Are you drinking dirty water?

Would you ever dip a glass in rotting meat and then fill the class with water from a water purifier and drink it.  It would seem silly, wouldn’t it? It would seem sillier to say that the water is pure so it should be safe. But this is exactly what many Christians do with God’s word.

Many people stand up and use God’s word to teach or make a point. They use it to justify one thing or another. Some even use it as a reason to justify some things which the bible clearly states is wrong.  But like the water example, how many people look at the vessel using the pure word of God. The bible states in Mathew 23:25“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

What the bible is saying here is that if the person is unclean on the inside then even though they may be using something good like God’s word, it is tainted by the wickedness within. No Godly truth can come from such a person. Anything they say should be disregarded.  So what should we be looking for? The bible talks about a person and their fruit. The bible states in Mathew 7 23 Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. Again in Galatians 5 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

We need to look at the fruit of the person speaking. We need to see that they walk in love, humility, and self-control, leading people to God rather than themselves. Seeking to serve and glorify God and His righteousness rather than promoting themselves, a denomination or a fad.

If we listen to people who do not show good fruit, we will become sick and deceived. If we listen to people who  bear good fruit, we will be well nourished and will grow in Christ.

God Bless