(Personal notes from the second sermon in a series, “Fruitfulness in the life of a believer.” These notes are not verbatim; my thoughts are sprinkled throughout).

What is fruitfulness? What is my role in the process? How does a believer bear fruit?

These are all very important questions, and ones for which I have sought answers. I took three pages of notes from this sermon! I found myself under conviction at various points, but especially when he reached the part about our motives for wanting to bear fruit.

Fruitfulness cannot always be defined in a tangible measure. It is not always manifest in external ways. Fruitbearing begins internally. God first works in our hearts. The work that He performs inside of us precedes and eventually shows itself in our actions and speech. Fruitbearing is the Lord producing, and our pursuing, the characteristics of Christ. We want our lives and conduct to be patterned after God and who He is.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Though nine qualities are listed, we must look at the fruit of the Spirit as a whole. It is one fruit. Therefore, we can’t pick and choose which ones we need. ALL of them should have some presence in the life of a believer and they should be increasingly evident. Also note that Galatians 5:22-23 is not an exhaustive list of godly qualities. It is a good representative list, but not complete. 2 Peter 1 mentions faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

How do we go about producing fruit?
4 things to keep in mind: Motives–God’s power–Our efforts–Purging sin

1. We must pursue fruitfulness with a right motive. What are some wrong motives? Fear, self-promotion, praise of men, sense of duty, to name a few. I am guilty of all four of those motives. If you can think of some more wrong motives, then please include it in the comments. There is only ONE proper motive for seeking godliness: LOVE FOR GOD.

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

I imagine I would do a lot less and say a lot less if I first reviewed this verse. When I take time to discern my heart and my motives, I realize that many times I just want to exalt myself. I always feel helpless at this realization because I cannot change my heart. My only hope is in God’s faithfulness to transform me into the image of Jesus. All I can do is pray and ask for Him to change my heart, fill it with genuine love for Himself, and help me kill my self-centeredness.

The externals do not matter to God. He desires obedient heart rather than sacrifice. The greatest command is to love Him. If you really think about it, then you’ll realize that every act of obedience is related to love. Paul may be intentional in listing “love” first on his fruit of the Spirit list. We cannot please God without loving Him.

Psalm 42:1-2 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

It is right for God to be our all-consuming desire! When He is then we can live the way Augustine described. Augustine said, “Love God, and do as you please.” He could say this because if we love God, then what God desires/what will please Him will be what pleases us.

2. We must realize that fruitfulness ultimately depends on God’s grace.
Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Salvation is all of grace. Glorification is all of grace. And everything in between is all of grace. We must remember that these qualities are the fruit of The Spirit. There is no character without Christ. Without Christ all you have is a moralistic, self-improvement program which will not please God nor give Him glory. Man-made attempts at holiness are futile. Oh, how I have tried! Consider these scriptures from John and Paul:
John 15:5 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.

1 Timothy 4:1-3 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Colossians 2:16-23 Therefore let no one pass judgement on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, do you submit to regulations–“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)–according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Man-made rules and restrictions on the flesh cannot curb what is going on in the heart! Therefore, they do not do anything to promote true godliness. John Owen said, “To suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have power of ourselves to do, is to make the cross and grace of Jesus Christ of none effect.” Yet, at the same time…

3. We are to exert some effort in pursuing godliness. God has given everything we need, but we must be diligent, pursuing godliness with all our effort and energy. We are not passive. We are active participants in the process.

2 Peter 1:3-5, 8 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue…For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is important to keep in the forefront of the mind that the effort and energy and diligence necessary in the daily pursuit of godliness come from God through His grace to us in Jesus. Indeed all things are from him and by him and through him and to him.

4. Purge that which is opposed to godliness.
John 15:1-2 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. (Also not an exhaustive list!)

Read Colossians 3:5-17. Paul gives some details regarding “putting off” sinful practices and “putting on” God’s qualities.

Romans 12:9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

5. Fruitfulness is a progressive process in this life.
We will never be able to say, “I am joyful enough. I am loving enough. I have enough fruit.” Because of this we can never compare ourselves to others. The standard is God. Fruitfulness is the character of God. No one else!

If we are not pressing up the hill, then we’re rolling backwards, regressing. This is God’s will–your sanctification. Depend on Him and pursue it with all diligence.