Fruit

Fruit-bearing

Q. In John 15, what does Jesus mean by “fruit”? Can it mean making disciples?

A. The word “fruit” occurs 10 times in 7 verses in John’s writings:

• John 4:36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
• John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
• John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
• John 15:4 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.
• John 15:5 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.
• John 15:8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
• John 15:16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

Many commentators relate fruit qualitatively as the “fruit of the Spirit” in Gal 5:22-23. This is certainly true in the sense that a disciple cannot bear the Spirit’s fruit unless he abides in Christ. However, I believe we can also interpret fruit quantitatively as “making disciples,” for two reasons:

1. The word “fruit” itself implies reproduction, in the sense of “fruitful and multiply,” which occurs 11 times in the Bible (Gen 1:22, 28; 8:17; 9:1, 7; 17:20; 28:3; 35:11; Lev 26:9; Jer 23:3; Ezk 36:11).
2. As John used the word in his gospel, he used it quantitatively (much fruit in Jn 12:24, 15:5, 8; more fruit in Jn 15:2).

No one can make disciples unless he/she abides in Christ, and the Father is glorified when we reproduce many disciples.

So my conclusion is that the Lord meant fruit in both a qualitative and quantitative sense, as in Christian character and making disciples.

Cults Arithmetic 2

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Pictures show:
* Exposing the cults
* Multiply and divide
* Arithmetic operations

Yesterday we identified two cult characteristics – adding to the Word of God and subtracting from the deity of Christ. Today we conclude by examining multiplying and dividing.

3. Multiply Salvation’s Requirements
A third common error is that cults multiply the requirements for salvation, typically by works of the law, instead of trusting in Christ alone. The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, but saving faith manifests itself by good works. In contrast, JWs try to earn their escape from Armageddon by going door-to-door distributing their Awake! and Watchtower magazines, while Mormons need to tithe and undertake their temple ceremony. Jesus chastised the scribes and the Pharisees for multiplying such man-made requirements, which Paul denounced as a different gospel.

* Mt 23:4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
* Lk 11:46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
* Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel.

4. Divide Believers’ Devotion
The fourth trait of cults is they divide the disciples’ devotion to Christ, and also divide the church. Even though you can trace the cults’ beginnings to some heretical doctrines or gross misconduct on the part of their founders, all of them claimed that they are the “One True Church”. They believe that the historic Church had deserted the truth, and that they are the only one who remained faithful and truly represent God. As such, they demand loyalty to their organization or their leader, and any follower who deviated from their teachings or rules will be extra-communicated and ostracized. They thus divide the followers’ devotion to the Lord and cause division when they crept into the church.

* Jude 1:19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
* 1 Co 7:35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
* 2 Co 11:3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

There are many other marks of the cults, such as cutting off relationships between a cult member and his/her family so that he/she becomes dependent on the organization. Many have myriads of rules besides those relating to salvation, but these four – addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division cut across many cults to help you identify them. The bottom line is:

* Mt 7:16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
* Mt 7:20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

They do not enter the kingdom of heaven themselves, and they will not let seekers enter by shutting the door in their face (Mt 23:13). Be warned.