Make the tree good...

In Matthew 12:33-37 Jesus continues upbraiding the Pharisees. Their mouths had revealed the intent of their hearts as being venomous. This venom would be injected into unsuspecting prey through ungodly  blasphemous words. Jesus says that we will be judged by our words. In verse 36 we discover that even an idle word can provoke judgment.

Idle here is Argos (G692) which means lazy or useless. The wicked and injurious accusations of the Pharisees would invoke divine judgment but Jesus takes the argument a step further. "I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

If we call ourselves Christians, then judge by the fruit if it is true. We've learned that our words reflect the state of our heart. Do our words build up? Do they give grace to those who here them? (Eph. 4:29) Is our speech seasoned with salt so that we may know how to answer a person? (Col. 4:6) Do we guard our mouths and preserve our lives? Or do we open wide our lips and come to ruin? (Proverbs 13:3)

We have a choice. Make the tree good and it's fruit good or make the tree bad and its fruit bad. (Mat. 12:33) Making bad fruit is easy. We've all done it. Making good fruit is more difficult. For this we must surrender our heart and our will to the Lord Jesus. Without repentance, good fruit is impossible.  Good fruit will reflect a repentant heart. "Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For i tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham." (Luke 3:8)