A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

[Dave...]

Matthew 7:18
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

James 2:10
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. NKJV

I've always attributed this James passage to be speaking about God's perfect standards, His justice, His holiness. And while that still applies, now I'm wondering if this a literal statement. Meaning, could he be saying that... if you are willing to admit the you have sinned once, you must also admit, that you are a bad tree, thus it's all sin.

Jesus, in His incarnation, gave two sides to the same coin. Being both fully God, and fully man, in one instance, when He was called good, from the perspective of being fully man (flesh), He replied, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." (Luke 18:19). In another instance, from the perspective of being fully God, He said “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Nothing good implied.

The context doesn't suggest it, but is good tree is God, we (the flesh) are the bad tree. Every believer has both. The James-Paul, works plus faith simplified. James is speaking of the fruit of the spirit. One who is already in Christ justified. Paul is speaking of those who think that they can justify themselves by works of the flesh. What do you have (that is good), that you did not receive (from God), and if you did receive it (from God), why do you boast.

Anyways, the question at hand, James...his meaning. James 2:10.

Thanks

 

[Randy]

Matthew 7:18
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

James 2:10
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. NKJV

I've always attributed this James passage to be speaking about God's perfect standards, His justice, His holiness. And while that still applies, now I'm wondering if this a literal statement. Meaning, could he be saying that... if you are willing to admit the you have sinned once, you must also admit, that you are a bad tree, thus it's all sin.

Jesus, in His incarnation, gave two sides to the same coin. Being both fully God, and fully man, in one instance, when He was called good, from the perspective of being fully man (flesh), He replied, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." (Luke 18:19). In another instance, from the perspective of being fully God, He said “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Nothing good implied.

The context doesn't suggest it, but is good tree is God, we (the flesh) are the bad tree. Every believer has both. The James-Paul, works plus faith simplified. James is speaking of the fruit of the spirit. One who is already in Christ justified. Paul is speaking of those who think that they can justify themselves by works of the flesh. What do you have (that is good), that you did not receive (from God), and if you did receive it (from God), why do you boast.

Anyways, the question at hand, James...his meaning. James 2:10.

Thanks

Paul wrote that love does no harm to one's neighbor and fulfills all the law.

James was writing about showing favoritism to the rich. But did write if you love your neighbor as yourself, you're doing right.
Other than James must have come across favoritism in the church I'm not sure why he singled that out. No background is given for him to feel the need to write so.

 

[Who Me]

What is the context for this thread?
Are we talking about doing ' good ' in a Christian context or in a secular worldly context?

There are many people who do ' good ', look at those involved n Live Aid.
I've worked with atheists whose quality of life put me to shame, yet what is the purpose of doing ' good ' ?

Ultimatly good is only good if it is done for the glory of and as a result of love for God.

 

[Bruce.Leiter]

Matthew 7:18
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

James 2:10
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. NKJV

I've always attributed this James passage to be speaking about God's perfect standards, His justice, His holiness. And while that still applies, now I'm wondering if this a literal statement. Meaning, could he be saying that... if you are willing to admit the you have sinned once, you must also admit, that you are a bad tree, thus it's all sin.

Jesus, in His incarnation, gave two sides to the same coin. Being both fully God, and fully man, in one instance, when He was called good, from the perspective of being fully man (flesh), He replied, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." (Luke 18:19). In another instance, from the perspective of being fully God, He said “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Nothing good implied.

The context doesn't suggest it, but is good tree is God, we (the flesh) are the bad tree. Every believer has both. The James-Paul, works plus faith simplified. James is speaking of the fruit of the spirit. One who is already in Christ justified. Paul is speaking of those who think that they can justify themselves by works of the flesh. What do you have (that is good), that you did not receive (from God), and if you did receive it (from God), why do you boast.

Anyways, the question at hand, James...his meaning. James 2:10.

Thanks

Dave....', your use of Luke 18:19 needs a little work in view of the context. Jesus isn't talking from the perspective of his full humanity, though he was fully human and fully divine. He is testing the rich young ruler, whose life was filled with greed and thought of Jesus as a "good teacher." Then, he enumerates all of the second table of the ten commandments except for the one against covetousness as a further test of the man, who fails that test miserably.

Luk 18:18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Luk 18:19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

 

[GodsGrace]

Matthew 7:18
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

Nice thread Dave.
Of course TREE is referring to a person.
A good person cannot bear bad fruit.
A bad person cannot bear good fruit.

Jesus was speaking in a general sense since a good person could take some action that will have bad results...
and a bad person could take some action that could have good results.

When it comes to a person's spirituality, then we can understand that in God's eyes....
a person must bear fruit. Fruit could be the proclaiming of the gospel to unbelievers...
this would correspond to 1 Cor 13....or it could just be doing our best to do good in life in general...
helping out when we can...taking care of our family....etc.

If a person bears bad fruit...they, of course, cannot be pleasing to God.
That would be like causing grief to others,
contributing to unpleasant circumstances, etc.

A person that is a believer should be bearing good fruit and be a good tree.
A person that is not a believer could be bearing good fruit or bad fruit...but it will make no difference to God who wants our belief in Him FIRST.

James 2:10
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. NKJV

I've always attributed this James passage to be speaking about God's perfect standards, His justice, His holiness. And while that still applies, now I'm wondering if this a literal statement. Meaning, could he be saying that... if you are willing to admit the you have sinned once, you must also admit, that you are a bad tree, thus it's all sin.

This cannot mean that James is speaking about God's perfect standard because no one can keep this standard and God knows the nature of man and knows that this standard is not attainable.

This has nothing to do with being a bad tree.
James, in 2:10, is simply stating that if we commit one sin, we are already out of fellowship with God.
If we commit 5 sins we are already out of fellowship with God.

God is holy, as you've stated.
So only one sin could turn Him away from us.
God is just.

Thus the need for a Savior.
Our sins are paid for.
We ask forgiveness and God will forgive us.
1 John 1:9
God is merciful.

James 2:10
10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Jesus, in His incarnation, gave two sides to the same coin. Being both fully God, and fully man, in one instance, when He was called good, from the perspective of being fully man (flesh), He replied, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." (Luke 18:19).

Could Jesus have been referring to HIMSELF??
No one is good except God....Jesus IS God.
or, yes, it could mean what you've stated.
Man will never be good to the perfection that is required,
this goes back to your comment up above.

In another instance, from the perspective of being fully God, He said “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Nothing good implied.

One of my favorite passages.
IF we are IN CHRIST we will bear good fruit.
If we do NOT bear good fruit, there's a problem which needs to be examined honestly.

And, yes, without the help of the Holy Spirit we can do nothing.

The context doesn't suggest it, but is good tree is God, we (the flesh) are the bad tree.

The tree is always referring to the person...not God.

Every believer has both. The James-Paul, works plus faith simplified. James is speaking of the fruit of the spirit. One who is already in Christ justified. Paul is speaking of those who think that they can justify themselves by works of the flesh. What do you have (that is good), that you did not receive (from God), and if you did receive it (from God), why do you boast.

James and Paul agree. If they didn't the bible would not be trustworthy.
Some try to cause conflict between them but there is none.

Faith must be accompanied by good works or, as I've stated, there's a problem.
We are made for good works.

Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Anyways, the question at hand, James...his meaning. James 2:10.

Thanks

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