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Bearing Fruit Of The Kingdom

I exist the vine, you the branches, the one abiding in me and I also in him bears much fruit, because apart from me powerless to do anything.*  

The gospel is proclaimed and bears fruit, "of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bearing fruit,"* But what is this fruit of the gospel? The fruit deals with the idea of consecration, in which we present the body a living sacrifice unto holiness. This is why Christ came with a ministry of reconciliation, "in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven."* The gospel bears fruit of growth, of maturity, and we see a warning here, if we abide, continue, not shifting from faith. 

In no way, all the ones born of God yields sin, because God's seed abides in him and not sinning because born of God.*

The word yields, poieō, in this verse is often translated as to do, make, but this word also means to bear, as trees, yield, produce. To do, make, yield, bear are related to the concept of growth and the parable of sowing. This concept of yielding fits with scripture in regards to bearing fruit. Jesus said in context of recognizing falsehood in regards to those who claim to be mature in Christ, "by their fruit you shall know them, gathering grapes from thorn bushes either figs from thistles? In this way all good trees yield beautiful fruit, but bad trees yield evil fruit"* The devil is the father of lies, and he masquerades as light, thus he is master of manipulation, of schemes, deceit, and falsehood. Judge them by their fruit.

All branches in me bearing no fruit he severs off and all bearing fruit pruning so they bear much fruit.*

Can one be a branch connected to the Vine then be removed, cut off, severed from Christ? Other scriptures would lead us to the idea if someone falls away they were never true to begin with. But Jesus says the branch "in me" that bears no fruit will be cut off which implies they were connected. We could take this as implication to Israel of the flesh at the time who rejected Him. This fits with what Paul writes, the natural branches were broken off because of unbelief.* But Paul also writes God was severe to the ones broken off and kind to those connected with the condition of them continuing.*We can debate what this means but really in regards to salvation and making sure of our calling we all have to bear our own load, not resting in good works nor on what a minister says, but in having revelation in knowledge of the truth.

do you not know that the Pharisees were offended hearing what you said, and he answered saying 'every plant whom my heavenly father did not plant will be rooted up...'*

In regards to the branch being cut off possibly Jesus is referring to the Jews who rejected Him. They claimed to follow Moses but did not obey his words either, breaking the commandment of God for traditions and doctrines of men, they were hypocrites who nullified the word of God for their traditions.* They lived to laws and regulations, they tithed ten percent of everything but did not bear fruit worthy of God. Jesus said to them, "the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits."* Jesus, the Son of God came among men and they received Him not, surely they are branches that do not abide in the vine. But then Jesus said those "in me" that do not bear fruit will be cut off. Paul writes the natural branches, the Jew of the flesh are broken off because of unbelief, it is severity for them but kindness for us, if we continue in His kindness.* Paul also writes of growth being the primary purpose of the church and how there needs to be an earnest focus on it in the church.* If one soaks up the rain, the things pertaining to children like enlightenment in word and being partakers of the Spirit, but do not yield a worthy crop but only thorns and thistles, what use is it, but cursed and fated to be burned.*
  
If anyone doesn't abide in me, like as a branch thrown away and withered; gathered and thrown into the fire and burned.*

Traditions of serving, tithing, and giving nullify the word of God when they take the place of abiding and growth. The parable of sowing states only the mature plants bear fruit, some thirty, sixty, and hundred fold. Jesus said the branch not abiding is severed or cut off, which are very strong words. John writes those born of God do not sin.* Strong words from John also. Surely, there is a line drawn in the sand when it is time to grow up. God's seed planted in them, grows up to bear fruit, they are born of God. What fruit do they bear? fruit of righteousness. We have more insight into what it means to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, as it is about growth, bearing fruit of righteousness. Surely we can't escape these words because we tithe and offer God money when God desires for us to bear fruit worthy of repentance. Paul writes those who were enlightened in the Spirit who went back to works of the law, like the church of Galatia, sever themselves from Christ, again strong words.

In this way the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed, all the ones not yielding righteousness exist not from God and the one not loving his brother.*

John draws a line in the sand, over here are God's children, over there the devil's children, which side are you own? There is a time to be a child and a time to grow up. If this verse said "all the ones not sinning" then we would need to distinguish children based upon not sinning once nor twice nor seventy times seven but not at all. But this doesn't fit with scripture. Jesus said the ones bearing fruit have branches that are pruned, meaning there are still areas we need to bear fruit. Paul writes, not that he had achieved perfection but he presses on to the mark of the high calling of God. I am either called to run this race or not, if I fall back maybe I am not called or maybe the test were I did not endure proved I am still a child? It is a blessing to be established, rooted and grounded, this one will endure the weeds to bear fruit. There is a difference between imperfection and hypocrisy, which is putting on a mask pretending. John writes that Jesus is our advocate when we do sin and if we say we are without sin we do not practice truth. So we see, poieō, as "doing" in this verse doesn't make sense but it does as yielding, within the concept of growth, of bringing forth fruit. The true child of God like a mustard seed will grow up and tower above the weeds, the deceit of riches, cares of this world, and persecution.

let both grow together until harvest and at harvest time tell the harvesters, first gather the weeds and bind them into bundles to be burned, then gather the wheat into my barn.*

There is a gathering and a sifting in the end times, the goats from the sheep, the grapes from the thorns. But the scriptures speak of a process of growth in which there is a fruit bearing season. A child knows the father and that his sins have been forgiven but a young person abides and since he abides in the vine he bears fruit, he overcomes the weeds. Jesus said we are to judge them by their fruit in regards to those who claim to be mature.* The teacher has nurtured the children and now when they should be eating meat he has to again feed them milk. In the end times the scriptures say they will raise up leaders that tickle their ears. I believe a great factor in determination of maturity, of enduring and overcoming is that children have been rooted and grounded, firmly established as a child. We are seeing more and more children who grew up in church fall away. Does this speak of a root problem or of a branch that is cut off? Obedience is fruit of the mature, it is a blessing to have a renewed mind that accepts the will of God as pleasing and perfect. 

you chose not, you did not choose me, but I chose you and set you so that you go and bear fruit and that your fruit abides...*

God chose me and set me, the word set meaning to place, set, lay, design, appoint, assign.* This speaks of being His workmanship prepared beforehand to walk in good works or to bear fruit. This is the difference of doing and being, being is yielding fruit. I am chosen to grow up to bear fruit, becoming like as the image of Jesus. We see there is a growth process, only a mature plant bears fruit and without deep roots a plant will not endure the weeds planted to choke him out. How can one judge the true seedling from what the devil planted among them? the wheat from the tare? judge them by their fruit, at fruit bearing season. There is a time to be a child and a time to grow up. And what if the plant doesn't bear fruit is it thrown into the fire? Jesus said every branch "in me" that doesn't bear fruit is cut off. It is like the servant in the parable of the talents who hides what he has received, who was given a measure but it did not increase. Are all men given a measure of faith and held accountable? Can someone lose their salvation, be a branch that is cut off? I will not say. I have experienced the choking of the weeds, and have seen the line in the sand, and I am blessed, having been established in the things beneficial to growth, deeply rooted, so to endure and bear fruit worthy of the kingdom of God. The praise of His glory.











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