I have been frequently drawn to John 15:1-16, especially verse 16 which says: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (Emphasis added)
Most of us are quick to quote the first part of that verse but tend to forget the second part. Yes, we want to be chosen and bear fruit. But it doesn't stop there. It goes on to say, “that your fruit should remain.” How does that fruit remain?
It's a two-step process. The first part is making sure the fruit that we are producing is relative to eternity in the Kingdom of God. You see, there's a lot of good work(s) that can be done but our focus is to be winning souls for the Kingdom of God. Seeing lives transformed from hopelessness to hope. Then the fruit you planted in an individual is planted by that person in another person. The seed keeps growing and remains. New life breeds new life.
What are some of the other works? Most would say it's the supernatural gifts - healing, prophecy, etc. which are listed in 1 Corinthians 12. Supernatural Gifts have their place in the community of faith but it's not to be the primary focus, winning souls is. We don't decide when they happen, that is up to the Holy Spirit. I'm not saying the gifts are not necessary. Just not the focus.
Are the gifts available to every believer? Yes. Is victory available to every believer? Yes. But before anyone, especially a new believer can grow in those areas, he has to learn how to get there. That's where discipleship comes in.
People need to be taught how to resist temptation, how to overcome certain strongholds, how to build the character of God into their lives, etc. Think of it like this, when a person gets a new job, he usually has to wait 30 to 90 days to get the benefits. During that time. He learns about the company and learns about his position and how to grow in it, then he begins to gain some of the benefits of being in that company.
it's
the same in the Kingdom of God. We become born again, start to learn the ways
of the Holy Spirit. We begin to learn how to live as a Christian and eventually
we really begin to walk in the “benefits” of spiritual gifts, victory, freedom,
and so much more. It’s called, “Sanctification.” Which is also discipleship.
“Sanctification is the ongoing process by which believers grow in holiness and are gradually transformed into the likeness of Christ. This involves the work of the Holy Spirit, who empowers believers to overcome sin and cultivate the fruits of the Spirit. Philippians 2:12-13 encourages believers to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose." This process requires cooperation with the Holy Spirit, obedience to God's Word, and participation in the life of the church.” (biblehub.com)
OK, back to our discussion about bearing fruit for the sake of the Kingdom of God.
When spiritual gifts become the focus there is the danger of people being caught up in sensationalism, celebrity preachers, manufacturing gifts from the flesh. Anyway, this subject of gifts can be a whole discussion in itself.
As mentioned above, the spiritual gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12. However, spiritual fruit is listed in Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.”
It would be safe to say that spiritual gifts are incomplete if the individual operating in those gifts is not living in the fruit of the spirit. Keeping a focus on the fruit of the spirit helps us stand guard against things such as the image we present, sensationalism, wanting to look powerful, thinking it will draw the crowds. At the risk of stepping on toes of those who want to be gift focused, when the gifts are in operation the goal should be to bring people to salvation, not to say look at all we have happening here. What will truly draw crowds is transformed lives.
There are many examples in the Bible of a person encountering Jesus leading to a transformed life that drew a crowd. One example is the woman at the well. She lived in shame most of her life. Listen to what she says after encountering Jesus. The full story is in John chapter 4, but here are a few key scriptures.
29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.”
Then the result of her sharing the encounter with Jesus comes next. 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” (Emphasis added)
Before this blog gets any longer, let me close with a quote that I read recently.
“Instead of measuring ourselves by the gifts we have – perhaps we should consider the depth of our love.” (Wanda Alger)