Now in the morning as He returned into the city, He hungered.And when He saw a fig tree in the way, He came to it, and found nothing
thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee
henceforward for ever. (Matthew 21:18-19)Jesus cursing the fig tree was not an act of anger because He was hungry and the tree had no
fruit. He was teaching an important truth. The fig tree had a good appearance. It had green
leaves and looked as if it should be fruitful. But it had no fruit.
Some people give the outward appearance of being spiritual, but inwardly they do not have the
spiritual fruit of Christ-likeness. This was the condition of the Pharisees, a religious group at the
time of Christ. Jesus said to them:
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited
sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of
dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. (Matthew 23:27)God is concerned about fruitfulness rather than the appearance of fruitfulness.
Generally speaking, more emphasis has been placed on the gifts rather than the fruit of the Holy
Spirit in modern ministry. But the Bible emphasizes spiritual fruit:
Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them... (Matthew 7:20)The fruit, or spiritual qualities shown by a person, reveals what he is like inside:
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit.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.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.
(Luke 6:43-45)
A man may have personal appeal [charisma] that can be mistaken for spiritual power. He may
even do miracles in the name of the Lord. But Jesus said:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.