Kingdom of God - A kingdom that yields fruits! (Part #3) - The body of Christ is the tree of life.

Friend,

This is the third post in this series, you may read the previous posts #1 and #2.


The body of Christ is the tree of life

Either individually or collectively, the church, the body of Christ is the tree of life. (I use a few images found in Google search to assist my explanation and your understanding. The images may not be the accurate representation of the scriptures in question. I am not an artist to create accurate illustrations.)

Rev 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Here is a pictorial representation of the tree of life. Notice the details (except the fruits.)

• The street of the city.
• Through the middle of street flows the river of life.
• The tree of life (only one) is on either side of the river.

Unlike Ezekiel 47, from which John drew the imagery of the river and the tree, here there is only one tree. 

Eze 47:7 As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other.

You may be wondering how the 9 fruits of the spirits mentioned in
Gal 5:22, 23 answer to the 12 kinds fruits of the tree of life. Most of the scholars are of the opinion that the narrative is about 12 crops or harvests of fruits, with a harvest each month. I think they make a lot of sense. (In fact there are some rare manuscripts in which Gal 5:22, 23 had 12 gifts of the spirits, but we cannot be sure about the reliability of such manuscripts.)

I am not a botanist to know whether there are real trees that yield fruits every month, in my limited knowledge, most of the trees yield fruits 2 to 3 times a year. Coconut tree yields nuts 6 to 9 times a year. The tree of life has to yield its fruits every month. The message conveyed appears to be:

2 Tim 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ...

The narrative in Ezekiel 47 says that the fruits are for food (Eze 47:12). Spiritual fruits cannot be useful as food for the belly. It should be for the spiritual nourishment of the faithful.

You are a conquerors, NOW!

Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'

The general understanding of this passage is that if we overcome or conquer everything that stands against us, we will be allowed to eat from the tree of life after we die and reach paradise or heaven. As we have seen previously, the tree of life in the middle of the street of the city of New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven. (Rev 21:2; 22:2), which implies it is not in heaven or any other place than this planet.

(Please note that the scriptures quoted below are always in present perfect tense or past tense, irrespective of versions.)

You have overcome the evil one:

1Jn 2:13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father.
1Jn 2:14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

You have overcome the Antichrist.

1Jn 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
1Jn 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

You have overcome the world:

1Jn 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
1Jn 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Now, the fruits of the tree of life is yours.

Next: You are the river of living water.

In Christ,

Tomsan Kattackal