[Cassidy]

"You are right, tares are not born-again Christians. Goats are not Sheep, Wheat is not a Tare, vessels made unto dishonor do not become vessels made unto honor, and wolves in sheeps clothing are still only wolves despite appearances. Again, "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." Matthew 7:18. I never suggested otherwise.

I had written that I know genuine Christians who are in the LSM church - and I meant by that (of course), that I personally know those ones. You have gone much farther, Cassidy - for your implication is that "the brothers in the local churches, including those in leadership, are ... born again believers"

Ray,

This is a good question about the fruit. Let's take the verses you quoted one at a time to derive their meaning. In Matthew 7 vs 1-12 the Lord clearly sets a high standard for entering the kingdom of the heavens. The first verse says "Do not judge, that you be not judged" and then goes to say in v2 "For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you" and then in v3-5 calls those as hypocrites who look and try to remove the splinter in their brother's eye while sporting a beam in their own. Another instructive teaching from the Lord Jesus on how we are to deal with brothers.

But let's go on to your use of v18. "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." What is the context of this verse?

The verses from v13-29 set a very high standard for entrance into the kingdom of the heavens, that is, through the narrow gate and constricted way. Though often applied to eternal salvation these verses are actually related to the reward of the kingdom. This is confirmed by v21-23 where the ones being judged at the judgment seat of Christ are brothers as is confirmed by their calling and affirming Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:13). Nevertheless, their fruit is not accounted as worthy. What is their fruit? It is prophesying, casting out demons, and doing works of power in His name. These arguably would be considered to most observers as "good fruit". However, the Lord dismisses these outward things, however good they might appear to us, but rather connects the judgment (Bema) to those who do "the will of My Father who is in the heavens". Not that those things are automatically bad fruit in and of themselves but whether they are done according to the will of the Father.

In other words Ray, these verses show that genuine brothers may do many things in the Lord's name but at his judgment seat will be rejected. Not rejected for their profession of faith for eternal salvation, but rather the entrance into the kingdom of the heavens.

Now you may say that lawsuits between brothers indicates bad fruit. Perhaps. At His judgment seat it will be confirmed according to His righteous assessment. But Paul speaks of brothers taking brothers to court and while so doing he does NOT equate the brothers engaged in the lawsuit as non-believers, tares, or Pharisees. Therefore, we also dare not overreach and characterize genuine brothers as unbelievers and should follow the Lord's pattern here in Matthew 7.