Living As God’s People
Contents
The character of God’s people – the Beatitudes
We are to be led by the Holy Spirit
We are to be the salt of the earth and light in the world
As we saw previously God has, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, saved us from both the penalty and power of sin, given us new life and made us His people. As His people God has:
Blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him (Ephesians 1:3,4).
God has made our life and source of spiritual power in Christ Himself. He has placed us in Christ:
And raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6).
The significance and greatness of God’s power working in us cannot be over estimated:
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us (Ephesians 3:20).
And as Peter also encourages us, by God’s power we can live as He intended:
Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust (2 Peter 1:3,4).
Renewing Our Minds
Therefore we have every encouragement to be able to live as God intends, through His power. Though the power of sin has been conquered and we have Christ’s life within us, we are to put on and live out of the new self. How can we do this? It is our thinking which first needs to change:
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).
And in Ephesians we read:
That, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Ephesians 4:22-24).
But this does not happen without a battle:
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4,5).
As God’s people we grow in Christ, through faith in him, by His power, as we lay aside the old self, renew our mind and put on the new self – Christ (Romans 13:14). But it is in our mind that the battle is fought and won. It is our thoughts that first need to be bought into obedience. Through the Scriptures and the guidance of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us we can renew our minds:
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace (Romans 8:5-6).
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
You may ask: “But how can I control my thoughts?” When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He responded to every temptation with God’s word: “It is written…” (Matthew 4: 1-11). It is not sufficient to just repel a sinful thought. Counteract that thought from God’s word (as Jesus did), speaking it out loud if need be. We fill our minds with God’s word by reading or listening to the Bible, through teaching, fellowship with other Christians, prayer and spiritual music. Be prepared to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ in all things, including activities such as entertainment and recreational pursuits which may seem harmless but compete for our affection and mind’s attention. Through the power and presence of Christ we can overcome all such temptations.
Just as a baby learns to feed, talk and walk so we, when born again, need to feed (on the word of God), talk (the language of the Kingdom) and walk (think and act) in God’s ways. It’s learning a whole new way of life.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7).
Throughout the Bible we told to ‘fear God‘ or ‘fear the Lord‘. But what does it mean to fear God and why do we need to?
First to fear God doesn’t mean to have a dread-like fear that at any moment God will punish us for some perceived misbehaviour on our part. Rather, as in the Psalms we are told:
Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways (Psalm 128:1).
Blessed here means to be content and at peace. Those who have a healthy fear of God will have a humble and deep respect for his authority, to live His way and obey Him.
Just as we live in this world we know that respect for and obedience to our governing authorities is right and necessary for a peaceful and just society. We know that to disobey the laws given by legitimate authority will result in penalty, to our sorrow. Those who have no fear of authority are inevitably people who do wrong.
Therefore a healthy fear of God is foundational to a true knowledge of God. It is said to be the beginning of wisdom and knowledge, clean, enduring forever and by it we avoid evil (Psalm 19:9, Proverbs 16:6).
God told Jeremiah why His people should fear Him:
They shall be My people, and I will be their God and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me (Jeremiah 32:38-40).
Israel were to fear God so they would not turn away Him. As people of the new covenant it might seem contradictory that having received God’s grace and kindness we should need to fear Him. Nor should we replace fear of with reverence for God. While we should revere God, it is not the same as fear God. A healthy fear of God is a mark of a disciple of Jesus. Jesus told us to fear God:
I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4,5)
We should note that this warning, and most of the other warnings Jesus made about hell (called Gehenna in the original Greek), a place of darkness and conscious everlasting torment, were made to his disciples – those who believed in Him. We may find it difficult to accept this, because we think it is inconsistent with God’s love. Yet Jesus, who told us about God’s love and salvation, taught us most of what the Bible has to say on hell.
He gave a solemn warning of the seriousness of sin:
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire. If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell (Matthew 18:8,9).
Though ‘cut off‘ and ‘pluck out‘ were not meant to be taken literally (since the source of sin is in our heart, not our body) these words never the less convey to us the seriousness of sin and we must do whatever it takes to forsake it. It is better to lose what we value or take pleasure in here than lose our life for eternity.
As unpleasant the subject of hell is, we cannot ignore it, for if we ignore the warnings or think they only apply to unbelievers, we are in danger of becoming complacent about sin.
The Christians in Rome received a solemn warning not to be arrogant by thinking God would overlook sin in them which He would condemn in others. God’s judgement is impartial (Romans 2:1-11). We should take to heart both the severity and kindness of God (Romans 11:20-22).
Many times in the Psalms is the instruction to fear the Lord or simply fear Him. So if we have a healthy fear of God there is great reassurance: of his loving-kindness and compassion (Psalm 103: 11-17). The early church had a healthy fear of God for they were ‘going on in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit‘ (Acts 9:31).
Yet it is love for God that should ultimately motivate us to serve and obey Him, not fear, since it is the love of Christ that controls us (2 Corinthians 5:14). As we grow in Christ, through His Spirit within us, love should be our primary motivation as we shall learn later.
As God’s people what type of people should we be? In a word we should be like Jesus.
The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked (1 John 2:6).
Throughout the Bible we are encouraged, having been saved and received new life, to be loving, humble, forgiving, merciful, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, righteous, faithful, gentle and self-controlled. Jesus used imagery of the natural world to illustrate what we are to be – salt of the earth, light in the world, branches of a vine which bear fruit, good soil which produces a crop, sheep who follow the shepherd and our body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
It is God’s intention we show all these qualities, the fruit of Christ’s Spirit in us. Yet He works in each of us uniquely to accomplish His purpose for His glory. This is true also for different cultures and times.
In this next section some of these qualities will be explored in more detail beginning with Jesus’ teaching from what is known as the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 to 7).
The Beatitudes
In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His disciples the priority of inner character over outward conduct. It is what we are that will determine what we do. He began teaching his disciples by giving eight characteristics of citizens of God’s kingdom, known as the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). They fly in the face of human nature and run counter to what the world aspires to. They are not characteristics the world sees as keys to success and happiness. The world often portrays God’s way as repressive and joyless. Yet Jesus says those who bear these qualities are blessed, happy, fortunate prepared for His kingdom. Jesus didn’t just teach these qualities but came and died to save us so we could live them.
1. Poverty of spirit
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (v 3).
The LORD is near to the broken hearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).
Poverty of spirit arises when circumstances bring us to the point of seeing no way out and no hope. It could be poverty of means, ill health or a broken relationship which breaks our heart and crushes our spirit. Human nature sees poverty of spirit as something to be avoided, yet it is a condition which enables God to reach us. When someone is destitute in spirit, their only hope, comfort and strength is in God. When we are humble and recognise that we have nothing to offer God except our trust and obedience, when we are broken and even despair of life we become ready vessels for God’s Spirit. Such people are potential citizens of the kingdom of God.
Luke’s account (6:20) says “Blessed are you poor…” and it is true that that those who have least in worldly possessions are those who are more likely to embrace the gospel of Christ.
2. Sorrow
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (v 4).
When we mourn for our failings before God, He can reach us, forgive us and comfort us. Mourning over our sin is more than feeling sorry because we fear punishment. Like the prodigal son of Luke 15, we must grieve because we have sinned against a holy God and are unworthy of Him. As we mourn over the death of a loved one so we should mourn, first over our own sinfulness and secondly for the lost – those in spiritual death.
Those who mourn are sensitive to the sorrows of others, weeping with those who weep and grieving over others losses. Jesus wept over Jerusalem and Peter wept after denying Jesus. Paul wept over those who had believed but then walked as enemies of the cross (Philippians 3:18) and mourned for those living a sinful life (2 Cor 12:21). God promises that though we experience sorrow in this life there will be a day when He wipes away every tear (Revelation 21:4).
3. Gentleness (or meekness)
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth (v 5).
The gentleness Jesus refers to is not outward conduct but an inner spiritual quality. Such people are not self-assertive, but are aware of their own weakness and dependence on God. Like humility, gentle people do not assert their own will on others, act aggressively or take revenge, but rather give encouragement.
As Paul encourages us:
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12).
Humility is an essential quality which we also need to have. It complements gentleness. While gentleness is shown in how we treat others, humility is shown in how we see ourselves – first before God and secondly before others.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time (1 Peter 5:6).
But to this one I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word (Isaiah 66:2).
Humility is the opposite of pride. Pride is deeply offensive to God – and the original sin of Satan. Pride seeks to assert its own will over others and before God in the pursuit of self-importance. Jesus on the other hand taught that to be great in God’s eyes we must humble ourselves:
If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all (Mark 9:35).
Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:4).
To be child-like (not childish) is to have a humble attitude, willing to learn, admit our mistakes and change our ways. Such are the qualities of a child of God which is why Jesus showed such love and respect for children (Matthew 18:1-6). A child-like attitude is not just desirable but necessary:
Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it (Mark 10:15).
We are encouraged to maintain a humble attitude:
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:3-5).
Those of us who teach and exercise authority within the church must do so with humility, as a servant, not enforcing it over others as in the world. Authority is maintained by submission, not force.
Without humility we will want our own way rather than God’s and without humility towards our brothers and sisters in Christ we will inevitably find conflict and antagonism.
4. A hunger and thirst for righteousness
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (v 6).
As food and water are the natural need and desire of our body, so righteousness – being and living right before God – should be the earnest need and desire of our soul and spirit, a desire motivated by spiritual hunger and thirst, not fear of punishment. God promises that this desire will be satisfied – in Christ.
Jesus taught us that our first priority should be to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, a priority over and above the desires of life in this world. If we do this God will provide for our natural needs:
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you (Matthew 6:33).
5. Mercy
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy (v 7).
Mercy is showing undeserved kindness to those who sin against us. We are to be merciful because God has shown mercy to us.
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (Luke 6:35,36).
To others who struggle with sin show mercy but without compromising truth.
And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh (Jude 22,23).
If we show mercy we will receive mercy.
6. Purity of heart
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (v 8).
Jesus emphasised that it was the condition of our heart – where our true moral nature resides – that counted in the eyes of God. He castigated the Pharisees for their inner unrighteousness and hypocrisy though they gave every appearance of being holy and righteous people. As David says:
Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? and who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalm 24:3-5).
Being pure in heart is to have a heart free of moral impurity. It is not just appearing to do what is right, the intent of our heart must be right also, according to God’s standard. How can we have a pure heart? Only through a heart and conscience made clean through the blood of Christ (Hebrews 10:22) and we keep our heart and conscience pure by choosing to live God’s way.
7. Making peace
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (v 9).
A peacemaker does not seek conflict but neither is he a pacifist or one who avoids conflict and makes peace at any cost. A peacemaker is not someone who wants to argue but someone who seeks, as far as it depends on him, to make peace. When someone goads you don’t follow his lead but rather try to calm the situation, without compromising the truth. Don’t return evil with evil. A peacemaker does not seek revenge when wronged, but rather works for the other’s good.
So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another (Romans 14:19).
Jealousy and selfish ambition lead to conflict and disorder but when love is practised peace is made.
Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you (2 Corinthians 13:11).
As God has made peace with us so we are to make peace with each other.
8. Enduring persecution for righteousness sake
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (v 10,11).
Suffering for righteousness and for Christ’s sake is not what anyone would naturally want, yet Jesus says such are blessed. Further it is something we ought to expect:
For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake (Philippians 1:29)
and
Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).
Peter also forewarned and encourages us with these words:
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you (1 Peter 4:12-14).
Are we prepared to bear the world’s ridicule and hate, the loss in this world of all we hold dear for the sake of Christ and the glory to come? Across this world persecution, suffering and loss are being endured by our brothers and sisters in Christ on a daily basis. They just don’t know about persecution: they are living in it.
Responding to suffering
It is not just enduring suffering but how we respond to suffering that is crucial:
For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favour with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:20-23).
Therefore, like Jesus, patiently endure suffering and persecution without retaliation and leave judgement to God.
We cannot do these things in our own strength
When Jesus taught these words it must have produced despair in the hearts of His hearers. How can I live up to this standard? Many have endeavoured to live as Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount, only to fail miserably. In our own strength it is impossible to consistently live these eight qualities, but the good news is: in Christ we can. As Paul says:
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20).
And:
My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you (Galatians 4:19 ESV).
Through the cross the power of our sin nature has been broken and through resurrection of Christ we receive His life in us. Therefore it is Jesus Himself who is the source of our strength to live the way He taught us. But how is Christ’s life revealed in us? This is the next subject to be considered.
If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his soul will lose it, but whoever loses his soul for My sake, he is the one who will save it (Luke 9:23,24).
Through the cross of Christ we have died to sin and received new life but unless we deny ourselves the fruit of Christ’s life will not be produced in us. Taking up our cross is not unavoidable trial but the daily choice of God’s will over our own. It means renouncing control of our own life and placing it in the hands of Jesus. It means putting off the old self and putting on the new self created by God (Ephesians 4:22-24). There will be times when God will ask us to do something we don’t want to do. At such times we cannot trust our own strength, wisdom and ability. These will be obstacles unless we submit them to God.
And He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Denying ourselves to follow Christ will mean the end of self-importance, self-righteousness, self-dependence, self-vindication, self-pity and our own wisdom.
Such choices can be difficult. It could mean choosing a life of humble service for the sake of others over a well-paid and highly regarded career. Even Christian ministry can be a hindrance in following Christ if we love our position in the church more than the people of the church. Will we be content just to be a servant whose praise is from God?
Following Jesus will at times be personally painful and may cost our time and resources, health, recreation, sleep and even our families. It is contrary to human nature and will always be inconvenient. Whatever would hinder our following Jesus we must put aside. As the writer to the Hebrews encourages us:
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross (Hebrews 12:1,2).
A word of caution is needed here. Denying self and following Christ does not mean we can throw off our responsibilities in this world towards those closest to us and pursue a ministry of our choice. Such a choice could in fact be motivated by selfishness not the leading of the Holy Spirit. Serving Christ cannot be an excuse to not love our neighbour – especially our husband or wife and members of our own family.
We Are To Be Led By the Holy Spirit
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans 8:14).
Being led by and walking by the Spirit of God is for all who believe in Jesus. It distinguishes those who are God’s children from those who are not. As Paul tells us:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
As Christians we don’t just obey a set of rules, but are to be motivated by God’s Spirit living in our heart. This is the essential difference between the Old and New Covenants:
Being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3).
How are we ‘led by the Spirit‘? Only through salvation in Christ with God’s Spirit dwelling in us and with a renewed mind can we be led by the Holy Spirit, discern and know God’s will. The Holy Spirit leads us, not forces us to follow which is why learning to listen to his voice is so important. Seven times in the book of Revelation Jesus says ’He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches‘. Throughout the book of Acts it was the Holy Spirit who spoke to and guided the church and individuals.
As sons of God we learn to hear the Holy Spirit as we spend time listening, through prayer, reading, meditating and applying God’s word – the Bible. Understanding God’s word comes through spiritual enlightenment, by the Holy Spirit, not human reasoning alone:
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned (2 Corinthians 2:12-14 ESV).
Both the Word (the Bible) and the guidance of the Spirit are needed. For what we discern inwardly from the Spirit must be in harmony with what we read in the Bible. If we don’t read and know what the Scriptures teach how will we be able to test those inner feelings whether they are from God or not? Many have gone astray through inner perceptions believed to be of the Holy Spirit but were not tested. The leading of the Spirit will never contradict what is written in the Bible.
Jesus taught many spiritual principles through parables, because only by the Holy Spirit could they truly be understood (Luke 8:10). He also used examples from the natural world to illustrate what we to be and what we are to do while in this world. This will be explored next.
We Are To Be the Salt of the Earth
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men (Matthew 5:13).
What did Jesus mean by saying we were to be the salt of the earth? Salt was, and is, used primarily as a seasoning. It adds flavour to food. Its presence is distinctly noticed and though small in amount its influence is great. So it is with us as we live in this world. People should notice that we are distinctly different by our behaviour. We are, as it were, the taste of God on Earth. We might be a minority in our community but our influence should be for good. Are we noticeably different by showing love, joy, peace – the fruit of the Spirit? However, Jesus warned if we become tasteless, that is if we are no different in our behaviour and an influence for good to those in the world, we are no longer of any use and will be discarded. This is a sobering prospect.
We Are To Be Light in the World
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).
Jesus is the light of the world and we show His light through good works such as love, kindness, mercy, hospitality and compassion to others but most of all to our brothers and sisters in Christ. We show light through moral purity. But we cannot be light in the world if we live with hypocrisy or retreat to exclusive Christian communities and have little or no interaction with those outside. Light exposes darkness and so it is essential that if we are to be light in the world there be no darkness (sin) in us:
So that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15).
To be salt and light in this world and show the life of Christ within us, we must be uncompromising, consistent and not hypocritical by speaking and behaving differently when we are in the company of those outside the church.
Jesus spoke of us as being trees, branches and soil which produce good fruit.
So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Mt 7:17-19).
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. 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. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
My Father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples (John 15:1-4, 8).
This fruit is the moral character of Christ and comes as we grow in Him. A branch of a vine cannot bear fruit unless it is connected to the vine. In the same way it is only through our union with Christ that we bear this fruit. It is not of ourselves. Yet growth takes time, and just as we don’t expect certain behaviour of a baby or toddler because of their inability, lack of knowledge and inexperience compared to an older child, so it is with us before God.
Jesus said that those who bear fruit will be pruned so as to bear more fruit. This means that we will experience times of trial in our life but it is through these trials God removes that which hinders our growth and bearing fruit.
This fruit is not knowledge or great spiritual gifts. Knowledge is needed, study is good and spiritual gifts are needed but as Paul says they can be a cause for pride (1 Corinthians 8:1). Unless the knowledge and gifts we have bring about greater humility and produce the fruit of the Spirit, the foremost of which is love, they are in vain (1 Corinthians 13:2).
The Parable of the Sower
In the parable of the sower Jesus says:
But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:15).
This parable tells of two soils which do not bear fruit, though there was a period of time when the seed had germinated and grown. It is a parable about how the state of our heart impacts whether we bear fruit or not. People typified by the rocky soil have a shallow heart. They hear and receive the gospel, rejoice in God’s grace and kindness but lack depth. They believe for a time but in a time hardship or testing fall away. Those typified by the seed among thorns have a divided heart. They hear the gospel but do not bear mature fruit because their love and concern for the things of this world impedes the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. It is those with an honest, pure and good heart, who keep God’s word through the trials of life, who will bear fruit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22,23).
We should ask ourselves: “Am I growing in each of these – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?” If we don’t know and have grown in love, joy and peace since coming to Christ there is a problem which must be addressed. Is there unrepented sin? Perhaps, as in the parable of the sower, our faith is shallow or our heart more consumed with things of this life rather than the kingdom of God?
In whatever circumstances we find ourselves, even in prison for our faith in Christ, there is no law of man, either civil or in the Church that can prevent us bearing the fruit of the Spirit. God uses times of trial to produce in us godly character – fruit (Romans 5:3-4).
How do we bear this fruit? Only in Jesus. A branch cannot bear fruit separate from the vine and a light globe cannot give light of itself but connected to a power source it can. In the same way, we cannot bear fruit unless we remain spiritually connected to Jesus. He said we are to abide or remain in Him, as a branch in the vine. It is His life which gives us true life. It is His life and indwelling spirit which enables us to bear fruit (John 15:5,6).
How do we abide or remain in Christ and be spiritually connected to Him?
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23).
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love (John 15:10).
Here we have the amazing promise that God the Father will love us, and with Jesus, dwell with us spiritually if we love Him. And we love Jesus through keeping His word, that is doing what He has asked us to do, confessing Him, remaining faithful and loving our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Put off the old and put on the new
Bearing fruit will mean putting off old habits and putting on the new. Growing in Christ will be an on-going, life-long process as we, in faith submit our will to God’s.
As Paul instructs us:
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.
But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:5-14 ESV).
We should note a few things from this passage. First Paul assumes we have repented of our old way to live the new way (have put off, v 9 and have put on the new, v 10). Next he says we are being renewed. This is Christ’s ongoing work in us. We are told to put to death our old sinful deeds (v 8 and 9) and to put on the new (v10, 11 and 12).
The fruit of God’s Spirit will be revealed in our relationships with others. This is especially true in the home, in our marriages, with our children or with our parents. Husbands – how do you react to a critical wife? Wives – how do you react to a husband who seems indifferent to your needs? In the work-place too – how do we shape up when pressured by a domineering supervisor? While we may appear pious to Christian friends, our true nature is inevitably revealed in the eyes of those closest to us. Are we showing the fruit of the Spirit to them?