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The evidence of whether or not a tree is worthy of cutting down or maintaining, is in it’s fruit. Jesus said, that a tree is known by it’s fruit. e then made it very plain that He was not speaking of the natural tree and it’s fruit but quickly placed a spiritual connotation in evidence. He compared good with evil. Ordinarily, good would be compared with bad, but He used a term which emphasizes that which is spiritual. Evil, wickedness, harmful, malicious, derelict all of which may be found as being part of the nature of the unsaved. He also spoke of a corrupt tree and it’s total inability to produce good fruit. Therefore the evil, corrupt tree is cut down and thrown into the fire for complete destruction. Mt. 7:16-20 Jesus did not present a middle ground but definitely presented only two ways, that of good, righteousness and purity or evil, wickedness or sinful. The new man is to be a person of good fruit and manifest to the world, the life of Christ Jesus.
The standard of good fruit is extremely high. As a matter of fact, with the Lord it is perfect fruit, no imperfections. To the natural man that is a goal which is unreachable but to the Christian it is the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. How do we get there? Let’s look at what Paul had to say about it. With a strong words and exhortation he called for a true, total dedication of the new man unto the Lord. A living sacrifice of good, holy fruit. He does not present this as an extra ordinary consecration unto the Lord but that which is a reasonable service. An act which is common place and not the exception. Rom. 12:1
Here then is the key to the whole secret (?) of living the Christian life.
First, be determined not to be conformed to the pattern of life common to this world. That is, the bad fruit. Who, in their right mind would deliberately desire to be bad fruit? Rom. 12:2 Where there is a willing heart, the Word and the Spirit will assist in accomplishing this. There must be a willingness on the part of the individual to be changed. The alteration will take place in the form of a transformation (metamorphoo) wrought by the Spirit of the Lord. What greater example do we have in nature as to the meaning and process of metamorphoses than that of a worm or a grub being cocooned for a period of time and then to come forth as a beautiful butterfly. The surrender of our self life will cause the life of the Lord Jesus to be revealed in us. All things are possible. Mt. 19:26.