The Gospel & Salvation: Salvation Produces A Fruitful Life

Salvation Produces A Fruitful Life

John 15:1-10

 Today I want to look at a passage that teaches us that salvation produces a fruitful life. What do we mean by a fruitful life? A fruitful life is a life producing the evidence of the work of God. Everything we have been looking at which is produced in the life of the true Christian falls under the heading of spiritual fruit. Obedience is produced. Sacrificial living is produced. Humility is produced. All of these things could be defined as spiritual fruit. The life of the person who has truly been transformed by the work of salvation will be a spiritually fruitful life.

Because our life in Christ is a spiritual life, having been produced by the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit of God, then the fruit of this life will be spiritual fruit. The person who has new life in Christ will produce spiritual fruit. The longer a person remains in this spiritual union with Christ, the more spiritual fruit that person’s life should manifest. The extent to which a follower of Christ is filled with the Spirit of Christ determines the extent to which spiritual fruit will be produced in that follower. All these realities are taught in the Scriptures and we could spend months on this aspect of our life in Christ. Today we will only scratch the surface.

I want to begin today in John 15. I want to read verses 1-10. I will only be able to hit the high points of this passage. As we read this passage I want you to pay special attention to the theme. There are two words that we find frequently. We find the word “abide” ten times in ten verses. The idea of bearing fruit is mentioned six times in these 10 verses directly and inferred at least one other time. Clearly, if we are looking for a passage that reveals for us the importance of producing spiritual fruit, this is the passage. If we want to understand what is necessary for the production of spiritual fruit in our lives, this is an important passage. Please stand together with me as we read these verses.

Why should we be concerned about the spiritual fruit in our lives? Does it really matter? Is spiritual fruit inevitably produced in one who has eternal life? Is there such thing as a fruitless Christian? Is it possible to be saved from our sin and inherit eternal life and never manifest outwardly the reality of such a marvelous spiritual work? I am convinced that the overwhelming evidence of Scripture should convince us that a fruitless life is a Christ-less life. There is no such thing as a true Christian whose life is fruitless. Where there is life there is growth. Growth is one of the evidences of the existence of life. Where there is no evidence of growth, there is no life.

In this passage Jesus describes the work of God the Father as that of a vinedresser. Jesus says in verse 2, “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.” God is working in your life, if you are a Christian, to cause you to bear more fruit. It is the production of fruit in our lives that bring glory to Him. We exist for His glory.

If there is a fruitless branch, God takes this branch away. Look at verse 6. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” When the Scriptures speak of fire and burning it always speaks of judgment. This is the clear indication of what happens to the fruitless life. It is fruitless because it does not truly abide in Christ. It does not bear fruit. Therefore it will be cast into the fire of judgment.

There should be great concern for the spiritual condition, not only for the one whose life does not bear spiritual fruit, but for the one whose life manifests no desire for the manifestation of spiritual fruit. Using another agricultural metaphor, Jesus, in Luke 13, tells a parable of a landowner who planted a fig tree in his vineyard and he came looking for fruit on the fig tree and did not find any. For three years he came looking for fruit without finding any. What did he tell the vineyard keeper to do? He said, “Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?” The vineyard keeper petitioned the landowner for one more year so he could cultivate the ground and put some fertilizer around the tree. The fig tree got one more year. The landowner was being patient and gracious.

However, in Matthew 21, there was a fig tree that Jesus passed by on one occasion and He was hungry. He went to that tree expecting to find figs but the tree was not fruitful. This tree was immediately cursed and died because it was not bearing fruit. In both parables there was judgment for unfruitfulness. Whether the judgment is delayed or immediate, unfruitfulness was condemned.

The vineyard owner in the parable in Luke 13 is God. The fig tree is often used as a symbol of the nation of Israel, as is the case in both stories about fig trees we just mentioned. The truth is simple to understand. God is looking for and expecting to find fruit in the lives of His people. God wanted Israel to be a fruitful nation. It was not, and it was judged. Now, we who are in Christ’s kingdom are the people of God. God wants us to be a fruitful people. God is working in us to make us a fruitful people.

Our passage in John 15 conveys a similar thought. God is the vine dresser. He is also the One examining the vine’s branches looking for fruit. The distinguishing characteristic that identifies the true child of God from the imposter is the fruit produced. Those who are taken away are apostate, false, empty, professing believers who never bear any fruit. They are like the tares sown among the wheat that are uprooted in the day of judgment and thrown into the fire. This is what Jesus said happens in verse 6. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.” This is a description of those who were never truly saved. The fruitless are fruitless because they do not abide in the Vine, Jesus Christ. They are superficially attached to the church through some empty profession, but they are not truly converted.

In another agricultural parable with which we are all very familiar, Jesus described the results of the sowing of seed on soils of various conditions. This parable is found in Luke 8. The seed sown is the word of God. The soils represent the different conditions of the hearts of men who receive the seed, or hear the word. Some hearts are hard, and the seed is plucked away by the evil one. Some hearts are shallow and the seed quickly withers because there is no firm root and they fall away in time of temptation. Some hearts are contaminated with weeds and thorns and the word is choked out by worries and riches and the pleasures of this life. One of four was good. One heart heard the word and was honest and good, and held the word fast, and bore fruit with perseverance. The idea of perseverance is that it continued to bear fruit, no matter what happened in life. It bore fruit to the end.

God’s desire and design is that our lives bear fruit and He is working to ensure that we bear much fruit. He is the Vinedresser pruning away the fruitless branches so that our lives are distinguishable from those that do not bear fruit. Verse 8 of John 15 tells us, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.”

The truth of Scripture is clear. God saves us for His own glory. He saves us that we might bear fruit, and it is in our fruit bearing, much fruit bearing, that God is glorified. I often say that the reason God allows us to draw the next breath into our lungs and continue to exist is so that we can bring glory to Him. We glorify Him by bearing much fruit.

So much of what we do here from this pulpit is sowing the seeds of God’s word so that it may fall on the good soil of your hearts and spring up and bear much fruit. This is consistent with the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Look at Colossians 1:1-12. The gospel is constantly bearing fruit. (v. 6) Paul’s  purpose in ministry was to fill the Colossian believers with knowledge of God’s will so they could walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all respect, and bearing fruit in every good work…” Listen, I want nothing more than to see you as a fruitful people, walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in all respects, and bearing fruit in every good work.

How do we do that? How do we bear fruit? By abiding in Christ. This is an important theme of John. It is emphasized in First John. John loved to teach this principle. The word simply means to “remain.” It carries the idea of dwelling or living. As John uses this word he is describing oneness of heart, mind, and will. To abide in Christ is to be one with Christ in heart, mind, and will.

Oneness of heart means we will love what Christ loves. This is reflected in His commandment to love one another as He has loved us. To be of one mind with Christ is to think as He thinks. How did Jesus think? He always thought biblically. To be of one mind with Christ is to have the word of God guiding our understanding of every situation or circumstance in life. To be of one will with Christ is to desire only to do the will of our Father in heaven. Abiding in Christ means we are one with Him, of the same heart, of the same thinking, of the same will.

Not all of the disciples with Christ at the time of this teaching were abiding in Christ. Jesus is teaching this truth of John 15 on the night of His arrest. He had just recently dismissed Judas to go and do what he was going to do, which was betray Jesus into the hands of the Jews. Judas was one who did not remain. He was a fruitless branch that was removed. Abiding or remaining in Christ is evidence that true conversion has taken place. If true conversion has taken place then fruit will be produced as a result of the new life in Christ.

This is what is stated by Jesus in verses 4-5, “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. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

If the follower of Christ is going to produce fruit, and the fruit of the Christian’s life is produced as a result of abiding in Christ, what will that fruit look like? If we are abiding in Christ and the fruit comes as a result of abiding in Him, then the fruit will be Christ-like fruit. Christ will manifest His life in and through the lives of those who abide in Him, and in whom He abides. This is what He said. “He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit. Because Christ abides in us, and we in Him, our lives will bear much fruit and that fruit will be consistent with the nature and character of the source. We will be known by our fruit. If we abide in Christ, and He abides in us, that fruit by which we are known will be the fruit of Christ. The fruit of Christ in us is Christlikeness.

So, what is this fruit? What does it look like? Does the Bible tell us exactly what it is? You know it does. Spiritual fruit consists of both actions and attitudes. Spiritual fruit shows up in conduct which is consistent with a Christ-like character. Since grapes do not grow on thorn bushes, and figs do not grow on thistles, genuine Christlikeness will not consistently flow from the one whose attitudes and character are fleshly, carnal, or worldly. This will begin with humility, the humility of Christ.

Jesus had demonstrated this humility on the very occasion when He taught this truth about abiding in Him. John 15 records the teaching of Jesus to His disciples on the night of His arrest. This evening started with the events of John 13. Jesus washed the disciple’s feet. Abiding in Jesus results in a willingness to serve one another, washing one another’s feet. It results in loving one another as Jesus loves us. It requires that we be filled with the Holy Spirit and sensitive to His work to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment, listening to Him as He teaches us the truth of God’s word. If you want to learn what spiritual fruitfulness looks like, look at what Jesus taught in John 13-17.

We are all familiar with the list of the fruit of the Spirit Paul gives in Galatians 5. Let’s turn to Galatians 5 and begin reading in verse 19. Read this and show the contrast. This is Paul’s way of describing the same truth Jesus taught in Matthew 7. Grapes do not grow on thorn bushes.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – these could be called the attitudes that are consistent with a spiritually fruitful life. However, these attitudes result in actions. Spiritually fruitful actions will flow from these spiritually fruitful attitudes. Love is an attitude that doesn’t just “feel” it also “acts.” Joy is an inward reality that manifests itself outwardly. The same is true for all these different aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. 

Love as a fruit of the Spirit is not an emotional affection, a physical attraction, or even a familial bond. It is the affection that produces willing, self-sacrificing service to others. It is to love as Christ loves. Jesus demonstrated His love by sacrifice. He died for those whom He loved.

Joy is a happiness based on the unchanging promises of God and eternal spiritual realities. Joy is the product of an understanding that all is well between you and God. This joy is not the result of favorable circumstances, but is even present in the midst of the most severe trials and tests of life. We don’t manufacture this joy. It is just like the joy Christ had when He endured the Cross while despising the shame. He knew He was doing the will of His Father.

Peace is an inner calm that is produced by the Holy Spirit. It is a confidence in, not only our saving relationship with God through Christ, but also in His providence, sovereignty, and faithfulness in every circumstance of life. It is truly a peace that surpasses understanding. It was this peace that enabled Jesus to look to the Cross and pray for another way, but to resign Himself completely to the perfect will of God.

Patience is the ability to endure injuries inflicted by others and the willingness to accept irritating and painful situations. Love is patient. This was the patience of Jesus toward Peter when he refused to allow the Lord to wash his feet.

Kindness is a tender concern for others which is easily seen in the way we respond with gentleness even when someone might not deserve to be treated with kindness. Kindness allows us to be gracious when someone might deserve wrath. This was the kindness of Jesus toward the likes of Judas Iscariot.

Goodness describes moral and spiritual excellence. This was manifested in the life of Christ in all the good He did to meet the needs of ungrateful people.

Faithfulness means we are loyal and trustworthy. Gentleness describes a humble and gentle attitude that is patiently submissive in the face of every offense. This gentleness surrenders the urge to seek revenge or retaliate when wronged. Self-control describes the restraining of passions and appetites.

A spiritually fruitful life is a life that reflects the character of Christ. Christ abiding in the branches attached to Him will produce Christlikeness. Character determines conduct. If our character is like Christ our conduct will be like Christ and we will bear much fruit.

There is another kind of fruit that should be produced in our lives. In Romans 1:13 Paul expressed a desire to travel to Rome so that he might “obtain some fruit among” the Romans, just as he had done among the rest of the Gentiles. The Apostle Paul saw a fruitful life as a life of fruitful ministry. Fruitful ministry was seeing God work through Him for the harvest of souls and the building up of the saints. In 1 Cor. 16:15 Paul said that the conversion of the household of Stephanas was the firstfruits of Achaia. Converts are fruit.

God does not want to conform us to the image of His Son so we simply are like His Son. God has a purpose in this work. His desire and design is that as we become like Jesus, others will see Jesus in us and their lives be impacted for the kingdom. Christlike character and conduct is what gives credibility to our witness. We are to be His witnesses. A fruitful Christian is one whose life is being used for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom on earth. 

Is your life fruitful? Is God able to use you as an example that will impact the lives of others? Is your life the kind of life that would cause others to seek to understand what you have as a Christian?

We are going to baptize Laney Doyle in just a few minutes. Laney, we are grateful for God’s work in your life. Your church family will be praying that your life is fruitful, bearing much fruit, in order that God will be glorified in you.

At the risk of making some people uncomfortable, mainly Laney’s family, I want to point out something. Laney’s conversion is fruit which results from other fruitful lives. I won’t put Laney on the spot, but I know that she has come to faith in Christ through the witness of her parents. I also know that her parents weren’t always living fruitful lives. How was it that Tristan and Jenny came to faith in Christ? It was because they were watching the lives of Jenny’s mom and dad. Nubbin and Lisa modeled the love of Christ, and lived according to the Word of God, and shared the truth of salvation with Laney’s parents. They came to faith in Christ. This is fruit.

Just like Paul saw the converts to Christ who came as a result of his faithful work of ministry as fruit, so Laney is the fruit which is here because of the faithful work of ministry. Our Wednesday night prayer group prays consistently for the salvation of the young people in this church who have not yet come to faith in Christ. We are seeing some fruit result from those labors.

I want to close with a challenge. Is your life fruitful? If it is, it is because you are abiding in Christ. His life is flowing through you. The fruit is the result of His work in and through you. If your life is not fruitful, you must pray that the Lord would show you what it means to abide in Christ and have Christ abide in you. You may need to repent and come to faith in Christ Jesus.

Be fruitful. Let’s pray.