In the context of comparing sin with evil or bad fruit, the roots of this analogy can be drawn from several aspects of Christian thought and scriptural references.
First, the concept of "bad fruit" is derived from Jesus' teachings in Matthew 7:16-18, where he warns against judging others based solely on their behaviors, since it is the heart that determines whether good or bad fruit will grow
Second, the idea of sin leading to negative outcomes is supported by the Seven Bitter Fruits of Sin described in the article from Open the Bible
, which includes deception, perishing, refusal, pleasure, delusion, belief, and ultimate condemnation. Each of these represents a consequence of sin that grows from the heart.
Third, the comparison of sin to the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden highlights the connection between disobeying God's commands and experiencing undesirable consequences
Lastly, the New Testament teaches that sin originates in the heart, rather than merely manifesting itself in our actions
. This means that addressing sin requires dealing with the underlying causes, rather than just modifying behavior.
To summarize, the roots of the analogy between sin and bad fruit lie in Jesus' teachings, the Seven Bitter Fruits of Sin, the story of the forbidden fruit, and the understanding that sin arises from the heart
J.