15 Jul What Fruit Are You Bearing?

In my opinion, there is a big difference between someone calling themselves a Christian versus someone who is intimately united as one with Christ and living for all He paid for. While anyone can call themselves a Christian, I believe it’s the fruit of one’s life that matters the most.

To back up, a Christian is a person who accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior, therefore becoming a follower of Christ. Although I believe accepting Christ as Lord and Savior, which leads to going to Heaven, is the best decision anyone can make, I grieve on how this decision makes a very small impact on the way many Christians live here on earth.

I know I have shared this several times but I believe as Christians our lives should look completely different than someone who doesn’t yet know Christ. We should be the most hopeful, joyful, victorious, loving people. Our lives should be lived and modeled after the life of Jesus and we as Christians should be bearing good fruit, which is what I want to share with you today.

John 15:1-8 says “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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” 

I also want to share these two passages:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:15-20

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:43-45

While we often think becoming a Christian means a ticket to Heaven, which it does, we forget the importance of fulfilling our assignment here on earth. Just as these passages remind us, each tree, or each person, is called to bear fruit. A healthy tree will bear good fruit, but a diseased tree, or an evil person, will produce bad fruit. Each of us will be known by the fruit that we produce!

So what is the fruit these passages are referring to? As Galatians 5:22-23 says, the fruit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” And Ephesians 5:8-9 says, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth.” 

How does one bear fruit? By connecting themselves to the vine, the Father! The fruit you bear is based on the intimacy you have with Christ. And it’s also dependent on the seeds you are sowing, which is addressed here.

I think we as Christians have overlooked the importance of bearing good fruit. We forget that while anyone can claim to be a Christian, it’s the fruit that truly matters.

Perhaps instead of looking at how someone labels themselves, it’s time to look at the character and fruit of their life first. The thing with fruit is this: it is evident! You or I could look at any one person’s life and be able to know if they are bearing bad or good fruit. Fruit is what we are known by.

What if we as Christians were less concerned about getting to heaven and more concerned with how we are living life here on earth? What if we took time to sow good seeds and therefore bear good fruit? What if we surrounded ourselves with people who were doing the same?

What fruit are you bearing? Does the fruit you are producing line up with what scripture says? Does the fruit you are bearing reflect Christ or look more like this world?

What about the people you surround yourself with, the ministries or activities you are involved with, the church you go to or the people who you follow on social media? Are they bearing good fruit?