The Christian is a person who has the life of Christ in him. He has passed from death unto life, and that life is designed to be fruitful by default. The ability to produce fruit is evidence of life.
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life -John 5:24, NKJV.
At the New Birth, a Christian begins like a newborn baby, who must desire the sincere milk of the word to grow (1 Peter 2:2). However, he should come to that place in his life where he ought to have left, for all practical intents and purposes, the elementary principles of the doctrines of Christ and move on to maturity (Hebrews 6:1). This he will do, primarily, through the renewing of the mind with the word of God and practising the word (Romans 12:2).
In my book Criminals Behind the Pulpit, I wrote that the essence of life is growth; the essence of growth is maturity, and the essence of maturity is fruitfulness.
In the 15th chapter of John, Jesus said,
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful -John 15:1-3, NIV.
If you are a believer in Christ, your calling to bear fruit is categorical. Bearing fruit is of absolute importance to Jesus. He cursed a fig tree because it had no fruit but leaves. Its leaves were an outward show that it had something to offer, but lo and behold, it was fruitless (Matthew 21:18-19).
Do you have an outward show that you are a follower of Jesus Christ, beautiful green leaves of the Christian religion, which I call Christianism, but your life is fruitless?
At another place, Jesus gave a parable of a tree that would not produce fruit years after it had come to the point where it ought to be bearing fruit. The owner gave instructions for it to be cut down and asked in utter dismay, why does it cumber the ground? You are a Christian, is your life cumbering the ground? No fruit!
A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’
But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down” -Luke 13:6-9, NKJV.
A tree is identified by its fruit. It is its fruit that determines its usefulness or otherwise.
A good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks -Luke 6:43-45, NKJV.
Jesus said, by their fruit, you will know them. A tree is known by its fruits.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits, you will know them -Matthew 7:15-20, NKJV.
There are false prophets and false disciples. There are also true prophets and true disciples. When speaking to His disciples, Jesus made a profound statement, which is not popular in our world, where ephemeral things are used as parameters to indicate who a Christian is and particularly, who a “man of God” is. Jesus said,
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples -John 15:8, NIV.
Fruit is what shows that you are a true Christian, that is, a follower or disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “By their fruit, you shall know them.” I repeat a tree is known by its fruits. If it is a good tree, it will produce good fruit. If it is a bad tree, it will produce bad fruit. Again, Jesus reiterated:
You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you -John 15:16, THE MESSAGE.
Friend, is your life as a Christian fruitful?
In the next part of this topic, Fruit Bearing, we would be discussing the scope of fruitfulness in the Christian life. Until then, do not forget to keep living, loving and learning. Thank you.
Photo by Fahd Khan on Unsplash
