More Fruit or No Fruit?

[Christsfreeservant]

I’m sharing this here with you from my time of personal devotions with my Lord Jesus Christ, for your encouragement. Sue Love

John 15:1-2,6 ESV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

“If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”​

Basically, what we need to comprehend here is the truth of the gospel of our salvation. We need to understand that Jesus did not die that horrible death on that cross just to forgive us our sins and so we could escape hell and go to heaven when we die. Jesus died on that cross to deliver us out of our slavery (addiction) to sin so that we would now be slaves of God and of his righteousness, no longer living under the control of sin and Satan.

And by faith in Jesus Christ we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and we are raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. For Jesus died that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. He died that we might no longer live for ourselves but for him who gave his life up for us. And now we are to walk no longer according to the flesh but according to the Spirit in righteousness and holiness, in obedience to our Lord Jesus.

But this isn’t optional. We don’t “get saved” and then we are good to go until we die and go to heaven. Jesus said if anyone would come after him he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin and to self) and follow (obey) him. In essence, what he said was that if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self that we will lose them for eternity. But if we lose our lives for his sake (die with him to sin) then we have life eternal with him.

And then we need to understand that what that all translates to is that if we continue in deliberate and habitual sin after making a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, and if obedience to our Lord and walking in righteousness are not what we practice, unless we turn from those sinful ways to walk in obedience to our Lord and in his righteousness, we will not inherit eternal life with God but we will face the wrath of God.

Now this is not saying that we will never sin (1 Jn 2:1-2) or that if we do sin even once that we are going to die and go to hell. But what the Scriptures do teach is that we must walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh, for if we walk according to the flesh in deliberate and habitual sin, we will die in our sins. But if we walk according to the Spirit, we will have eternal life with God.

So, basically, the gospel provides the way for us to be forgiven of our sins and to be delivered out of our slavery (addiction) to sin and to have the hope of heaven when we die provided that we die with Christ to sin and we live to God and to his righteousness, in practice, by God’s grace, in God’s strength and power, as we cooperate fully with God’s work of grace and salvation in our lives, and until the very end of time.

If we do, we will bear spiritual fruit (produce, outgrowth, results) in our lives, and all we will need is to be pruned so that we will bear even more fruit. But if we do not, and if we continue living in sin and not in righteousness, then our Lord will remove us, and we will be thrown away, and we will be thrown into the fire and burned. Like Jesus said, not everyone saying to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter into God’s eternal kingdom but only the ones DOING the will of God the Father who is in heaven (Matt 7:21-23).

[Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Pet 2:24; 2 Co 5:15,21; Rom 8:1-17; Lu 9:23-26; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Gal 5:16-21; Col 1:21-23]

John 15:3-5 ESV

“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”​

Now Jesus was talking with his disciples who believed in him in truth and that is why they were already spiritually clean. This does not imply that everyone professing faith in Jesus Christ is spiritually clean just because they claim to believe in Jesus. We must daily by the Spirit be putting the deeds of the flesh to death and we must be walking in holiness and in obedience to our Lord for us to have salvation and eternal life with God.

But then we must continue to die with Christ to sin, and we must continue to walk with him in obedience to his commands, and we must remain steadfast in these walks of faith until the very end if we are to receive salvation from sin and eternal life with God. For our salvation is progressive and it will not be completed until Jesus returns for his bride. For if we return to our vomit, and we then keep on in deliberate and habitual sin, we will die in our sins.

And that is what this is talking about here. For abiding in Christ means remaining and continuing in him and in his word, and in his salvation, and in obedience to his commands, and in submission to him as Lord, and in saying “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts, and in living self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for his return. It means our lives are surrendered to Jesus Christ to doing his will day by day by day.

For, if we do not abide in Christ, and him in us, and his word in us, and us in his word, then we can’t bear fruit in keeping with repentance and for his eternal kingdom. And thus we will be thrown into the fire and burned, and we will hear Jesus say to us one day, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” For not everyone who says to Christ, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven but only those obeying him.

[Jn 8:31-32,51; Jn 14:15-24; Jn 15:1-12; Rom 2:6-8; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 11:17-24; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; Col 1:21-23; 2 Tim 2:10-13; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 5:9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:1-5; 2 Pet 1:5-11; 2 Pet 2:20-22; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Matt 7:21-23; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10,24; 1 Jn 5:2-3; 2 Jn 1:6; Jas 1:21-25; Eph 4:17-24]

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

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[Blade]

Well thank you but some things you said are not written like "In essence, what he said was " things like that. Sorry but I have no clue who you are to tell anyone what Christ really was saying you know what I mean? You said things that forgive me are no where in the word and can bring great fear to young and old that are just saved thinking if they don't show have fruit watch out He wil cut you of and never knew you and (forgive me Father) toss you in the fire.

I don't agree with your personal view. Well why leave out all the security scriptures for there are many yet you left them out. Also there is no "you can lose your salvation" nor "you are always saved" scriptures. We have to say "what that really means" then we have to add spectation. Take the branches that don't have fruit. Ok what Christian was He talking to? Isa 5 talks about something like this. They were all under following the law. I am guessing you don't know but many do not believe this is about salvation..well again one has to add to the word of God by saying 'what He was really saying" "What He really meant was". Its like sheep and goats now if your post tribulation then you can believe that you will be standing there at that time. Yet if your post mid then you won't be there yet you post what you said "and we will hear Jesus say to us one day". No that is not written.

Whats written is He will come in the clouds.. He will set foot on the earth. He will then gather the nations that just came out of the great tribulation. He then splits them and to one group says "I never knew you". Lets look at that so can God ever lie? Silly but we know He can't. See if I was there in the goat group He would have to lie to say that to me. Do you believe He does not know you? Do you believe you have only tasted of Him? Now me I know every angel rejoiced when He found me and I know He told the Father about me. See He will say never..that means never. We keep I think.. thinking He is like us that we have that friend we know but later on in life we think "wow I never new them". Yet the word says He is not like man and He does not think like us yet we keep treating HIm as if He thinks like we do. So that moment will happen but I won't be there

So i think by His grace mercy He keeps warning those that appear saved they only taste and He keeps over and over and over warning them. Yes we have no right to sin nor walk in sin. Yet tell me what sin can you do today that He never knew you would do and that BLOOD OF JESUS was not enough for cover? OT it just covered. We have to receive Him repent but some seem to think we must keep on repenting for that new sin we just did because His blood didn't cover that. Cover wrong word.. as the Father said OT He will remember our sin no more. So that sin.. He died for and is gone.. who is holding against you?

One day I was reading in the margin said something like if your heart convicts you you wont get anything from God. Man I got up said my heart convicts me 24/7 (of sin). So I got up said "I quit" and I meant it. So I reach for the door and that sweet small voice asks me "what is righteousness?" I turn and say "ok ok righteousness is right standing with God (something I had heard)" He then asked me "how do you get righteousness?" I said by believing in Jesus". Now I can't explain this but it was like being blind then you can see... something happened I cried and cried. I then as always made sure what I just said was in the word of God and it is written.

See I see the sin I do every day (maybe not every da) yet He was showing me how He sees me. He sees Christ what Christ did and finished on the Cross and its finished. My Father sees me through Christ as holy pure and righteous not by anything I do. I as the word says "have been saved". As my brother Paul said by the sweet sweet holy Spirit its no longer I that sin but sin that is in me. I am.. I walk in I put on that new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. I can right now come boldly before my Father I am seated in heavenly places. That knew sprit God made I can not by some sin in this world or my some simple choice in this world walk away. See we only look at this moment God is not in stuck in time He sees all.. everything we did it ALL matters not just this one tiny moment in time. Its like salvation.. its not based on time. No we have no right to sin for we have been set free.

Anyway I like what on use to say for he home now "don't believe me don't take my word for anything I just said here. You search you pray you find this out for your self". Love that to many times what we say sounds like were all for Christ ..a truth but in the end whos really talking? Is it us telling others to see understand what we see? Or should we really be telling them to pray search for what HE started in you He will finish. So I disagree with some of the things you shared. I just hurt for those not strong in the fath that read this and now the enemy comes in and puts fear in them about how easy it seems you can fall not repent or stuck in some sin and any moment He will cut you off and toss you (forgive me Father) out. <---that is not true.. what I believe. So forgive me not here to offend. Thanks for sharing

 

[Christsfreeservant]

Well thank you but some things you said are not written like "In essence, what he said was " things like that. Sorry but I have no clue who you are to tell anyone what Christ really was saying you know what I mean? You said things that forgive me are no where in the word and can bring great fear to young and old that are just saved thinking if they don't show have fruit watch out He wil cut you of and never knew you and (forgive me Father) toss you in the fire.

I don't agree with your personal view. Well why leave out all the security scriptures for there are many yet you left them out. Also there is no "you can lose your salvation" nor "you are always saved" scriptures. We have to say "what that really means" then we have to add spectation. Take the branches that don't have fruit. Ok what Christian was He talking to? Isa 5 talks about something like this. They were all under following the law. I am guessing you don't know but many do not believe this is about salvation..well again one has to add to the word of God by saying 'what He was really saying" "What He really meant was". Its like sheep and goats now if your post tribulation then you can believe that you will be standing there at that time. Yet if your post mid then you won't be there yet you post what you said "and we will hear Jesus say to us one day". No that is not written.

Whats written is He will come in the clouds.. He will set foot on the earth. He will then gather the nations that just came out of the great tribulation. He then splits them and to one group says "I never knew you". Lets look at that so can God ever lie? Silly but we know He can't. See if I was there in the goat group He would have to lie to say that to me. Do you believe He does not know you? Do you believe you have only tasted of Him? Now me I know every angel rejoiced when He found me and I know He told the Father about me. See He will say never..that means never. We keep I think.. thinking He is like us that we have that friend we know but later on in life we think "wow I never new them". Yet the word says He is not like man and He does not think like us yet we keep treating HIm as if He thinks like we do. So that moment will happen but I won't be there

So i think by His grace mercy He keeps warning those that appear saved they only taste and He keeps over and over and over warning them. Yes we have no right to sin nor walk in sin. Yet tell me what sin can you do today that He never knew you would do and that BLOOD OF JESUS was not enough for cover? OT it just covered. We have to receive Him repent but some seem to think we must keep on repenting for that new sin we just did because His blood didn't cover that. Cover wrong word.. as the Father said OT He will remember our sin no more. So that sin.. He died for and is gone.. who is holding against you?

One day I was reading in the margin said something like if your heart convicts you you wont get anything from God. Man I got up said my heart convicts me 24/7 (of sin). So I got up said "I quit" and I meant it. So I reach for the door and that sweet small voice asks me "what is righteousness?" I turn and say "ok ok righteousness is right standing with God (something I had heard)" He then asked me "how do you get righteousness?" I said by believing in Jesus". Now I can't explain this but it was like being blind then you can see... something happened I cried and cried. I then as always made sure what I just said was in the word of God and it is written.

See I see the sin I do every day (maybe not every da) yet He was showing me how He sees me. He sees Christ what Christ did and finished on the Cross and its finished. My Father sees me through Christ as holy pure and righteous not by anything I do. I as the word says "have been saved". As my brother Paul said by the sweet sweet holy Spirit its no longer I that sin but sin that is in me. I am.. I walk in I put on that new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. I can right now come boldly before my Father I am seated in heavenly places. That knew sprit God made I can not by some sin in this world or my some simple choice in this world walk away. See we only look at this moment God is not in stuck in time He sees all.. everything we did it ALL matters not just this one tiny moment in time. Its like salvation.. its not based on time. No we have no right to sin for we have been set free.

Anyway I like what on use to say for he home now "don't believe me don't take my word for anything I just said here. You search you pray you find this out for your self". Love that to many times what we say sounds like were all for Christ ..a truth but in the end whos really talking? Is it us telling others to see understand what we see? Or should we really be telling them to pray search for what HE started in you He will finish. So I disagree with some of the things you shared. I just hurt for those not strong in the fath that read this and now the enemy comes in and puts fear in them about how easy it seems you can fall not repent or stuck in some sin and any moment He will cut you off and toss you (forgive me Father) out. <---that is not true.. what I believe. So forgive me not here to offend. Thanks for sharing

Luke 9:23-26: And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."

Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"

Romans 2:6-8: He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Galatians 5:16-21: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 John 3:4-10: Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

**

This is just a small sampling of what the Scriptures teach regarding our salvation and eternal life with God. What you believe or what I believe, if we are believing what others are telling us or what we are deciding in our minds is true, then it doesn't matter for eternity, for what you or I decide in the flesh has no bearing on our eternal life. What I mean is that we can't make up our own gospel. What we do does matter and what the Scriptures teach does matter but we need to read those Scriptures in their context and we need to read the whole of what the New Testament teaches and then base our beliefs on what the whole of the New Testament teaches on salvation and eternal life. Here are some suggested Scriptures to read:

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 8:31-32,51; Jn 14:15-24; Jn 15:1-11; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Rom 11:17-24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 1 Co 15:2,58; 2 Co 5:10,15; 2 Co 9:8; Gal 5:6,16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Php 2:12-13; Col 1:9-23; 2 Thess 1:11-12; 2 Tim 1:8-9; 2 Tim 2:10-21; Tit 2:11-14; Tit 3:8; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 5:9; Heb 9:28; Heb 10:26-27; Heb 12:1-2; Jas 1:21-25; Jas 2:17; 1 Pet 1:1-5, 17-21; 1 Pet 2:24; 2 Pet 1:1-11; 2 Pet 2:20-22; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Jn 5:2-3; Rev. 2-3; Rev 18:1-6; Rev 21:8, 27; Rev 22:14-15]