How can I be sure where a person is coming from, such as a person who seems to be holy, but then changes their ways to negative vibes all the time?
Galatians 6:7
ESV - 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
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Matthew 7:16,17 is where Jesus spoke about this - he said that such ones would be recognized by their "fruit". In other words by the things they "produce" in their life. The things they DO, and the things they SAY. In Galatians Chapt 5 verse 19, we have listed some negative fruit. - Things people do - but then in Verse 22 we have some positive "fruit" or traits that make a person Christ like and pleasant. Jesus said we should try and cultivate these... love, kindness etc.
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish truth from error, especially today when we receive so many conflicting messages delivered to us via many different media. But this is not a new problem - in Matthew 7:15-20 Jesus was warning us to be on guard for people trying to deceive us. The only way to recognize the good from bad is by their fruits. And Paul in Galatians 5:19-23 is telling what these fruits are. "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isaiah 8:20 NKJV) – also see 1 John 4:1-6.
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