In John chapter 15, Jesus said if we abide in him, we will bear fruit. To abide in Jesus, we must first acknowledge we are sinners, and we cannot become righteousness by our own works. Next, we must recognize Jesus Christ has been provided by God’s justice and grace to be our Savior from sin. Finally, based on taking these two steps, we take a third step of offering our lives in full consecration to serve God.
We then need to live and obey the teachings of Jesus. He summarized his teaching in John 15:12-14,16-17, “This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you…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. This I command you, that you love one another.”
The Apostle Paul further elaborated on the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” We are to grow in these godly character traits as well as crucify our fleshly desires.
What are the deeds of the flesh? The fleshly behaviors that we need to crucify include, “immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” Galatians 5:19-21 (NASB).
So, let us pray to the Lord for grace to help us grow righteous fruitage and to thereby become more Christlike.
Additional Resources:
Christian Questions Podcast
5-part series: “Do I Walk in the Spirit or the Lusts of My Human Nature?”
Related Questions
February 11th 2015 | 39469 views How are we transformed? Into what are we transformed?
November 16th 2015 | 39350 views Might it be possible that there are some things God does not want us to know?
February 10th 2018 | 39409 views Does the generational curse in Exodus 20:4-5 apply to us today? Does Galatians 3:10-14 resolve the issue for Christians?
October 18th 2023 | 53334 views I'm dealing with a few people who are accusing us wrongly. Their accusations are false and they never get tired of telling lies. They are wicked people and I don't know what we did to deserve this struggle. Everyday I pray to God so that He might rescue us. But nothing is working... (India)
January 30th 2021 | 100222 views What is the meaning of the word "Rest" in the bible specifically Matt. 11:28. Is Rest and peace the same?
November 23rd 2014 | 41283 views The Apostle Paul said don't not let anyone judge us on some things we do including eating, etc. God also has given us everything for food even every herb. I preach the word of God to people according to the Scriptures. I smoke weed in my closet. Colossians says I’m at liberty to eat any herb as long as I exhibit the fruits of the spirit and try as much to live according to the Holy Book. What’s your take on Christians who smoke?
August 25th 2022 | 67622 views We know what becomes of the obedient and disobedient, but there is another class, which really cannot be called obedient nor yet disobedient. I mean the irresponsible, and they who love this present world and have not even a desire to know what God requires of them, and which, in my opinion, form the vast majority of mankind even in this enlightened age (so-called). What becomes of them?
August 01st 2014 | 39171 views