Abiding & Fruitfulness
- Only the branch that abides in the vine brings forth fruit. It is the will of God that every Christian would bear much fruit for the glory of God.
- The essential condition for all fruit bearing is abiding in Christ.
- To abide implies a distrust of self. Self cannot be the source of fruit bearing.
- Spiritual growth comes not through applying various formulas but by abiding in Jesus.
- Our help hinders God.
- Abide means to stay. God has placed us in Christ Jesus, now we are to stay there.
- Abiding in Christ is trusting Him and drawing from Him that life that is going to produce the fruit. It is being a partaker of the vine.
- Christ is the source of the Christian's life. We must see the difference between expressions of life and the source of life.
- Abiding in Jesus means that we are feeding on Jesus. We are receiving from Him. It is eating and drinking Jesus.
- Three new testament examples of bearing fruit.
- John 15 - The vine and the branch.
- Colossians 2:19 - The head and the body.
- Romans 7:4 - We are married to Jesus that we should bring foth fruit.
19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
