Two apple trees. One's brown and withered, the scant pieces of fruit that actually survived the tree's demise rotten and moldy. But it's a stark contrast to the other tree. Vibrant, full of life, blooming sweet, rich, Macintosh apples.
Two trees, one dead, one alive. One bearing rotten fruit, one bearing sweet fruit. Two people, one enslaved in sin, who's actions are rotten and moldy, even if they don't realize it. And one person, who's free, who's alive, who's actions, though not always perfect, are sweet.
But how do you know what your apple tree looks like?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23
It's a matter of examining the heart. Does your life bear love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (and if so, to whom?), gentleness, and self-control? Our spiritual life can be dead or alive. We can be bogged down by the weight of sin's chains, or we can choose to turn to Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. We can be free of sin's bondage and have freedom in God. We can change from moldy actions to bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
What does your apple tree look like?