Holiness, Godliness, Usefulness
07/02/2014, by John Kincaid
Lesson 285: Fruit Depends on the Vine
It’s important to recognize that our spiritual maturity is the work of the Spirit. This keeps us from falling into pride, and from judging the maturity of others.
Parents with polite, obedient children are tempted to take credit for their skill as parents. They may learn in heaven that God had mercy on them because their faith was too weak to endure troubled children. God placed those with other parents, the ones we considered failures.
Only the Spirit knows what is best to nurture the faith of each individual. If we think that we have to find the resources within ourselves to earn God’s love, our life will be filled with despair.
The cure is the union with Christ that God has provided for us. This union is not a future reward for our obedience and good work that God stores in heaven. The union is a privilege every believer has now, given at salvation.
Our ability to do good depends on it. All of our obedience flows from this union. Obedience is fruit that results from being in Christ.
John 15:4-5 As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
About This Series
The goal of this series is to become more useful in serving the Lord Jesus Christ, as an instrument in the Redeemer's hand. The theme verses for the series are Ephesians 4:22-24, Philemon 11, 2 Timothy 2:21
- to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
- and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
- Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.
- Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
