The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; Psalm 104:16

I am not a horticulturist but I reckon that a tree must have sap to be alive. Without sap a tree would neither bring forth neither bud nor fruit. Our Lord said, "Ye shall know them, by their fruits". We are told to look for evidence of fruit to determine what sort and kind of tree we are beholding. Some have wrongly taken this admonition to determine whether or not one is a child of God. There are plenty of things that God's children learn or grown to know here in this world. The Lord knoweth them that are His. He need not wait to see fruit.

God's elect often experience fruitless seasons as they sojourn here below in this world. Saul of Tarsus who would later be called to be the apostle Paul is a good example. Ananias spoke of Paul this way saying, "I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name." If fruitfulness is the indicator of whether Saul was one of the elect chosen before the world began to heaven and immortal glory then Saul might well be considered a vessel of wrath fit to destruction. Looks can be deceiving! The objection is that this description was of Saul before the Damascus road experience. Bear with me while bringing forth another witness.  Few would object to the assertion that the Apostle Peter was one of the Lord's elect. When our Lord was brought before Pilate did not this very same deny the Lord three times? Shall one then look to this demonstration of fruitlessness and say that heaven shall not be Peter's home?

The trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord are not always readily apparent to our observation. The work of the Lord is first an inward work. That is where the sap is found. Without sap, the work of the Lord in His elect, there will never be any fruit bearing in any season. I believe that sap led David to say, "There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart." (Psalms 38:3-8) All of God's people have felt these pains but many have not uttered a sound or presented any outward manifestation of their inner convictions and godly sorrow.

Many of those that believe that our Lord meant that only the fruitful children of God have a home in heaven and immortal glory have missed the admonition to beware of wolves in sheep clothing that would ravage the Lord's little flock. They apparently have no understanding of the Scripture that tells us that "the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" All God's children are equipped unto good works that God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. There is no greater good work that a man could do than to be a true worshipper in the Lord's Church. I have little doubt that more will have a home in heaven than those that have been blessed to have a home in the Lord's Church here in this world. Salvation is of the Lord and it is by grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. The trees of righteousness are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus. These are the planting of the Lord that He might be glorified (see Isaiah. 61:3). Elder M. Hoogasian 8/10/2005