SOAP Bible Study: Luke 6:43-45

What comes out of our mouths reveals what lives in our hearts. That truth can feel both comforting and convicting. In Luke 6:43–45, Jesus uses a simple image, trees and their fruit, to make a powerful point about our inner lives. Whether we realize it or not, our words reflect the spiritual condition of our hearts. This SOAP Bible Study: Luke 6:43-45 helps us slow down and consider how deeply our speech and actions are connected to our faith.

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New believers and seekers often wonder how to measure spiritual growth. One clear way is to look at what flows out of us under pressure. Are we growing in kindness, patience, and truth? Or do frustration and anger control us? Jesus says that good trees bear good fruit. Therefore, if we want our lives to overflow with good fruit, we need to be rooted in Him.

As we walk through this SOAP Bible Study, we will explore the Scripture, observe its message, apply it to our lives, and pray for lasting transformation. This method helps us dig deep into God’s Word and draw out truths we can live by.

Scripture

For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:43–45 (ESV)

Jesus’ words are plain yet profound. Good trees produce good fruit. That truth applies to us. Our words and actions grow from the kind of “tree” we are inside. A person’s life reveals their character. As disciples, we cannot fake spiritual fruit. Over time, what we treasure in our hearts will show itself through our speech and behavior.

This short passage helps us examine whether we are producing fruit that pleases God. Jesus uses common examples to make the message memorable. Just like we do not expect figs from thornbushes, we should not expect spiritual fruit from a heart full of bitterness or sin. However, when we store up the Word of God in our hearts, the fruit will follow.

So, the Scripture calls us to consider the condition of our hearts. Are we nurturing the kind of treasure that produces good words and actions?

Observation

Jesus is teaching His disciples how to judge rightly—not by outward appearances, but by the fruit people produce. Right before this, He spoke about removing the log from our own eye. Now, He moves to fruit-bearing trees. There is a pattern in His message. First, He calls us to examine ourselves. Then, He tells us what to look for.

The heart is the source of all we say and do. We can try to act right for a while, but if the heart is not transformed, it will eventually show. A fig tree does not produce thorns. Likewise, a person walking with Christ will not consistently speak evil or act selfishly.

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This observation challenges the modern mindset that behavior alone defines character. Jesus flips that idea. He teaches that lasting behavior comes from a changed heart. That is why transformation begins with faith, not just effort. While anyone can try to be good for a time, only a heart filled with God’s Spirit can produce lasting good fruit.

So, Jesus urges us to go beyond surface-level change. He wants us to look inward and ask, “What kind of treasure am I storing up?” Because the words we speak, especially when life gets hard, reveal what is truly inside.

Application

This passage invites us to ask some hard but necessary questions. What kind of tree am I? What fruit is growing in my life? Are my words building others up or tearing them down? Am I showing mercy, grace, and love, or am I quick to criticize and complain?

Because the heart produces the fruit, we need to start there. If we want our speech to change, we must first change what we dwell on. Therefore, let’s spend more time with Scripture and less with gossip or negativity. Let’s listen to worship music instead of angry voices. As we do, we store up good treasure in our hearts.

Sometimes, the fruit we bear may not be obvious until we are under pressure. When we are tired, tested, or frustrated, what comes out? If it is not godly, we do not need to despair. We simply need to go back to the source—Jesus. When we remain in Him, He changes our hearts.

So, the application is simple: examine the fruit, check the heart, and keep drawing closer to Christ. Good fruit will follow.

Prayer

Father, we thank You for the clear teaching of Jesus in Luke 6. Help us take this message to heart. We want to be good trees that bear good fruit. So, we ask You to cleanse our hearts and fill them with Your Word. Teach us to treasure what is good and pure. Help us to speak life, truth, and love in every conversation. When we fail, draw us back to You quickly. Let our lives reflect the goodness You have planted within us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Closing Thoughts SOAP Bible Study: Luke 6:43-45

The SOAP Bible Study: Luke 6:43-45 reminds us that fruit does not lie. Whether we like it or not, our words reveal our hearts. That is not a reason to fear, but an invitation to grow. Jesus does not ask us to produce fruit on our own. Instead, He calls us to remain in Him, to treasure His truth, and to trust the process of change.

As we take this passage seriously, we begin to notice what we say and how we say it. We see where our hearts still need healing or direction. And we remember that fruit takes time to grow. So, we walk with the Lord daily, allowing His Spirit to shape our hearts. The more we treasure Him, the more our words will reflect His grace.

Let’s stay rooted in Christ, and the fruit will come.