Bearing fruit

[InSpiritInTruth]

There are those who preach not bearing good fruit has nothing to do with salvation. But scripture warns over and over again about trees and branches that do not bear good fruit.

John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:10 “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Jesus said in Matthew 7:19 “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

So bearing good fruit sounds pretty important doesn’t it? Well some will claim they abide in Christ, and so they trust in his finished works, so what they do, or don’t do as it pertains to bearing fruit makes no difference to their salvation. But the words of Jesus also warns those who did once abide in Him for a time but did not endure and bear fruit, that these shall be taken away.

Notice Jesus says every branch "in Him" (showing they were once in Christ) that do not bear fruit shall be taken away…

John 15:1-6 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.[SUP]2 [/SUP]Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
[SUP]5 [/SUP]I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Notice Jesus said every branch that did abide (remain in Him) and He in them, the same will bring forth fruit. To abide in Christ is to abide in the Way He told us to walk, and to also abide in the Spirit and the Truth of the gospel message, which leads us to Eternal Life. But not abiding, or not remaining faithful in Christ by unbelief and being unfruitful can get you cut off from the Life of the Vine, and cast forth as a branch and burned. Here is proof…

Romans 11:19-22
[SUP]19 [/SUP]Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
[SUP]20 [/SUP]Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
[SUP]21 [/SUP]For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue (abide in) in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Now in the parable above in John 15:2 some will try to twist it’s true meaning and say the Father is not taking away those branches who do not bear fruit, but He is lifting them up to be embraced and nourished, as if God lifts up those who do not bear fruit. But I will prove this wrong by another verse of scripture and words of Jesus which speaks the same message.


First note the word usage "taketh away"G142 used(25X) in the KJV.....The KJV translates Strongs G142 in the following manner: take up (32x), take away (25x), take (25x), away with (5x), lift up (4x), bear (3x), miscellaneous (8x).

Notice the exact same message Jesus said in John 15:2 is spoken of again in the same way here in Matthew 13:12 and with the same words used “taken away”(G142)

[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 101"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 9%, bgcolor: transparent"]Mat 13:12[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away[SUP]G142[/SUP] even that he hath.” [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 9%, bgcolor: transparent"]Jhn 15:2[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away[SUP]G142[/SUP]: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 9%, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
​

 

[FreeNChrist]

It's about bearing fruit, not losing salvation.

 

[blue_ladybug]

Oh, brother.. ANOTHER thread about losing salvation? *sigh*

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Notice in John 15:6 “If a man abide not(remain) in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”

These are those who did not abide(remain) in Christ, which means they were once in Christ but fell away from the faith.

This is also shown here in....
Jude 1:12 “These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;”

Jesus explained in the parable of the sower that it was the condition of the ground (heart) and those who did not hear and understand that would not remain in Him and come to bear fruit, only those whom received His words in good ground, remained in the faith and understood God’s words.

Matthew 13:18-23 “Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.[SUP]19 [/SUP]When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
[SUP]20 [/SUP]But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;[SUP]21 [/SUP]Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: (abides for a while) for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

It's about bearing fruit, not losing salvation.

If you do not abide(remain) in Christ and bring forth good fruit you shall be cast away and burned in the fire, it has everything to do with salvation. The many warnings in scriptures and in the words of Jesus I posted are very clear.

 

[FreeNChrist]

If you do not abide(remain) in Christ and bring forth good fruit you shall be cast away and burned in the fire, it has everything to do with salvation. The many warnings in scriptures and in the words of Jesus I posted are very clear.

And when you see fire you see hell, but hell is not there either.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

I will agree with the op. Never bearing fruit is important.

It means you were never attached to the true vine.

so if you look back in your life, and you see no evidence of fruit bearing, You should wonder, Was I ever saved at all..

Other than that, It has no significance whatsoever.. because a true child of God, will bear fruit.. Maybe not a full tree overloaded with fruit so heavy the branches are falling over and near to breaking. But there will be some fruit

what one needs to be aware of, is your fruit real. or are you looking their and just seein a mirage, thinking you see fruit where there is not. This is what religion does, it gives you a false sence of security. You think there is fruit, when there is none.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

And when you see fire you see hell, but hell is not there either.

The fire is God's anger and wrath to be poured out on the children of hell. You are either a child of heaven, or a child of hell in the present, as the Kingdom and King dwells inside.

 

[FreeNChrist]

The fire is God's anger and wrath to be poured out on the children of hell. You are either a child of heaven, or a child of hell in the present, as the Kingdom and King dwells inside.

Thats why you think it's about salvation and not bearing fruit.

 

[Grace777x70]

I always ask myself 3 questions about truth or a teaching.

1) Does it make Jesus bigger in your heart when you see His work and majesty? ( Or does it bring fear and insecurity because you are not "doing" enough to stay saved? )

2) Does it make you depend on Jesus and His finished work? ( or does it depend on what you do and depend on yourself?)

3) Does it make you fall deeply in love with your Lord, our Father and with all people? (Or does it make you view others as accursed, hated by God...etc - even though He loves them so much He sent His Son to die for them )

If I can answer these questions in the affirmative - then it is the good news of the grace of Christ.

We can view scriptures through the lens of the Old Covenant and then try to mix in a little of the New Covenant and we end up in mess of "working to maintain" our own righteousness for going to heaven. When ever we don't factor in the finished work of Christ nor the real purpose for Jesus dying for us - the fact that God loves us dearly and He is not looking for ways to keep people from Him - we will end up in error as we are mixing up the covenants.

Bearing fruit stems from the life of Christ in us. He is the Vine we are the branches. The branch does not produce it's own fruit. It bears the life of the Vine.

The fruit of the Spirit being produced is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, goodness, faith and self-control. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit of God living in us - not a product of self-effort in the flesh. There are counterfeits of all these fruit that the flesh can try to generate but they are not from God.

There is good fruit and bad fruit of the flesh - but it is still flesh. Outwardly these are sometimes hard to discern. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil had both types of fruit on it. Don't eat from that tree.

Eat from the tree of life - Christ = who is inside of us wanting to bear His fruit in and through us to a hurt and dying world as well as to our fellow brethren. We are one with Him in the spirit.

Let's keep beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord and the Holy Spirit will transforms us outwardly to reflect our true nature in our new creations in Christ - created in righteousness and holiness.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Thats why you think it's about salvation and not bearing fruit.

Not sure how you got there from my comment.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Oh, brother.. ANOTHER thread about losing salvation? *sigh*

If you abide in Christ and bring forth good fruit you have nothing to fear, His peace will be in you. Those who fear are not yet made perfect in His love.

 

[gb9]

If you abide in Christ and bring forth good fruit you have nothing to fear, His peace will be in you. Those who fear are not yet made perfect in His love.

nope. if you BELIEVE you will be saved. John 3:16-19. also what Peter told the jailer in Acts 16- BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. the ( wrong ) way you put, it is up to you to keep you saved. no.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

nope. if you BELIEVE you will be saved. John 3:16-19. also what Peter told the jailer in Acts 16- BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. the ( wrong ) way you put, it is up to you to keep you saved. no.

I you read my OP you would see some would fall away from the faith and be broken off like branches because they did not abide in the faith=unbelief, which is not abiding in Christ (his goodness) The warning is shown here....

Romans 11:19-22
[SUP]19 [/SUP]Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
[SUP]20 [/SUP]Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
[SUP]21 [/SUP]For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue (abide in) in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

 

[InSpiritInTruth]

Another warning here about not bearing good fruit.....

Luke 13:1-9 "There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.[SUP]2 [/SUP]And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
[SUP]3 [/SUP]I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
[SUP]5 [/SUP]I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
[SUP]8 [/SUP]And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
[SUP]9 [/SUP]And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."

 

[BenFTW]

If you abide in Christ and bring forth good fruit you have nothing to fear, His peace will be in you. Those who fear are not yet made perfect in His love.

Jesus is my confidence, not myself. My assurance is not found in my actions but in God.

 

[FreeNChrist]

Not sure how you got there from my comment.

Like I said you see a fire and you think it means hell, it doesn't.

 

[FreeNChrist]

I you read my OP you would see some would fall away from the faith and be broken off like branches because they did not abide in the faith=unbelief, which is not abiding in Christ (his goodness) The warning is shown here....

Romans 11:19-22
[SUP]19 [/SUP]Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
[SUP]20 [/SUP]Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
[SUP]21 [/SUP]For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue (abide in) in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

You're putting together what doesn't go together.

 

[Grace777x70]

You're putting together what doesn't go together.

Yes..the truth in Romans 11 has nothing to do with bearing fruit. It's simply saying that the Gentiles were not to get proud because of the partial hardening of the Jews because if Gentiles don't believe in Christ ( The same way the Jews rejected Christ )..then Gentiles as a whole can be cut off because of unbelief.

It's merely contrasting two "groups" of people in the world - Jews and Gentiles.

Believers are in Christ and this does not apply to them. When ever we take a scripture out of it's context - that "text" will "con" you.

 

[redeemed2014]

There are those who preach not bearing good fruit has nothing to do with salvation. But scripture warns over and over again about trees and branches that do not bear good fruit.

John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:10 “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

Jesus said in Matthew 7:19 “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

So bearing good fruit sounds pretty important doesn’t it? Well some will claim they abide in Christ, and so they trust in his finished works, so what they do, or don’t do as it pertains to bearing fruit makes no difference to their salvation. But the words of Jesus also warns those who did once abide in Him for a time but did not endure and bear fruit, that these shall be taken away.

Notice Jesus says every branch "in Him" (showing they were once in Christ) that do not bear fruit shall be taken away…

John 15:1-6 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.[SUP]2 [/SUP]Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
[SUP]5 [/SUP]I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
[SUP]6 [/SUP]If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Notice Jesus said every branch that did abide (remain in Him) and He in them, the same will bring forth fruit. To abide in Christ is to abide in the Way He told us to walk, and to also abide in the Spirit and the Truth of the gospel message, which leads us to Eternal Life. But not abiding, or not remaining faithful in Christ by unbelief and being unfruitful can get you cut off from the Life of the Vine, and cast forth as a branch and burned. Here is proof…

Romans 11:19-22
[SUP]19 [/SUP]Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
[SUP]20 [/SUP]Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
[SUP]21 [/SUP]For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue (abide in) in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

Now in the parable above in John 15:2 some will try to twist it’s true meaning and say the Father is not taking away those branches who do not bear fruit, but He is lifting them up to be embraced and nourished, as if God lifts up those who do not bear fruit. But I will prove this wrong by another verse of scripture and words of Jesus which speaks the same message.


First note the word usage "taketh away"G142 used(25X) in the KJV.....The KJV translates Strongs G142 in the following manner: take up (32x), take away (25x), take (25x), away with (5x), lift up (4x), bear (3x), miscellaneous (8x).

Notice the exact same message Jesus said in John 15:2 is spoken of again in the same way here in Matthew 13:12 and with the same words used “taken away”(G142)

[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 101"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 9%, bgcolor: transparent"]Mat 13:12[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"]For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away[SUP]G142[/SUP] even that he hath.” [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 9%, bgcolor: transparent"]Jhn 15:2[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away[SUP]G142[/SUP]: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 9%, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
​

When the Lord talks about enduring to the end He is talking about the Jew going through the tribulation period, and not taking the mark of the beast or following and worshiping the antichrist. If you have a true salvation experience you are sealed with the holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Hard to understand, but hey our Lord is amazing). Once that has taken place the holy Spirit works in us, bearing good fruit. You cannot expect a new brother or sister who has recently received salvation to bear a lot of fruit, or compare your fruit with another brother or sister in Christ. Being that salvation is a growing experience your statements will lead younger Christians(not age) to go out and bear bad fruit (fruit of the flesh) so they can compare theirs with yours (pride). The only good fruit comes from the holy Spirit working in us for the edification of the Body.

God Bless,