Bearing Fruit 4

Fruit That Will Last

Part 4 - Being Made Clean By the Word

In John 15:1-2, Jesus says that He is the true vine and God is the vinedresser (Gardener), and He goes on to warn that any branch in Him that does not bear fruit, God takes away, and any branch that does bear fruit God prunes, so that they may bear more fruit. To understand how a branch in Jesus can bear no fruit and has to be taken away, we need to consider what the phrase “taken away” or “cut off in the NIV version” could mean. The Greek word ‘airo’ means to ‘lift up.’ For example, a branch may have fallen to the ground, overwhelmed with insects, and unable to bear fruit, so God lifts the branch off the ground like He usually does when we fall.

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

We could also see that some who are not bearing fruit yet are connected to Jesus are false believers or false prophets. Jesus knows that some are false believers, performing great signs and wonders in the body of Christ. (Matthew 24:24). They were probably not connected to Jesus in the first place, which is why they could not bear any fruit for Jesus. God knows His children, and those who are His elect will not be fooled by great signs and wonders from false teachers, even if they are tortured.

Matthew 24:24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

There are some, however, that are bearing fruit with ungodly motives. They should be mentioned in another section since we are dealing with those who do not bear fruit, but I thought it would be interesting to see how Paul addresses them. Philippians 1:15-18 states that regardless of false or true motives if Christ is being preached, this is cause for rejoicing. As was said earlier, only God knows the heart of His children and whether those who claim to be His children have false or true motives.

Philippians 1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

The Word that Jesus spoke to you in John 15:3 is the Word of God. The Word of God can penetrate like a double-edged sword and remove any unclean thing from or between your soul, spirit, and body. The Word of God is a person because He is alive and knows and judges all your thoughts and the attitudes of your heart (Hebrews 4:12-13). We can believe that the Word of God is God Himself, and He knows all about you (John 1:1-4), whether you are clean or unclean, bearing or not bearing fruit, and either shining or not shining your light.

John 15:3 You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.