It is possible to be in CHRIST and not bear fruit.
A child of GOD who habitually behaves unkindly and
thoughtlessly, or treat others harshly or carelessly is acting out of an
unclean heart and a wrong spirit – conditions that cannot nurture fruit that will last.” (John 15:16)
Sin does not get us thrown out of the family of GOD but it will
prevent us from experiencing all the benefits that comes with our salvation.
Our souls are not lost but a meaningful life in CHRIST is – the extent of our
loss will only be revealed when we stand before GOD in eternity to receive our
reward.
The LORD's plans will go forward, with or without us.
Every branch in Me
that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that
produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. John 15:2
The Divine Gardener removes fruitless branches but prunes
fruitful branches so they are divinely helped to produce more fruit. GOD will ensure that His Kingdom is fully
supplied with what He needs to carry out His divine plan.
Even so, the Father’s desire for every one of His children to thrive in our salvation remains fixed.
The Lord does not
delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not
wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance…make every effort to be
found at peace with Him without spot or blemish. 2 Peter 3:9, 14
JESUS’s words are clear regarding a believer’s ability to
bear fruit – “Remain in Me, and I in you.
Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the
vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.” John 15:4.
A
fruitless branch can become productive and bear good fruit, simply by obeying
this command. We do so by choosing to put away the “little foxes,” the “little
sins,” that we allow to control us.
Old habits die hard and change is never easy but we do not have to do this in our own strength.
We must go back to the thing we
discarded that got us to a position of fruitlessness – begin yielding to the
Spirit of CHRIST that is living in us. His is the power that will take us from
being branches that displease the Father and are cut-off from the Vine to
branches that delight Him and He prunes for a richer harvest. It is impossible
to change direction without the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:9-11)
“…for if you live
according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death
the deeds of the body, you will live.” Romans
8:13
I say then, walk by
the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh
desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the
flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. Galatians 5:16-17
It is also a given that we will fall short of the will of
GOD when we give little attention to His WORD. Daily reading and meditation of
the Scriptures will cleanse and purify our hearts. GOD’s WORD is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of
the heart. Hebrews 4:12.
GOD has made available all that we need for a godly and fruit-bearing life – the Holy Spirit and the WORD working together to teach (John 14:26) and sanctify us (John 17:17); and in His infinite
wisdom, He has also given us free will to choose:
We may gratify the desires of our sinful nature with sexual immorality, moral impurity,
promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger,
selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and
anything similar (Ephesians 5:19-21)
and be separated from the best life our Father has planned for us.
Or we may yield to the Holy Spirit, trust Him and rely upon
Him to give us victory over our flesh and an abundance of Spiritual fruit in
our lives – love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. (Ephesians 5:22-23).
Which will it be?
“….consider yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 6:11
Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, how do we say thank YOU for all YOU
have done, all that YOU have given, and all that YOU continue to give
in our lives unto eternity! Help us not to forget that with YOU one day is like a thousand years,
and a thousand years like one day so YOUR promises apply as much today if we care to walk and live in them. Thank YOU for being patient with us, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
Forgive us for despising YOUR good, pleasing, and perfect will and choosing our
own. Help us to choose to be mature Christians who walk in the high calling
for which YOU called us in YOUR SON, CHRIST JESUS. We thank YOU and are grateful that YOU never
give up on us. All glory, honor and praise belong to YOU. We pray and ask
all things in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Always by God’s Word and prayer,
Cecile
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