LIGHT FOR FRUITFUL LIVING (1)

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” – John 15:5

Abiding in Christ is what guarantees LIGHT for FRUITFUL LIVING: Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (Jh.15:5). The Bible often uses the metaphor of fruit to describe the produce of our lives, which can be either good or bad (Mt.7:18; Lk.6:43). A Fruitful Christian will produce righteous results: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” (Pro.11:30). Fruit is the direct result of whatever controls our hearts (Mt.5:19).

The works of a life not surrendered to Jesus includes “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,” and many more evil acts (Gal.5: 19-20). In contrast, the Fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal.5:22-22). God the Father is the Gardener (v.1), and He desires us to be fruitful. As branches cling to the vine, we cling to Christ, drawing our very life from Him.

The ultimate goal is “much fruit,” as Christ uses us to bring about blessed results in a broken, fallen world. When we commit ourselves to Christ and live to please Him, the natural result is behavioral choices that look like His. True followers of Christ are recognizable by their fruit (Mt.7: 16-20). True fruitfulness begins in the heart with the fruit of the Spirit. That inner fruit affects outward actions; our words and activities will glorify the Lord, and His Will is accomplished. God’s desire is to transform us into the image of Christ, to be as fruitful as He is (Rom.8:29). In allegiance to Him, we are characterized by good works (Eph.2:10); Col.1:10); humility (Eph.4:2: Tit.3:2), forgiveness (Eph.4:32; Col.3:13).

The result of spiritual fruitfulness is that God is glorified, we grow, and others come to know Christ, which is the ultimate fruitfulness for a child of God: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt.5:16). Finally, He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mlk.16:15). What reveals to the world and the church that we are DISCIPLES of Christ is our fruits, and/or our bearing of fruits. It is possible to be a Christian who is not practicing Christianity!

Fruitfulness distinguishes between a Believer and a Disciple. A Believer is someone who has received salvation, a Disciple is someone who is walking in salvation. A Believer is a Christian, a Disciple is someone who is practicing Christianity. Ideally, a Believer should be a Disciple of Christ. We have been called to believe the Gospel, and also walk in the Word. The walking is what we call Christianity and in this “practice” lies fruitfulness.