born into the world that cannot live this perfectly righteous life can have any bad fruit, not even one bad fruit, is to be considered a bad tree and cut down. So the Bible just sums it all up and says, all have what?

All have sinned. All have come short of God’s perfection. Nobody has brought forth this good fruit that God wants. Nobody’s perfect. So you have to be perfect to live a perfect life. You don’t get to try to gain perfection in order to say, I’m perfect. No, you have to be perfect all your life, not one sin, kind of against you. So every tree, that means every person born into the world that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down.

So in Matthew chapter 3 verse 10 that I mentioned to you just a bit earlier, says, and now also the acts is laid to the root of the trees. Now who are these trees? Trees are the people. Christ came to the world and he’s looking for the fruit on these trees and the conclusion is there is no fruit on the trees at every one that has had the first birth, the flesh birth. All the flesh births are are going to be cut down.

Everybody dies. Jesus came, he would be cut off, but not for himself. We are cut off out of the land of the living. We’re not going to stay here because we’ve all sinned. Therefore he says every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewed down and cast into the fire. That’s the bad tree. Now Matthew 7, 20 makes this statement, wherefore by their fruit ye shall know them. How do you know who gets to go to heaven and who doesn’t?

Well, you’ve got to have the right kind of fruit. And if you don’t have the right kind of fruit, you can’t get in. So no man can get in because he doesn’t have the right fruit. Everybody born into the world is born with a sinful nature and we all sin. And because we all sin, we all are going to die. So nobody can produce the righteous fruit that we want, so nobody deserves to go to heaven. So for these people to stand and say, Lord, have we not?

Have we not? Wonderful works. He says, depart from me. I do not know you. It’s nothing but the flesh manifesting itself. And there’s preachers that are telling people that they can be righteous. If they live good enough, they’ll make it someday. It is total heresy. It is impossible. So Matthew chapter 12 and verse 33 says, either make the tree good and is fruit good, or, and remember now, it must be one way or the other. It can’t be both ways.

You can’t bring forth good and bad fruit, not on the tree. The tree can only bring forth good or bad. It’s impossible in the other way. So either make the tree good and it’s fruit good, or else make the tree correct. and his fruit corrupt, for the tree is known by his fruit. So I got a nice little statement I wrote on here. The root determines the fruit. Ain’t that true? The root determines the fruit, but the fruit reveals the root.

I hope you all understand the wisdom that’s in that verse. That little statement right there. The root determines the fruit, but the fruit reveals the root. When you see the sins that people commit, you know, hey, that’s a sinner. So you shall know them the sinner by the fruit that comes from the sinner. That’s how you know he’s a sinner. Now the root problem is a heart problem, and the heart is a reference to the sinful nature of man.

So the root problem is a heart problem and that is a sin nature problem. So, got a little statement here. There is no cure for a bad heart. We cannot change it or improve it. Now this is where you find there’s a lot of so-called Calvinist and many others. They simply look at salvation as somebody who is determining to live a certain way and it’s the flesh. They don’t separate the two. Here you are and we’re going to convert you and you have to make Christ the Lord and the Master of your life and if you live a certain way you’re going to make it someday.

So they look at their works, they’re looking for the fruit on their tree as though this is what’s going to determine whether I’m saved or not. but that’s the flesh and that’s all they have to work with. And so I do not have any respect for Calvinism. I despise the teaching. Now look at the next statement, man must receive a new heart by a new birth. You need not to change this one, you need another one, a new birth.

The new birth gives you a new heart or a new nature, divine nature that comes from God. So this new root can only produce good fruit. So this one here is born of God. It cannot sin. If it cannot sin, it cannot die. Therefore if it cannot die, it will live forever. So this new birth is when I trusted Christ as my Savior. I still have this one. So there’s times in my life where yes, I will walk after the flesh and I’ll produce the fruit of the works of the flesh.

And there’s times when I will yield to this one. This one cannot sin. This one still cannot do anything good. You have two nature as a result of these two births. So when some people look at somebody that they’re just trying to get them to clean up and straighten up their lives, they’re just trying to… all they got to work with is the flash. They don’t give them a new birth. They’re just talking about, we’re going to change this one.

And they think their salvation depends upon how well this one develops in that close relationship with God. Well, man must receive a new heart by a new birth. This new root can only produce good fruit, the new one, not the old one. Matthew 12 verse 34 says, oh, generation of vipers. How can ye be in evokes be good things for out of the abundance of the heart the root the mouth speaker So he’s gonna let you know. What is the root problem?

Matthew 12 35 a good man out of the good treasures of the heart the root Bring the fourth good things for an evil man out of the evil treasures bring this forth evil things So it’s one way or the other. It’s not a mixture of it all in put together. My flesh birth has nothing to do with my new spiritual birth. They have nothing to do with each other. This was faith and this is flesh. They are separate. That which is born of the flesh is flesh.

That which is born of the spirit, spirit, separate. So the root problem, how do we solve all of these things? Remember he’s talking about the word, the word, the word. Words are fruit that convicts you before God that you are a bad tree. Not only the things that you do and the thoughts that you have, but the very words that you say are going to be evidence used against a person. So he says in Matthew 12, 36 he says, says, but I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give a count thereof in the day of judgment.

Why? Because you see, God’s going to use what a man says, thinks and does and motive. All that is evidence that you are a tree, a bad tree. That’s why you brought forth bad fruit. So God keeps the books. And every lost man that stands at the great white throne judgment is going to find out the truth of what kind of tree he was. He was a bad tree. Regardless of all the good things that he so-called did, he’s a bad tree.

Matthew 12, 37 says, for by thy words thou shalt be justified by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Remember, one bad word means you came from a bad tree. How you doing? Any bad trees in here? If you have a flesh birth, your flesh birth is a bad tree. And that bad tree brings forth bad fruit. Aren’t you glad that when you got cut down the old tree through it away and you don’t have no problem with it anymore?

No, no, that’s not true. Don’t miss out on all the fun. Join Pastor Jesse and Kyla Martinez on Thursday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. for Tampa Youth Ranch and Calvary Community Church. Tampa Youth Ranch is a great mix of live music, games, Bible study, food and fun where teens 13-18 get to know God and the Bible with their friends. Check it out online at TampaYouthRanch.org and see the cool pictures from past activities and all the fun you’ve been missing.

No right, no problem. Call 813-334-4655 today for information on getting a ride to Tampa Youth Ranch. Thanks for joining us on Bible Eye. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. And now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. And we will be changed. Taught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day.

Believing that the Lord is coming soon, just keep looking up.