This Tree Does Not Grow in Brooklyn

(Proverbs 11:30 KJV)  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

The  “tree (6086) of life (2425b)” is an interesting phrase.  In the Hebrew there is disagreement on the correct word for “life” but the thrust is the same.  In the English it occurs in three books of the Bible.  It is at the beginning of Genesis, the first book, Revelation, the last book, and Proverbs in between.

In Genesis it is the tree in the Garden of Eden that is being denied to the rebellious Adam and Eve.  That same tree is growing in John’s vision and is related to eternal life.  In between we have references to how our actions and attitudes put us in contact with that tree.

So?  We accept the fact that salvation is through faith and grace.  That is God’s gift because we cannot possibly earn our salvation.  That being said we see an litany of examples that demand a life of righteousness.  Don’t ignore either clear teaching.