CHRISTIAN FRUITFULNESS
"From me is thy fruit found." - Hosea 14:8 (KJV)
Most of the time, spiritual matters have their meanings explained from natural perspectives or circumstances. In Jn chapter 15, the Lord Jesus referred to Himself as the "true Vine", and He called His disciples "branches". In this chapter, we have explained to us in clear terms the true meaning of the Christian faith. It is the life of God, represented by the Vine, flowing through us, the branches, with abundant fruit to show therefor. The truth is that the fruit of the branch is directly traceable to the vine. "From me is thy fruit found.", God says in Hosea 14:8 (KJV).
In the same way as the fruitfulness of the branch is in direct connection to the vine, so it is with our fruitfulness as Christians. By virtue of our union with Christ we bring forth fruit! Disconnect the union, the branch dies, and no fruit is produced (Jn 15:4-6). The Book of Galatians, chapter 5, verses 22 to 23 lists the Fruit of the Spirit.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" - Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV). Basically, the Fruit of the Spirit represents Christ-likeness. These are the character traits that are to be exhibited by His followers. Indeed, it's the desire of God that we be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Rom 8:29). God is pleased when the lives of people are being transformed into the image and character of Christ as they mature as His disciples. Christ is for us the Tree of Life and as His branches, we should bear fruit, looking and living like Him in all areas of our lives. The appellation "Christians" was first used on the disciples in the city of Antioch (Acts 11:26), obviously because their general disposition bore the semblance of Christ.
The christian that aims for true Christ-likeness and eventual fruitfulness in his christian walk should take Christ as his grand Example!
"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." - 1 John 2:6 (KJV). Such an one, among others, should strive to make Christian fellowship his priority (Heb 10:25); give himself to the Word of God (2 Cor 3:18; Col 3:16; Ps 119:9); and to prayer (Lk 18:1; Col 4:2; 1 Thess 5:17; Eph 6:18),
It should be pointed out that in the parable of the talents in Matt 25:14-30 those servants were not commended purely on their faithfulness but on the score of their fruitfulness. Have you realized that the wicked servant that buried his talent was actually faithful? The problem with him was that he wasn't fruitful and for this the Lord wasn't pleased with him. God desires both faithfulness and fruitfulness in His servants. Although it is required in servants that a man be found faithful (1 Cor 4:2), our call is one toward fruitfulness to the glory of God - Jn 15:8,16; Col 1:10. Jesus cursed the fig tree that wasn’t fruitful - Matt 21:19-21; Mk 11:12-14. Likewise, the Jews lost the kingdom because they were unfruitful - Matt 21:43.
Let's beware and let our lives therefore be geared towards being Christ-like and endeavoring to mature others in Christ. In God's perspective, this is true fruitfulness. Let's not forget that God watches out also for faithfulness!
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, I abide in You and daily, I walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, in Jesus name