Who Are You Really?

Luke 6:43-45 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. (44) For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. (45) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 

Have you ever heard a person make a justification for an action of theirs say something to the effect:  “That really wasn’t me”.  While I understand that sentiment, and may have used it in the past myself due to unusual and overwhelming circumstances, our passage today, spoken by Jesus himself, declares that is an exception and not the rule.  As a RULE, we act, react and behave because that is precisely WHO we are.

To make this point, Jesus asks several thought provoking examples:

1.  A Good Tree CANNOT produce Bad fruit.

2.  A Bad Tree CANNOT produce Good fruit.

The point is that we determine whether a tree is good or bad based upon the fruit that they would produce.  We do not draw those conclusions independent from the fruit.

In verse 45 Jesus makes the application.  A good man does good things because it comes from his heart.  An evil man does evil things because those evil actions are a natural reaction to who he really is.

Who really are you?  Not how you think of yourself.  Not who you claim to be.  Not who you want to be.  But who are you based upon Jesus’ standard?  Who are you based upon your actions, reactions and behaviors?  You cannot “be” one thing and do another!  If your actions are ungodly,,,simply NOT God-like, then you are ungodly.  If your actions are rebellious against God YOU ARE in rebellion.

The good news about the gospel is that it is never too late to change.  If you do not like who you are you can do something about it.  To do that you must change your heart and mind.  That requires changing what influences it.  If you surround yourself with negative influences, you will be a reflection of that.  

To be the kind of person that is pleasing to God, you need to be influenced by him.  We do that by studying and following his word and surrounding ourselves with like-minded folks.

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.