The Fruits

The simplest, most reliable, and most easily understood teaching on earth is this: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit . . . .” etc. Matt. 7:15-29. It is impossible to disagree with this doctrine!

For more than thirty years now, I have had abundant opportunity to observe and enjoy the fruits of this light over Christ manifested in the flesh, and the fruits of the lives of those who believe this light and this knowledge, who believe those scriptures that speak about it.

And I must truly testify to the fact that this preaching has borne abundant and good fruits both in and through these men and women who are devoted to God. By God’s grace it has become a precious “grape” and “fig” harvest. Therefore their preaching must be good. They themselves must necessarily be sound trees; they must be “vines” and “fig trees.” To contradict this would be audacious.

So what are these fruits that I and others, both friends and enemies, have observed? The salvation of many souls—individually, small revivals, big revivals, revival for sinners, and revival for believers, revival among adults, and revival among children. The outpouring of the Spirit all around the country, healings, the putting right of matters that were not in order, a victorious life!

What more? Brothers setting out to preach the Word without salary, without a missionary organization to support them, without taking up collections to support themselves or the work, living and overcoming by faith in God. Yes, they have given souls the Gospel and material help besides.

What more? Converted people have come from almost every kind of denomination to get food for their starving souls. Their testimony has been: “I had to have nourishment for my hungry soul; I couldn’t stand it any longer; I knew there had to be something more; I said it to our leaders, but they couldn’t help me.” We’ve heard such testimonies “from all quarters.” They have considered themselves unspeakably blessed because, by God’s grace and goodness, and through His wonderful guidance, it has been granted them to hear something so good and effective. This testimony is sealed in heaven and on earth. A cloud of witnesses can step forward today and give such a testimony. This is what we have heard with our ears in many languages for many years now.

What more? As we might reasonably expect, there is a deeply blessed and precious fellowship among all those who believe with all their hearts and live according to this teaching; and this is without the assistance of any work of man, but is through the grace and work of God alone, and by the work of the Holy Spirit! Glory to God!

What more? The putting off of all sin in every shape and form! The fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance, righteousness, impartiality, truthfulness, the greatest being the least in practice, mercy, patience, wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, sacrifice and generosity, zeal, firmness, suffering wrong with joy, humility and submission, the putting off of vanity and covetousness, godliness with contentment, and much more. And all this in ever-increasing measure!

What do you think, dear reader? What kind of tree is it? If you are the least bit sincere, you will have to admit (even if you were formerly paid to say the opposite): “It really must be a good tree.” And, of course, your judgment would be correct! Otherwise, what are we going to do with Jesus’ own words in Matthew 7?

For my part I will say: Oh, that every person on earth would come to enjoy such fruit! They are welcome to it, every one of them!