“I am the Vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5
What is fruitfulness in the spiritual life but first of all that revelation of Christ’s life in and through the heart of the believer, and this by the Spirit of God? It is first and foremost the fruit of His life, and with regard to the measure of it, and one’s capacity given by God to bear fruit, it is the blessed expression of the nature of God. That which singularly characterizes this fruit is its source, and nature. It is of God, by God, for the glory of God. It is a gift of God, revealed by the working of the Spirit in the life, in response to faith. How then does this fruit come about by the Spirit? How does Almighty God communicate, and reveal Christ’s life, the fruit of His life being manifested, in and through the life in an ever-increasing way? And what is the alternative to a fruit-filled life?
There is no true fruit of Christ’s life in the life unless first of all the Spirit of God is there. Christ comes to dwell in the heart and soul of the believer at the moment of the new birth, or being born of the Spirit. From that moment, the believer is in living union with Christ, never to be separated, or severed from Him. He becomes a branch grafted into the true Vine, in a living union with Him. All that is IN Christ becomes his own, as he is now accepted before God the Father IN Christ. From the basis of this great truth and reality, the believer is called to live. It will be in the measure of communion with Christ, living rightly with God in accordance with this union, that the Spirit of God reveals the life of Christ, and the fruits of that life to the world. However, if by an attitude of unbelief, or disobedience, the believer ceases to trust wholly in Christ, then the Spirit ceases to reveal the blessing of Christ’s life in and through the life. Where fruitfulness should be the increasing, constant norm in the Christian’s life, fruitlessness becomes the experience. This is a serious matter, as the believer was brought to Christ in salvation, and by sanctification has been put in that place and attitude of fruitfulness, that he should be conformed into the image of Christ. The Lord Jesus affirms this by saying, “Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be My disciples.” (Jn. 15:8) Conformity to Christ by the bearing of much fruit, as revealed in part by His love, peace, and joy, is the realization of the perfect design and purpose of man, and salvation. But how does one abide? How can this be done in an ever-increasing measure, believing Christ to reveal His life in us by the Spirit?
The first thing is always worship, true worship of God in Spirit and truth. When Satan came to tempt the Lord Jesus in the wilderness, the Lord responded to him by declaring, “…thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt. 4:10) Worship is the great key to abiding, for in that place, attitude, and act of worship, Christ reveals Himself to the heart. The Psalmist would write that his great desire was, “to see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.” (63:2) Out of that vision, or perception of Christ according to the truths of Scripture, and made alive by the Spirit of God, faith is born to appropriate Christ. We see this in his following words, “…Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life.” If we would truly worship, then we must come to God trusting wholly in the Spirit of God to guide, and be willing to be transparent, honest with God in all things. This is to worship Christ in the light, and the truth.
Dear Father, Strengthen us to abide. In Jesus’ name, Amen.