Tests for True Righteousness - 2 (Matthew 7 - P17)

Jesus said in Matthew 5: 20 "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."

OK ... so if the Pharisees' righteousness was not good enough, not sufficient, then how can I know if my righteousness is pleasing in the eyes of God?  Jesus does not leave us in the dark about it ... we don't have to guess.  He gives us three tests of true righteousness in Matthew 7.

• the first test was explained in Matthew 7:13 - 14 which was discussed in Post 16 of this study.  It is exercised as the believer walks on the narrow path ... and that path is Jesus himself.
• the second test we find in Matthew 7: 15 - 23.  Pause for a moment and read those verses and then return here .............

The second test?  Check your fruit.  You will know by your fruit - by what is produced in your life.  Jesus used an obvious illustration from nature.  We expect a pear tree to produce pears - fruit that is good for eating.  You can call a pear tree an apple tree ... you can be convinced that a pear tree is really an apple tree ... you can proclaim and argue that a pear tree is an apple tree and try to convince everyone around you ... but then the fruit comes.  

In a similar way, our lives bear fruit.  I think there are two different ways scripture uses the language of "fruit - bearing" in the life of the believer.  

1. There is the sense of off-spring.  These questions come to mind:  Am I contributing to the birth of any new believers?  As my life intersects with others, do I speak about Jesus?  Do I honor God with my lips?  Do I play my part, no matter how small, in the birth and life of others?  Does my life bear fruit?
2. There is the sense of recognizing the things that come out of my life - the things that are produced.  What is the natural produce that comes from a tree of true righteousness?  Paul describes is beautifully in Galatians 5: 22 - 25:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

So these questions come to mind:  Am I seeing a growing sense of joy and peace in my life?  Do I want to practice kindness toward others?  Am I training my heart to value what God says is good?  Am I faithful - to God, to my spouse and family, to my church family, to friends, to employers, etc?  Am I growing in my own gentleness and humility?  What about self-control?  If I struggle with addictions, am I willing to do the hard work to address them?  Do I control my tongue?  Is my life more marked by love today than it was a year ago?  

These are all signs of fruit-bearing in the life of the believer.  Before you begin to beat yourself up, please understand that I believe this to be a growth process.  A fully formed pear, perfectly ripe and ready to eat does not pop out as soon as the pear flower fades .. it takes time.  And so do we!  But, my friends, when the first tiny evidence of a pear pops out on the tree ... we can KNOW that the fully formed pear is coming!  We can rejoice in the anticipation ... but we will not be satisfied until the pear is mature.    

Remember ... "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)  

Look for fruit ... the life marked by true righteousness will be producing fruit ...