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to "Living and Enjoying the Fruit of the Spirit" and the second part of "The Vine and the Branches"
By the "branches," Christ included all those who claim to be Christians, whether they really are or not. But what happens to show which branches are "sham Christians"? Any dead wood that just hangs on the vine and therefore has no life running through it, and of course no vital union with the vine, is taken away, "cast forth," "withered," and "burned" (15:6. It is as worthless as savorless salt (Matthew 5:13.) God has given us all free wills, so that it is up to us whether we shall "abide" in the Vine and be living branches, or be deadwood--dead in trespasses and sins. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, took upon Himself all the hideous sin of all mankind, and shed His blood to reconcile the holy God with sinful men. The Bible makes it clear that anyone who does not believe this is "dead in sins" (Ephesians 2:5). But God proved His love for us by sending His Son to die for us "while we were yet sinners" (Romans 5:8-11). How wonderful that we don't have to be "dead in sins" but can be quickened"--made alive--and have all our sins forgiven if we believe that Christ died to save us and ask Him to be our Savior! (Colossians 2:13; Romans 10:9, 10) If, as living branches, we "abide" in Christ, the Vine, we can bear fruit. We realize that the only way a vine in any vineyard can express itself in fruit is through its branches. Similarly, the only way Christ can let the world know what HE is like, is through obedient Christians who willingly let the Lord's power flow through their lives as freely as sap flows from the roots of a vine to its branches. Our memory verses remind us that we Christians need "purging" or pruning, in order that we may bear "fruit." Sometimes a branch bears nothing but leaves. It reminds us of the fig tree that Jesus cursed because it produced nothing but leaves--it bore no fruit (Mark 11:12-14). Jesus wants us to be more than showy foliage; He wants us to bear fruit, and, "more fruit", and "much fruit." Our characters can never become Christ-like until many selfish habits are pruned, or cut, from our lives. Our heavenly Father is the Husbandman who prunes us as He sees fit. But what is fruit? How can believers "bear fruit"? Let's read our Day Verse together. Notice it is not "fruits", but fruit-one well-rounded cluster of nine graces-that Christians are to bear. This "fruit" must not be confused with works we do to prove our faith, nor gifts or talents we are given. Bible "fruit" is our Christian character, our "Christ-likeness." What we do for Christ is not so important as how much we resemble Him. And we resemble Him. And we resemble Him in proportion as we want to abide in Him. To abide in the Vine is to have Christ's own powerful heavenly life flowing through us, thus enabling us to share it. Then we just can't help bearing fruit--being loving and joyous and peaceful, and everything else that He wants us Christians to be. Surely we'll all be looking forward to eagerness to our next lessons to find out more about the Christ-like character that we may have if we belong to Christ, the Vine, and are abiding branches in Him. Think of the privilege Christians have of belonging to God's family! Think of the further privilege of being able to share Christ's loveliness and strength and wisdom and power! Think of being able to radiate Christ's very life! Perhaps you've never before realized the great privilege Christians have who give themselves over completely to the Lord. We who love Christ--don't cultivate a fruitful character through any efforts of our own, but as we prayerfully let the Holy Spirit have His way with us, He will bear His own fruit and produce Christ-likeness in us. Let's pray now that these truths may become very real to us as we progress in our study of the fruit of the Spirit. To continue with
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