Why are we Christians?
Christians have been chosen by God to be his representatives, to produce fruit for him. Jesus said,
“I am the true vine . . .Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” . . .
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”John 15 v. 1-27
Catherine Booth, wife of the founder of the Salvation Army was giving a talk in an established church when she said,
“Is this all you do for God, you go to church?”
The vine in the Old Testament represents Israel. (Is 3v.14, 5 v.1-7; Ps 80 v. 8,16 ; Jer 2v.21) Jesus here unhesitatingly puts himself at the centre of this picture. “I am the true vine” (v.1) is Jesus claiming that God’s people are committed to him. This significance of this staggering passage doesn’t stop there, it emphasises that we are in Christ in order to produce fruit. This concept is repeated seven times in the first eight verses – so presumably the Lord wants us to be very clear about this. But what exactly does he mean, “to bear fruit”?
There was a caring, conscientious General Practitioner who, when a young man, had been active in his Medical School Christian Union. But now, in the ‘real world’, he realised that to suggest that others must take Jesus seriously can cause considerable tension and loss of popularity. “I now have a responsible position in society”, he argued, “and I do not think it is my gift to point people to the Bible or to talk about the Lord. I major on the fruit of the Spirit, on love, joy, peace and patience instead.” He now appears as a very kind doctor, but he is not recognisable as one of “those who belong to Jesus Christ” (Gal 6 v. 24)
In this passage there are several clues as to what Jesus really means by bearing fruit.
verse 16. It is not something within ourselves but an effect outside, “I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last.” The mission of the church is to “make disciples of all men”.
verse 8. This reads, “This is to my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples”. This verse seems to equate “bearing fruit” with “showing yourselves to be my disciples”. We are meant to show our faith to others.
Jesus wants his followers to see himself as the focus for the whole world and making this obvious to others. Christians must openly show, both by the way we live and the way we speak, that we are devoted to Jesus. This, after all, is the purpose of his creation, “to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ” (Ephesians 1 v. 10).
The last 9 verses of John chapter 15 make it abundantly clear that this is what Jesus means. Christians are not persecuted for being loving, or joyful or patient. It is an uncompromising allegiance to Jesus that many react against.
Verse 26 conclusively proves that this is what ‘bearing fruit’ means in this context.
“When the Counsellor comes, whom I will send from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. and you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” John 15:26-27
We so desperately need the Holy Spirit to keep us living God’s way, according to his truth. A major part of this is to openly testify to others about our Lord, Jesus the Christ. “You also must testify” (v. 27).
Why do so many Christian’s drift away from their ‘first love’, an open devotion to the Lord Jesus, into a socially acceptable, easy, sterile Christianity? Let us all beware lest we fail to remain in Christ, not testifying about him, not becoming more like him, for God can discard those who do not want to live for him!
BVP
