Friday, October 14, 2011

Walking With God: Still More Fruit

We have been thinking for the last couple of posts about how we can maintain a connection with God that bears fruit. That fruit demonstrates our status as Jesus’ disciples and highlights God’s glory.

Usually when there is a discussion of fruit, there is an attempt to categorize fruit. This is fruit. This is fruit and this is fruit. I usually find myself think that this categorizing is a cop-out, because the first two are very difficult, maybe even impossible. The third is doable by a human being. So, people will think:


In order for me to show that I am a disciple, I need to bear fruit. Gee! I don’t think I can do that or that. But I can do that. I will focus all my attention on the third thing.


Usually the third thing is an important activity, mind-set or way of speaking, so one cannot really argue against people being involved with that. But following Jesus is not really just one thing. A person cannot just say because I am attending the church meeting, I bearing the most fruit I can and showing the glory of God the most.


Often, the salvation of individuals is considered fruit. But beyond my own salvation, I cannot complete a salvation. I cannot go into someone’s brain and change the synapses so that person will look at Jesus differently. I cannot go into a person’s heart and change their will so he will submit to Jesus.


Often, a change in a person’s life producing more holiness is considered fruit. But beyond a change in my own life, I cannot affect a change in anyone else’s life.


I can change my values, my attitudes and my actions to produce some type of influence on others around me, so they are led to make changes in their lives that we could classify as salvation or growth. The only place I can control is myself. I sometimes wonder if we need to develop a “unified fruit theory.”

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