Qualifications of Elders 1 - By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them

BY THEIR FRUITS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM

Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise an the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.

Possession of the anointing is certainly no evidence of a life of holiness.

In our first church a man came to speak. Though he did not preach the Pentecostal aspects of the Bible, there was an abundance of the fruit of the Spirit in his life.

A teacher in a Bible School recently told me of two model students who were held up as an example of a life lived in the anointing. Both were involved in fornication. Another exemplary duo were engaged in homosexual activities.

I attended a convention before I became a minister of the gospel. Though the preacher promised his hearers liberty and freedom, he himself was the servant of corruption. Upon his person were pornographic pictures. Subsequently, he showed these to a minister friend of mine and enquired, Do you want to cast the devil out of me?"

God will tolerate this type of behaviour in the outer court, but such lifestyle will never attain the holy ace (holiness of life).

Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

There is mixture in the kingdom of God in its present form as there was mixture among the Old Testament believers who were extracted from Egypt. That mixture will be separated.

Exodus 12:38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them;

Ezekiel 44:13 And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.