Follow the trail of the following Scriptures and you will go from being a carnal-minded sinner to a fruit-bearing child of the True and Living God through the Lord Jesus Christ energized by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
How does the parable of the sower show who bears fruit unto holiness?
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto Him, so that He went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And He spoke many things unto them in parables, saying, “Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.” … “Hear therefore the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the Word of the Kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the Word, and shortly with joy receives it; Yet he has not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hears the Word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the Word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he that received seed into the good ground is he that hears the Word, and understands it; which also bears fruit, and brings forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
There are four ways people react to God’s Word. First, they can reject it all together and let Satan continue to deceive them. Second, they can be a fair-weather Christian and forsake the Word if things go against them. Third, they can get involved in the cares of the world and deceitful riches and let the Word be choked out of their lives. Fourth, they can receive the Word without reservation, go all out for God and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. These people bear fruit unto righteous and true holiness nonstop.
The other 75% fall away and are burned in the eternal flames of hell’s fire and brimstone. As the saying goes, “If you are not all out for God, you are not out at all.” Half-hearted commitment to God will not work. A total surrender to the whole will of God brings lasting result. There are no exceptions.
Some branches support the fruit bearing branches that are joined to them. These people are ministers of God in their respective relationships that support the branches producing the fruit of the Spirit. They are supportive branches through a personal relationship. Some of these relationships are: families supporting their communities, church pastors supporting their church members, church members supporting church members, parents supporting their children, mothers supporting fathers, neighbors supporting neighbors, employers supporting their employee, teachers supporting their students, governments supporting their citizens, and nations supporting nations. Everyone acts as a channel to bring blessings to the world through a loving personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who are detached from the Lord Jesus Christ can do no lasting good to themselves, their God, or their neighbors. The following Scripture shows how this works in the church.
Ephesians 4:11-16 And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: From Whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
How does a Christian bear fruit unto holiness?
John 15:1-11 I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman. Every branch in Me that bears not fruit He takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in Me. I am the Vine, you are the branches: He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be My disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: continue in My love. If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Galatians 5:16-26 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would. But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Energized through the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, they produce much fruit. Through the life blood of the True and Living God that comes from the root (gospel of Jesus) through the Vine (Jesus) to the branches (Christians). It produces the fruit of the Spirit.
How are the hindrances of bearing fruit unto holiness removed from our lives?
Romans 8:1-17 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.
A fleshly/carnal lifestyle is exchanged for a spiritual lifestyle. The natural results that follow such a transaction are revealed in Romans 8:12-39; 12-15:13.
How do Christians “grow” the Word of God in their lives to produce abundant fruit unto holiness?
Psalm 37:1-11 (A Psalm of David.) Fret not yourself because of evildoers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity (lawlessness). For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shall you dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Delight yourself also in the LORD; and He shall give your the desires of your heart. Commit your way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him: fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not yourself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yes, you shall diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Contrasts between the wicked and the righteous are shown in Psalm 37:12-40. Christians are the righteous. People living for the world, the flesh and the devil are the wicked.
In summary
There are two ways to live our life in this life – the highway of holiness or the low way of rebellion against God and His Word. Most people choose to live on the low way for the world, the flesh and the devil. Some people choose to live on the highway of holiness for the True and Living Creator-Redeemer God. In the parable of the sower we see that 25% live for Jesus while the other 75% “do that which is right in their own eyes.”
Only those who are securely attached to the Vine (Jesus) can bear fruit unto holiness. Some branches have fruit-bearing branches attached to them. These acts as a channel that supports other’s respective ministries.
We either produce the fruit of the Spirit through the power of the Holy Spirit or the works of the flesh through the carnal mind. To produce much fruit unto holiness, we must be at peace with God, others and ourselves. Our relationship with God determines our relationship with others. The more we express our love for God as outlined in Psalm 37 the greater is our capacity to love others with a pure heart, a good conscience and a steadfast faith as expressed in 1 Timothy 1:5-7.
Having truly turned from a path of sin and rebellion against God and His Word, we enter into a life of holiness, abounding in loving service to God and others as expressed in Galatians 5:22-26. This is all made possible through the Lord Jesus Christ.