Matthew 21:18-22

In the morning, as he (Jesus) was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?" And Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."

The more I study this passage of Scripture, the more convicted I become. It is a reflection of the heart's condition under the scrutiny of God's Word, one that emulates the apostle Paul's admonition: "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus performed a bone-chilling miracle that should immediately invoke a reality check in the heart and soul of every individual who publicly professes him/herself as a Christian, "for our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29) and rightly to be feared.

Charles Spurgeon once wrote, "I do not know that I ever felt more solemnly the need of true fruitfulness before God than when I was looking over this miracle-parable...The curse, you at once perceive, falls in its metaphorical and spiritual meaning upon those high professors who are destitute of true holiness; upon those who manifest great show of leaves, but who bring forth no fruit unto God. Only one thunderbolt, and that for boasting pretenders; only one curse, and that for hypocrites. O blessed Spirit, write this heart-searching truth upon our hearts!" With the additional exception of permission granted to the devils to enter two thousand pigs causing them to drown (Matthew 8:28-34), no where else in Scripture do we encounter Jesus exacting judgment on His creation, specifically sparing human beings His wrath. For "He who came to save His people from their sin and its consequences resorted to prophetic actions not directed against His people, in order to warn them of the binding power of the devil and of God's enmity against all hypocritical piety" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary). The clear takeaway is a new found understanding of Christ's compassion on humans that He would offer a glimpse of eternal judgment through pronounced wrath upon an innocent created thing (a fig tree) rather than a sinful, unrighteous human being such as me.

The context of this situation is quite compelling as we learn from Mark's Gospel account that "it was not the season for figs" (Mark 11:13). Now the fig tree was highly regarded within Palestine due to its thick foliage and ample shade it provided during the heat of summer. Therefore seeing a fig tree in full foliage bloom from a distance made it stand out on the horizon because the spring season was upon them and fig trees were far from their time of harvest. Most notably though, "In the spring it produced small immature figs called 'taksh,' which were edible but not highly esteemed. The real harvest of the fig tree came in August. When the fig tree, which had shed its leaves during winter, began to have leaves, one could expect some small green figs. They were the guarantee of a later harvest. The tree that Jesus approached was without taksh" (New International Commentary). Like a mirage in the distance, Jesus demonstrated to His disciples a simplistic lesson that fruit is evidence of a blossom, both practically and spiritually. The fig tree bore the appearance of abundance but in actuality did not even have the most simple and miniscule evidence of fruit on it. How prophetic when compared to our own spiritual health!

Jesus taught a piercing lesson on hypocrisy and authenticity that echoes that of the prophet Ezekiel: "And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it" (Ezekiel 17:24). Or stated more plainly, "Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12). Those who present themselves publicly as Christians must bear the fruit of God's Word in their lives, otherwise they are a greater detriment to the cause of Christ due to their unrighteous behavior. Perhaps that is why Simon Peter declared, "For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them" (2 Peter 2:21). In fairness to context, Simon Peter was addressing false teachers in this passage, but in essence, aren't we all false teachers when we admonish righteous living to those around us while failing to measure up ourselves? Indeed we have an obligation to practice what we preach, but in not doing so we stifle the message of salvation as simply lost in translation by our lack of Biblical application.

Sadly, I believe Christians are their greatest adversary in fulfilling the Great Commission. Not in that we all are sinners and will continue to sin throughout our lives despite our best efforts to live to the contrary, but rather that we (the publicly declared Christians) typically either justify or blame shift our sinful behavior as not within our control, therefore minimizing the consequences of our sin and indirectly communicating to those around us that while we claim Christ as Savior, He is (in actuality) not supremely Lord of our lives. That crown is reserved for our true master, self, meaning we determine absolute truth for righteous living, not God. If we bear the name of Jesus in our lives it must be evident that we are "doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves" (James 1:22).

When I consider this truth, I am reminded of Christ's warning: "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14). Why does it surprise us then when we are confronted by our own hypocrisy? Is the fruit of God's Word not present in us because we fail to feed ourselves, opting to be spoon fed once a week our morsel of Scripture during Sunday church services? God forbid! We must take ownership of our sin by feasting upon God's Word, but we must be careful to avoid the pitfalls Satan places before us in doing so. For if I feed upon the Word and do not apply it, I am a hypocrite. And if I do not feed upon the Word and give the impression that I do, I am also a hypocrite. But if I feed upon the Word daily and allow it to take root and blossom through an attitude of brokenness and repentance, then and only then will I bear much fruit. "So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (Matthew 7:17-19).

J.C. Ryle beautifully summarizes the importance of this message in his exposition of Matthew's Gospel: "So long as a man is content with the leaves of religion--with a name to live while he is dead, and a form of godliness without the power--so long his soul is in great peril. So long as he is satisfied with going to church or chapel, and receiving the Lord's supper, and being called a Christian, while his heart is not changed, and his sins not forsaken--so long he is daily provoking God to cut him off without remedy. Fruit, fruit--the fruit of the Spirit, is the only sure proof that we are savingly united to Christ, and in the way to heaven. May this sink down into our hearts, and never be forgotten!" Simply stated, our call to action requires transparency before an omniscient, omnipresent and sovereign God through obedient submission and Biblical application. We must measure our lives against God's Law, His Holy Word, because without it Christ's sacrifice is meaningless. Accepting Christ as Lord and Savior automatically comes with an acceptance of His Word, for "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). That requires an honest evaluation of the condition of our hearts when confronted with the truth of God's Word, manifested in various areas such as:

FAITH: (Ex: Hebrews 4:12; John 14:6)
- Do I believe the Bible is 100% true, cover to cover, without exception?
- Do I believe the Bible is living and active today as it was when it was written?
- Do I believe Jesus is the (only) way, the truth and the life for salvation?
- Do I live my life with the Bible as my ultimate authority?
- Do I trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of my life?
- Do I believe my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?
- Do I reject Satan and the passions of my sinful flesh?
- Do I actively resist sin and temptation or do I let my guard down on occassion?
- Do I practice religion or do I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: (Ex: Titus 1:8; Philippians 4:8)
- Am I reading/studying Scripture daily with a teachable heart and mind?
- Am I praying daily, including adoration, confession and thanksgiving before offering my list of requests?
- (Men) Am I spiritually leading my family by reading the Bible and praying with my spouse/children daily?
- Am I prioritizing extracurricular activities above quality time with God in Bible study and prayer?
- Am I actively applying the truth of Scripture in my life or procrastinating change?

BIBLICAL APPLICATION: (Ex: James 1:22)
- Am I wearing a mask around others to hide who I really am?
- Am I honest and trustworthy in all aspects of my life?
- Am I unwilling to forgive someone who has hurt me?
- Am I unwilling to repent and seek forgiveness from those I have sinned against?
- Am I discontent with what I have rather than who I am?
- Am I harboring bitterness toward God in my heart during trials and tribulations?
- Am I taking credit for the blessings in my life or giving glory to God for them?

INTERPERSONAL: (Ex: Ephesians 5:22-6:4)
- Am I placing my wants/desires above others?
- (Men) Am I loving my wife?
- (Women) Am I respecting my husband?
- (Children) Am I obeying my parents?
- Am I valuing my spouse/children as a gift from God or a burden sometimes?

BEHAVIORAL: (Ex: James 3:5-6)
- Am I using foul language by myself, at home, at work or leisurely?
- Am I listening to understand when I communicate and/or conflict with others?
- Am I prone to raise my voice in anger when upset, discouraged or frustrated?
- Am I harboring bitterness toward anyone, therefore resenting or disassociating with them?
- Am I gossiping about others?
- Am I lazy in any area of my life (i.e. work, home, faith)?

SEXUAL PURITY: (Ex: 1 Corinthians 6:18; Ephesians 5:5)
- Am I sexually desiring (lusting after) someone other than my spouse?
- Am I viewing pornography or actively participating in sexual immorality?
- Am I masturbating or self-gratifying?
- Am I having sex before marriage?
- Am I craving the attention of someone other than my spouse?

BODILY ABUSE: (Ex: 1 Corinthians 6:19)
- Am I drinking alcohol in excess (more than 2 drinks max)?
- Am I obese or have an eating disorder (that is not medically justified)?
- Am I smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco or consuming illegal drugs?
- Am I addicted to any legal or prescription drugs?
- Am I exercising in order to maintain optimal health?

This is merely a starting point in assessing the state of our hearts on how well we are applying God's Word. Scripture promises that "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved" (Romans 10:9-10). Moreover, when you are saved you receive "the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" (John 14:26). Therefore, you are fully equipped from the inside out to live righteously "because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth" (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

I know that I have personified the fig tree Jesus cast judgment upon in my life. I deeply regret the years I spent ministering to others in church leadership positions only to live a double-life behind closed doors with grave deficiencies in all areas previously questioned. I have personified hypocrisy and suffered severely for it. I have not been careful how I've stood and fallen from a great height on numerous occassions. However, in the midst of all my poor decisions and consequences of sin, I now have wisdom and perspective that are "more precious than jewels" (Proverbs 3:15). But I can attest with all my being that the only reason I am where I am today is because of Jesus Christ and the manifestation of who He is as found in the pages of Holy Scripture. Without God's Word and the transforming power it has to pierce joint and marrow, I would be completely lost. Simply put, God saved me through His Word! The apostle Paul states plainly, "You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23), and that begins with daily doses of absolute truth found only in God's Word because I do not want to be "conformed to the passions of my former ignorance" (1 Peter 1:14) but "transformed by the renewal of my mind" (Romans 12:2).

Summarizing the depth and breadth of meaning behind Matthew 21:18-22 is virtually impossible for a novice student of the Bible such as myself. Therefore, I will defer to arguably the greatest pastor of the past two centuries, Charles Spurgeon, who preached this Gospel message to his congregation many years ago as a piercing conviction of the responsibility we have to take heed the warning Jesus taught through the withering of the fig tree:

"Fruit is what the Lord earnestly desires. The Saviour, when he came under the fig tree, did not desire leaves; for we read that he hungered, and human hunger cannot be removed by leaves of a fig tree. He desired to eat a fig or two and he longs to have fruit from us also. He hungers for our holiness; he longs that his joy may be in us, that our joy may be full. He comes up to each of you who are members of his church, and especially to each of you who are leaders of his people, and he looks to see in you the things in which his soul is well pleased. He would see in us love to himself, love to our fellow-men, strong faith in revelation, earnest contention for the once delivered faith, importunate pleading in prayer, and careful living in every part of our course. He expects from us actions such as are according to the law of God and the mind of the Spirit of God; and if he does not see these, he does not receive his due. What did he die for but to make his people holy? What did he give himself for but that he might sanctify unto himself a people zealous for good works? What is the reward of the bloody sweat and the five wounds and the death agony, but that by all these we should be bought with a price? We rob him of his reward if we do not glorify him, and therefore the spirit of God is grieved at our conduct if we do not show forth his praises by our godly and zealous lives. And mark here, that when Christ comes to a soul he surveys it with keen discernment. He is not mocked. It is not possible to deceive him. I have thought that to be a fig which turned out to be only a leaf; but our Lord makes no such mistake. Neither will he overlook the little figs, just breaking forth. He knows the fruit of the Spirit in whatever stage it may be. He never mistakes fluent expression for hearty possession, nor real grace for mere emotion. Beloved, you are in good hands as to the trial of your condition when the Lord Jesus comes to deal with you. Your fellow-men are quick in their judgments, and they may be either censorious, or partial; but the King gives forth a righteous sentence. He knows just where we are, and what we are; and he judges not after the appearance, but according to truth. Oh, that our prayer might this morning rise to heaven: 'Jesus, Master, come and cast thy searching eyes upon me, and judge whether I am living unto thee or not! Give me to see myself as thou seest me, that I may have my errors corrected, and my graces nourished. Lord, make me to be indeed what I profess to be; and if I am not so already, convince me of my false state, and begin a true work in my soul. If I am thine, and am right in thy sight, grant me a kind, assuring word to sink my fears again, and I will gladly rejoice in thee as the God of my salvation!'"

Luke 11:24-26

"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first." One of my favorite Bible teachers, James MacDonald, often proclaims, "Choose to sin, choose to suffer." This piercing truth coincides precisely with the warning Jesus gives in Luke 11:24-26 and personally raises convicting application questions that I need to continually remind myself as a way of preaching the Gospel message to my fleshly heart and mind. Questions such as: 1. How often do I take time to consider the impact sin has in my life? 2. Do I minimize my sins as within my control to handle/overcome? 3. Do I hate my specific sins so as never to return to them? 4. Does the temptation to sin drive me to the cross before I fall or after? 5. Do I understand and fear God's wrath and judgment of sin? Examining all aspects of sin is crucial to overcoming it. Sin is serious. It separates us from fellowship with God and drives the nails Jesus bore for our unrighteousness deeper still into his innocent body. The real question that must be answered though is what am I going to do about it and how committed will I be to see it through. If there is predominant lesson I have learned through the devastation of sins I have committed, it is that true repentance and life change can only occur within a knowledge and understanding of God's Word. This requires a level of consistency and commitment to not only read the Word but apply it through my heart. It begins with an act of the will that manifests itself as self-discipline which is an intentional process that must be established with a goal in mind. Or as the apostle Paul explains, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified" (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). I believe in order to gain control over sin in our lives we must see sin for what it really is and that sin manifests itself in various forms. Scripture warns, "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). We most certainly have an enemy that knows our weaknesses better than we do and exploits them in an effort to isolate us where we are less protected. Therefore we must remember "that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). The minute we break fellowship with God we are drawn into darkness where hungry lions prowl and are easy prey for self-imposed destruction. When I reflect upon the five application questions listed above I am convicted first that I do not spend enough time reflecting upon the role sin plays in my life, for I have fallen victim to letting down my guard on countless occasions and almost lost all I held dear to me because of it. Selfish desire does that--and if left unattended it gives birth to Jesus' warning in Luke 11:26 that spirits more evil than the first will assuredly take residence in my life. James, the half-brother of Jesus, perhaps summarized it best when he said, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (James 1:14-15). Sin requires focused attention and a Scriptural set of eyes to discern with, and we are fools if we do not recognize sin's impact on our relationship with God and make necessary adjustments immediately. The second convicting question drives a knife into my prideful heart. Minimizing sin is simply an act of laziness because the effort it takes to protect against sin far outweighs the effort of declaring, "I have everything under control." I was convicted recently of this point in the book of Proverbs: "The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly" (Proverbs 26:16). It takes an incredible amount of humility to counter a self-righteous attitude that believes it is all-knowing. And whether I care to admit it, more often than not I minimize sin and consequently experience the chaos of life without God as my source of strength. Perhaps if I accepted reality that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (1 Corinthians 1:25), I might be willing to abandon my prideful attitudes and submit to a Sovereign God who supremely knows better and desires that I take my sins seriously, regardless of the depth and breadth of their severity and impact. Questions #3 begs the question of whether I hate my sins enough never to return to them. In some instances, I can answer favorably because I have experienced the devastation of specific sins I have committed and am permanently scarred. Fear of consequences can be a powerful motivator! But again, is the practice of minimizing sin creating a hardened heart within me that lacks the righteous hatred of sin that for instance provoked Jesus to cleanse the temple in Matthew 21:13-14? Do I elevate fellowship with God over self-gratification? Am I not saying to God, "I choose ____ over you" when I prioritize sinful desires or actions over Him, thus committing idolatry? Seeing my sins for what they are must first be born from the pages of Scripture as a basis for absolute truth and a standard for righteousness which consequently manifests itself through an application of that truth in opposition to the flesh. This breeds an understanding that the Lord hates sin and should compel me to share His passionate hatred for sin as well. I need not look any further than His Word for an example on whether I recognize various sins in my own life and therefore detest them so much that I have abandoned them and never returned: "There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers" (Proverbs 6:16-19). More than I care to admit, I am greatly convicted by this simple list of sins to avoid that are merely a minuscule example of what the Bible teaches on the topic of sin. While hating my sin never to return is essentially the abstinence method of dealing with sin, temptation is still ever present and must be addressed. Therefore, the reality of the cross of Calvary must take center-stage when I come to spiritual forks in the road where I must choose Christ or my flesh. The apostle Paul goes to great lengths to communicate the eternal impact Christ's sacrifice made: "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:13-14). Without the cross, I have no fellowship with God and am subject to His eternal judgment. With it, I not only have hope but assurance of grace and mercy. Therefore, why would I not drive my selfish will to the foot of the cross when confronted by temptation? If I believe the almighty truth of Scripture within my heart, why do I tend to be reactive rather than proactive when confronting sin and temptation? More often than not, it is because the priority of Bible study, meditation and prayer have been replaced by worldly attitudes, such as "I'm too tired," "I don't have time," "What difference does it make," or "I'll get to it tomorrow." Bottom-line, it is laziness on my part, pure and simple, of which I need to repent of and turn away from. Finally, the concept of Holy fear encompasses all other questions: Is God's wrath and judgment real to me? Based upon the evidence of sin in my life, I would unfortunately declare, "No," and that is heartbreaking for me to admit and more so for my Lord and Savior who died for my rebellious heart. The warning Jesus sternly gives in Luke 11:24-26 is simply that if I only clean house on sin in my life but fail to replace those sinful thoughts, actions and motives with the truth of Scripture and healthy spiritual disciplines, I am setting myself up for an even greater fall. God forbid, I do not want to be that man! I have experienced firsthand the ramifications of not applying that truth and have severely suffered the consequences of my actions in my relationship with God and those I love. Anyone who has assumed he/she had control over sin in their life and held to that belief understands this all too well, which impresses the point even harder that a Holy fear of God must be living and active in order to quench the flaming arrows of the enemy. I must universally (not just specifically) lay down my pride and arrogance and apply the truth of King Solomon's final decree after he considered and scrutinized all the pleasures of life. For when I sin, I am essentially choosing the pleasures of this world over my Lord and Savior. May this truth convict me to action to better protect myself from the effects of sin and gain victory once and for all over interwoven sins of pride and selfishness still present in my life: "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).