Where's The Fruit?

I wanted to go to the following scripture because the church does not take fruit bearing seriously. I also want to clear up the controversy surrounding this scripture.

John 15:1-5

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

The very first thing we need to acknowledge is that Jesus is here referring to “the branches in him” as the born again believers in Christ.

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Those in Christ are the only people on the earth that are made clean through the word. Verse 4 echoes Paul’s writing to the Galatian church.

Galatians 5:25

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

This scripture highlights our physical positional change. In Him, we now live and have our being. However, when Jesus speaks here of abiding in him, he goes a bit further than the positional location of our soul, he is referencing our walk in him.

Our walk includes communication and fellowship.

• There are those who live in the Spirit, but regard iniquity in their hearts and therefore are unable to communicate with God.

• They literally have no prayer life.

• There are others in the Body who are not willing to enter into the fellowship of his suffering.

• Without suffering with Christ we have no power over the power of satan.

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

ye can do nothing…

What is it the believer is trying to do after being born again?

1. He or she is trying to procure more sons.
2. They are trying to destroy the works of satan in the lives of the people of the world.
3. They are trying to expand the kingdom of God here on earth.

The sons of God are charged with producing fruit. Here the Lord is referencing the ministry of reconciliation, (bringing new souls to Christ). This is not a reference to the fruit of the Spirit; which are character attributes. The believers referred to here are already clean through the word of God, therefore, they are walking in the Spirit of God, and expected to bring forth fruit.

John 15:7

7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Believers are intercessors or those who are lost and out of the way. Therefore, we ask God for salvation and deliverance from demonic oppression and healing from sickness and disease. The inference here is that abiding in Christ, gives us the ability to work the ministry, thus producing fruit.

But there is a flip side to this.

John 15:6

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

To abide not, is to not fellowship or communicate with the Savior. It is to live a life of sin, though you may be born again. In such a case, God is not working with the individual outside of His own sovereignty. To continue is to become a bastard trying to work ministry with the power of a Father who has dis-owned you.

Galatians 2:18

18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

If we return to the ways of the old man, and do the things we once renounced, then we make ourselves sinners and enemies of the cross. There would no difference then between us and the false prophets of this world.

Matthew 7:13-20

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

According to the passage above, only a few will find their way to that straight and narrow gate that leads to eternity with God.

FALSE PROPHETS

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

These six verses are speaking solely to what the ministry of a false prophet produces.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

You will know the false prophet, or pastor, or preacher, by the type of fruit he or she produces. Here also, the fruit referred to is people. Jesus goes so far as to ask a question. Do men go into the vineyards and take for themselves grapes with thorns in them, or figs with prickly thistles?

This kind of fruit is evil and offensive to the husbandman. It is good for nothing in that it is unable to fulfill the purpose of God because it is corrupt. It is not Christ formed in flesh. Instead it is carnal, and sensual, greedy and gainsaying, lustful and lascivious.

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Here we see the fate of those who have been taught, or raised by false prophets. They will find themselves in the fiery furnace alongside the one who taught them.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

As leaders we should strive to produce good fruit. But if we don’t remain or abide in the vine, we will produce evil fruit and end up in the pit. Take these things to heart that we might be able to enter at the straight gate.