Known by our Fruit

As a Christian, Christ is our Lifesource (Jn. 15:1)

He is our connection to the Father

He is the source of our spiritual nutrition

He is the source of the fruit in our lives

There is no “third category” (Jn. 15:2-6)

There are branches which remain on the vine and bear fruit

These branches are constantly drawing nutrients from the vine

As a result, they bear fruit

They are pruned so that they will bear more fruit

And there are branches which do not remain on the vine and do not bear fruit

Because they are not part of the vine, they cannot draw water and nutrients

As a result, they bear no fruit

Thus, they are gathered up, and burned

There is no category for a branch which remains on the vine but does not bear fruit

The idea of a person who is a genuine Christian but does not produce fruit is completely foreign to the Bible

Jesus says if a branch is a part of the true vine, it will bear fruit; and if it does not bear fruit, then it is not part of the true vine

James says the same thing about faith and works

James 2:14–18 ESV

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Paul also talks about the “fruit of the Spirit”

Galatians 5:22–24 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The Parable of the Forgetful Sower

There were three gardeners who planted seed in their garden.

The first planted a seed and is certain that he planted a tomato vine.

He can produce papers showing where he planted each seed, and what kind they were.

But, when the vine grows, it produces thorns and never produces tomatoes.

Yet, he insists that he planted a tomato plant, despite the evidence.

Another plants a seed, but forgets what he has planted.

He thought he had written it down on a planter stick, but over time the wind, rain, and sun bleached the paper and he can’t tell what it says anymore. He even forgets when he planted it!

But he faithfully waters it and fertilizes it, and in time, a healthy vine grows up, full of juicy, red tomatoes.

The first gardener is like the person who has a dramatic, emotional experience and is convinced that he is not a Christian.

He writes down the date in his Bible, gets baptized, and is sure that he’s now a believer.

But, over time, his life produces no fruit. No love, joy, or peace characterize his life. No desire to know God or make him known.

Yet, he deludes himself, pointing to his paper as proof positive that he is a believer.

The second is like the person whose conversion is accompanied with no fanfare. Perhaps he grew up in Church and doesn’t remember the exact date of his conversion.

But, his life is characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, and a hunger for God and his glory. He desires to know God and makes him known.

He has dry spells, but he is always pruned in those times and finds himself producing more fruit afterwards.

If he doubts his salvation, he need only look at the fruit in his life!

To those who will be baptized today: Don’t base your assurance of your salvation on what happens today. Rest your assurance of your salvation on the fruit your life produces. No amount of watering can produce fruit if the seed is not genuine.

Chosen for a purpose (Jn. 15:16)

We talk of “accepting Christ” or “Inviting Jesus into our heart,” and there is truth in those statements—we must accept the Spirit’s tugging on our heart to be saved; but, ultimately, this verse teaches that Jesus is the one who chose us, not the other way around.

Ephesians 1:3–6 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Our salvation is not about us! God chose us so that we might produce fruit and bring him glory.

Just as a tomato vine is not planted merely for its own sake, but for the fruit it produces, so you have been chosen not merely for your own sake, but so that your life would produce a fruit of righteousness and a harvest of souls.

Lord, help these new believers to remain rooted in you, drawing their sustenance, their living water, their bread of life, from you, the true vine. And I pray that, with time and nourishment, their lives would produce a fruit of righteousness: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I pray that within the fruit of their lives would be plentiful and abundant, and that as others see the fruit of their lives they would be drawn into a relationship with you. Just as fruit contains the seeds for a new fruit tree, so I pray that the fruit of their lives would contain the seeds of faith to produce a harvest of souls, to the praise and glory of your great name. Amen.