Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
James 3:11-12 NKJV
In today’s text, the author uses natural analogies to illustrate an essential truth about the Christian life. These rhetorical questions highlight the principle of consistency—both in nature and in the life of a believer.
Nature operates by fixed laws. A freshwater spring cannot produce both fresh and salty water at the same time. Likewise, a fig tree can only bear figs, and a grapevine will only yield grapes. A tree that produces a different kind of fruit would be completely unnatural. In the same way, God designed believers to bear spiritual fruit that reflects His nature. A person who is truly in Christ must consistently display godly character, speech, and actions.
James uses these examples to challenge believers to examine whether their conduct aligns with their faith. A Christian cannot claim devotion to God while engaging in speech and behaviour contradicting that claim. Just as a spring cannot produce both clean and contaminated water, a believer should not speak words that both bless and curse. A person cannot worship God yet live in a way that dishonours Him. The lack of consistency exposes a divided heart, one that has not fully surrendered to Christ.
A life of contradiction endangers a believer’s witness. Jesus made it clear in Matthew 6:24 that no one can serve two masters. Our words and actions reveal the state of our hearts. In Luke 6:45, Jesus says, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” If our hearts have truly transformed, our lives will bear only the fruit of righteousness, not a mix of godliness and worldliness.
James’ message is straightforward—our lives must align with our faith. Just as nature does not produce mixed results, neither should a believer. Anyone who claims to follow Christ must reflect that commitment in words, actions, and character. A double-minded life has no place before God. We must, therefore, examine ourselves honestly: Are we producing freshwater or bitter water? Are we truly living as transformed believers, or do we still conform to the ways of the world? The answer lies in our daily choices. Remember, God calls us to live in a way that leaves no room for contradiction.