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 was a mistake; 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 ma a
kind, assuring word to sink my fears again, and I will
gladly rejoice in thee as the God of my salvation.”
III. I come, thirdly, by the help of the Spirit of God, to
consider the truth, that THE RESULT OF THE COMING OF CHRIST
TO THE FORWARD, BUT FRUITLESS, PROFESSOR WILL BE VERY
TERRIBLE.
The searcher finds nothing but leaves where fruit might have
been expected. Nothing but leaves means nothing but lies. Is
that a harsh expression? If I profess faith, and have no
faith, is not that a lie? If I profess repentance, and have
not repented, is not that a lie? If I unite with the people
of the living God, and yet have no fear of God in my heart,
is not that a lie? If I come to the communion-table, and
partake of the bread and wine, and yet never discern the
Lord’s body, is not that a lie? If I profess to defend the
doctrines of grace, and yet am not assured of the truth of
them, is not that a lie? If I have never felt my depravity;
if I have never been effectually called, never known my
election of God, never rested in the redeeming blood, and
have never been renewed by the Spirit, is not my defense of
the doctrines of grace a lie? If there is nothing but
leaves, there is nothing but lies, and the Saviour sees that
it is so. All the verdure of green leaf to him without fruit
is but so much deceit. Profession without grace is the
funeral pageantry of a dead soul. Religion without holiness
is the light which comes from rotten wood–the
phosphorescence of decay: I speak dread words, but how can I
speak less dreadfully than I do? If you and I have but a
name to live, and are dead, what a state we are in! Ours is
something worse than corruption: it is the corruption of
corruption. To profess religion and live in sin, is to
sprinkle rose-water upon a dunghill, and leave it a dunghill
still. To give a spirit an angel’s name when it bears the
devil’s character, is almost to sin against the Holy Ghost.
If we remain unconverted, of what use can it be to have our
name written among the godly?
Our Lord discovered that there was no fruit, and that was a
dreadful thing; but, next, he condemned the tree. Was it not
right that he should condemn it? Did he curse it? It was
already a curse. It was calculated to tantalize the hungry,
and take them out of their way to deceive them. God will not
have the poor and needy made a jest of. An empty profession
is a practical curse; and should it not receive the censure
of the Lord of truth? The tree was of no use where it was:
it ministered to no man’s refreshment. So, the barren
professor occupies a position in which he ought to be a
blessing, but, in truth, an evil influence streams forth
from him. If he has not the grace of God in him, he is
utterly useless, and in all probability he is a curse: he is
an Achan in the camp, grieving the Lord, and causing him to
refuse success to his people.
Our Lord did, however, use the fig tree for a good purpose
when he caused it to wither away; for it became, henceforth,
a beacon and a warning to all others who put forth vain
pretenses. So, when the ungodly man, who has exhibited a
flourishing profession, is allowed to fade away in his ways,
some moral effect is produced upon others: they are
compelled to see the peril of an unsound profession; and if
they are wise, they will no longer be guilty of it. Would
God it might be so in every case whenever a notable
religionist withers away!
After that, when the Saviour had condemned it, he pronounced
sentence upon it; and what was the sentence? It was simply,
“As you were.” It was nothing more than a confirmation of
its state. This tree has borne no fruit, it shall never bear
fruit. If a man chooses to be without the grace of God, and
yet to make a profession of having it, it is only just that
the great Judge should say, “Continue without grace.” When
the great Judge at last shall speak to those who depart from
God, he will simply say to them, “Depart!” Throughout life
they always were departing, and after death their character
is stamped with perpetuity. If you choose to be graceless,
to be graceless shall be your doom. “He that is filthy, let
him be filthy still.” May the Lord Jesus never have to
sentence any of you in this way; but may he turn us, that we
may be turned, and work in us eternal life to his praise and
glory!
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
