The Fruit of Good Treasure
(week 39/08)
Olubi Johnson
Luke 6:43-45 (ESV): “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, (44) for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. (45) The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heartabundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
Here the Lord Jesus tells us how to identify good ‘trees’ which are symbolic of men (Psalms 1.1-3; Is 61.3).
The Lord tells us a good man has the fruit of ‘good treasure’; what then is this ‘good treasure’?
The treasure of revelation knowledge and wisdom:
Colossians 2:2-3 (ESV): that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, (3) in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Proverbs 3:13-18 (ESV): Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, (14) for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. (15) She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. (16) Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. (17) Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. (18) She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.
Proverbs 11:2 (ESV): When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
Observe that to get the treasures or riches of knowledge, understanding and wisdom your heart must be knitted together in love, humility and peace: the fruit of the spirit.
So the man out of whose mouth consistently comes the good treasure of knowledge, understanding and wisdom, is one who has developed the fruit of the Spirit and humility.
It is instructive to consider the following scripture in regard to knowledge and pride:
1 Corinthians 8:1-2 (MKJV): But concerning the sacrifices to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. (2) And if any man thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
Here we see Paul telling us that knowledge makes one proud, but in proverbs the scripture says in Proverbs 11.2 ‘with the lowly is wisdom’ this means that knowledge spoken of in 1 Corinthians 8.1 is incomplete. In fact the Greek word translated knowledge here is ‘gnosis’: ordinary knowledge, whereas the Greek word for the knowledge of God given to you by the spirit of wisdom and revelation is ‘epignosis’: precise, correct and full knowledge:
Ephesians 1:17 (LITV): that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him,
So to have the full, precise and correct knowledge of God by revelation: the fruit of good treasure we must have and maintain an attitude of humility: pride will block out the full knowledge of God and will cause us only to have a superficial knowledge of God.
Now this fruit of the good treasure of God’s knowledge, understanding and wisdom is an objective (not subjective) fruit in that it is only dependent on the man and not what others do with the fruit. For instance you cannot judge the ministry of the Lord Jesus by Judas’ betrayal, Peter’s denial, James and John’s anger to call down fire from heaven, but on the quality of Jesus’ heart evidenced by the good treasure of the wisdom of God that came out of his mouth.
Furthermore it is this good treasure that is firstly a sign of divine approval of rightly dividing the Word of truth before approval by works of power and miracles.
The Lord Jesus first had divine approval for His character before He had divine approval by His works of miracles:
Matthew 3:16-17 (ESV): And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; (17) and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Notice here that God was pleased with Jesus before He had started doing any miracles.
Later this divine approval was further confirmed by miracles and works of power:
Acts 2:22 (MKJV): Men, Israelites, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by powerful works, and wonders and miracles, which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know,
So approval of character: humility and love: the fruit of Spirit, evidenced by the good treasure of knowledge, understanding and wisdom in rightly dividing the Word must come before approval by works of power.
2 Timothy 2:15 (AMP): Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
In fact if you have works of power and miracles but do not have this fruit of good treasure, then you do not have divine approval:
Matthew 7:15-23 (ESV): “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (16) You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (17) So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. (18) A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. (19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (21) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (22) On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ (23) And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.‘
Observe that Jesus called those who did works of power in this 3rd day (that day) but did not have the fruit of character of humility and love and consequently divine knowledge and wisdom, workers of lawlessness.
Why?
The New Testament law is the law of life and love (1Jn. 3.23 and Rom. 13.8-10), so not keeping this law of life and love by the revelation of the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2) available in this 3rd day, makes one by default a worker of lawlessness!
So, we are to seek first for the fruit of good treasure of precise correct revelation knowledge, understanding and wisdom, an intrinsic consequence of the fruit of humility and love before we seek for miracles, power, numbers or money.
