FRUIT BEARING

One of the ongoing themes in my heart for years has been the issue of fruitfulness. This has been more than a theme but also a guiding principle. If something is not working, not producing or not bearing fruit then that thing should cease. I believe this to be one of the strongest and most logical teachings of Jesus. He used productivity as his standard for most issues. He never used talk, form, ritual, knowledge, or tradition as a standard, but brings all things to the measurement of fruitfulness. Even in the closeness of abiding in Jesus and clinging to him as the Vine, He said, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2).

He added, “The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the Vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me’ (v.7). The idea ends with ‘apart from me you can do nothing’ (v.5) and the conclusion is a staggering statement, “By this is my father glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (v.8). Fruit is always, and the only, evidence.

“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.” Jesus