FIGS FROM THISTLES
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit.
Matthew 12:33
We urge people to join church, go to church, work in the church, tithe, sing in the choir, teach a class, and all too often the Lord is not adding such as are being saved – we are merely adding such as are being enlisted. We have corrupt trees endeavoring to produce good fruit. The church has recruited what God has not regenerated. The springs of their lives have not been reached, the source has not been dealt with. No wonder we coax and beg and entice by means diverse and often doubtful in order to persuade people to do what should be the spontaneous expression of their heart’s love for Christ.
“Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” We do not change the nature of our thorns by tying on the grapes of religious activity. We had better begin to aim at new creatures instead of just nice people. The intake may be smaller and statistics less impressive, but the fruit will be genuine.
You have hit the nail on the head as far as what the problem is. Why do we expect someone who is not born again to bear good fruit? Yes you must have good ground for the seed to produce good fruit. But you can have good ground and sow bad seed which results in thorns and thistles! Is the good news of who God is and what he requires of us to be right with him being shared? Not in my opinion based on my experience when I listen to most preachers today. If all the people that attend church would spend much more time seeking God and the Truth about what Jesus Christ accomplished on the Cross by reading their Bible then we will see the fruit 100 fold! John chapter 8, Jesus said if you continue in my word you will be my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free! Have you continued in his word??