“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
The call of Christ to every believer is to a life of absolute dependence upon Him, so as to receive from Christ all that pertains to life and godliness. The true believer is a “receiver” of not only eternal Life, that very Life of Christ which IS eternal, but the different aspects of that life, to be revealed in and through the heart. Every saved believer has been born of the Spirit of God, and has been put into Christ’s body on this earth, the living church, with different gifts and calling, so that out of a communion with Christ, Christ’s life can be revealed in and through him. It is not a question of “doing” great things for God, for how could this be so since all things are possible to God without us? However, it is a question of abiding in Christ, who can do all things through the believer according to the will and purpose of God. This is why the Spirit of God was poured out at Pentecost, and the reason for which every believer has been anointed by the Spirit, having “received” the “onction” by the Spirit. By the Spirit the believer has been set apart from all unbelievers, for the Spirit of the Eternal Christ now resides in him, there to dwell, so that as faith is exercised in the Son of God, the presence of Christ is revealed, and the fruits of His life are manifested.
In Paul’s letter to the Galatian believers, he writes of two types of existence, to ways and means of living, which manifest themselves as “fruit” and “works.” He writes of the “fruits of the flesh,” which are those very visible manifestations of a disposition of heart and mind which have their origin in the sinful nature of man. These “fruits” are the revelation of ungodliness, that which is the natural manifestation of a rebellious nature against God and all that is of Christ. They have nothing to do with God and Christ, and certainly are NOT the manifestation of the presence of the Spirit of God. Paul then gives an entire list of these fruits in order to reveal what is not of God. (Gal. 5:19-21) After this, he then writes of the “the fruit of the Spirit,” the specific manifestations and unveiling of the very Life of Christ by the Spirit in the heart. He begins his list by speaking of Love, Joy, and Peace. Each of these attributes of Christ, revealed by the Spirit are not of this world, neither in their origin, nor in their essence or nature. They are unique to God alone. They are revealed in the life of one who is born by the Spirit, and who walks with Christ in communion with Him. It must be said at this point that it is possible to not show forth these fruits of the Spirit for a time if one is not walking by faith in Christ, obedient to Him, and responsive to the leading of the Spirit. These fruits of the Spirit are only known by the believer who lives in fellowship with Christ. This is why the Apostle John wrote: “That which we have seen and heard we declare unto you that you also may have FELLOWSHIP with us; and truly our FELLOWSHIP is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (1 Jn. 1:3) True fruit, the very fruit of Christ’s life in the believer by the Spirit, is only revealed in and through the life of one who walks in fellowship with God, abundantly revealed in the body of Christ with other believers who walk in fellowship with God.
What then is key to fruitfulness? The Lord Jesus said it was the matter of abiding in Him, being absolutely dependent upon Him, living in communion with, and walking by the Spirit. God reveals Himself through the life in response to obedient faith.
Dear Father, Teach us to abide. In Jesus’ name, Amen.