Bad Fruit

Posted by Clint Bergeron on Oct 23rd, 2007

Have you ever met the Christian who believes in abortion? Or the Christian who thinks that homosexual love is moral? Or the Christian who hates someone because of the color of his/her skin? The Church, as we all know, is so full of sinners. Humanity, due to original sin, is imperfect and prone to sin. But is the fact that the we are inclined to be sinful a valid excuse for blatantly breaking God’s law? Doesn’t Christ expect us to struggle, and with His help, to overcome sin?

Certainly I am a sinner. I am ashamed in front of God and I constantly beg for forgiveness for my insolence. But it seems to me that some people wear their sins proudly. Whether they do so for political, social, or personal reasons, some people flaunt the degradation of human life with a proudness that is sickening to those of us who are trying to follow God’s word. These same people attend Mass weekly. While I’m sure they can use every grace they can get from the Mass, I doubt that they are really penitent for the sins they have committed. I only doubt because I don’t see an effort by them to change their words and actions.

Do you really want to follow your own path and hope that God will be merciful to you upon your death? Keep in mind that we believe in a living God, not a god trapped in the pages of Sacred Scripture. If you make an earthly kingdom your primary concern, do you think that God will let you into His Kingdom? What if you found yourself saying, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?” What do you think Christ might say? Not that I would ever put words into the mouth of the Lord, but what if he said, “I was there with you when you ignored me and led many girls to kill their children. No, you never drove them yourself, but you believed that they should do it. You did not pray for any of those children. You thought of my children as a burden. I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.” I know that I took some liberty with the book of Matthew. For that I am sorry. I just want to bring to light the fact that the teachings of Christ are alive and well and not confined to the pages of the Bible. For those of you who follow your own path, read Matthew 7:13-23.

            “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.

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How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.
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“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves.
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By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
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Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
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A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
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Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
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So by their fruits you will know them.
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“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
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Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
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Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ “

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