By: Larry Young
Jesus’ disciples were perplexed after He went to examine a fig tree full of green leaves. When Jesus found that there were no figs in its branches, He cursed that fig tree, telling the tree that it will never produce figs ever again. (Matthew 21: 18-22). Upon passing that same fig tree on the way back the next day, it had withered away and dried up from the roots. (Mark 11: 20-22). When Peter pointed out the withered tree to Jesus, His first response was: “Have faith in God.” As confusing as it may appear, this story is likely the most powerful warning to every one of us regards our Christian faith!
Ellen White in Desire of Ages wrote about this warning: “Christ’s act in cursing the tree which His own power had created stands as a warning to all churches and to all Christians. No one can live the law of God without ministering to others… Some who think themselves excellent Christians do not understand what constitutes service for God. They plan and study to please themselves. They act only in reference to self… Those who thus live for self are like the fig tree,
which made every pretension but was fruitless.” (Page 584)
When we have genuine faith in God, we will have a saving relationship with Him, and we will have both plentiful green leaves and a harvest of figs. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves, yet He will say to many: “and then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’. (Matthew 7: 23).
Jesus cursed and destroyed the very fig tree He had created. Jesus told many who claimed that they had done lots of wonders in His name that He never knew them. Then how can anybody have assurance of salvation? Like the disciples, do you see anything perplexing here? I view myself much like that fig tree, albeit with just a few green leaves here and there, and a scant handful of figs to match. To me, this all boils down to just one word: “relationship”.
Without a genuine relationship with Jesus, you are wasting your time if you are just “playing church”! In the investigative judgment, when Jesus comes to my name or yours, will Jesus say: Yes, I know Larry? Or will He say, I don’t know him? Jesus shared the parable of the ten virgins. What were the five foolish virgins told when they came back to the wedding after the door was closed? “But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly I say to you, I do not know you.’ (Matthew 25: 12) The foolish virgins were good people; they were church goers and doers. They even arrived at the wedding with the wise virgins, but they didn’t have the “oil” of the Holy Spirit when their defining moment arrived. The Holy Spirit provides that link between you and Christ. It’s your
choice to accept that link with Christ and start building a relationship with Him; that’s what faith in God is all about. That’s what the example of the fig tree is all about: the fig tree looked great with all those green leaves, but the tree didn’t produce any fruit. When we are having a genuine relationship with Christ, we can’t help but produce fruit. However, as fallen human beings and sinners, we can and do get discouraged by the attacks of the devil, especially amid our own poor choices, but Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you. Your part is to stand back up, dust yourself off, link back up with Christ again, allow Him to do all the hard work and heavy lifting, and He will restart producing fruit in you again. Christian service is a product of that fruit, but its absence is the reason Jesus says "I don't know you”. So when your defining moment arrives, having a genuine relationship with Jesus will assure that He says “yes, I know you!”.