Don't Judge The Book By Its Cover

"Don't judge the book by its cover" is an old saying that has been around ever since we can remember. How true is this? Just how useful is it in seeing and "judging" things rightly? Are you one of those who use this as a philosophy in life? Well, even I, believed it once.... But the bible actually teaches the contradiction of this saying.

Jesus said:
Matthew 7:16-20
"16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." NIV

Matthew 12:34
"34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." NIV

Jesus said that you will actually know what kind a person is, if he's good or bad, if he's a true Christian or not(note that there's nothing in between), by the external manifestations (i.e. speech, actions, virtue, character) that you see in his life. Does this mean that all true Christians are incapable of sinning? No, even real Christians can still fall into sins at times but when you look at the over-all "fruits" in their lives, you will see good fruits. In the same way, for the unsaved people who try to act like Christians, you might be able to see some good deeds but generally, their fruits are bad.

Many people today say in defense, "Don't judge me, you don't know what's in my heart." This is like saying, "You can't judge me even if I live like the devil because you don't see what's inside my heart." But Jesus said that I don't need to look into your heart to see its condition. Because out of it will come your actions that will be a perfect measuring stick to determine who you really are. I don't need to look into your heart, I just need to watch you.


NOTE: You also have to check your self
Matthew 7:4-5
"4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." NIV

God Bless You!!!