K030. Jesus is the vine; we are the branches (John 15:5)

We have always heard of 'fruit' in the Bible: for example, the fruit of repentance, the fruit of the vine, the fruit of the tree, the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of .. etc.   On the other hand, we also heard of 'works' in the Bible: for example, works of the flesh, works of the law, works of the devil, works of .. etc. Of course, they could be used interchangeably, but generally fruit is more positive than works. Do you agree? Fruit is from the tree, but works are from the man. Fruit is a gift of God; but works are human efforts.

We could have read (K034) that God would always look for the fruit; not the works, from those who are in His kingdom:
Joh 15:2 KJV  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Luk 13:8-9 KJV  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  (9)  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Mat 13:23 KJV  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Mat 3:8 KJV  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Hence, when Jesus said, By their fruits, we shall know them, He was not talking about the works or whatever good works they have done. Hence, it is possible for us to have done many things or many good works for God, and yet we could have done all these without the fruit:
Mat 7:15-23 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  (16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  (17)  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  (18)  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  (19)  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  (20)  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  (21)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
It is very clear to us that Jesus was talking about the fruit of God; not the works of men.

What is the fruit? To be more specific, we should ask, What is the fruit that is acceptable to Him? Of course, 'fruit' is an analogy. It is not the real fruit which we eat from the tree. It is like the fruit that grows from the tree. Jesus has said it very clearly in Mat 7:15-23 that it is something which grow from within us or from our hearts. The next question is: Do we have that tree which grow the fruit? What is that tree? Many radical grace preachers have almost got it right when they said that the tree of the knowledge in the garden was the tree of the law. But they twisted it to give people the impression that the tree of the law is a curse because it caused Adam and Eve to fall. They preached that the tree of the law opened their eyes to the knowledge of sin and made them feel condemned. They reasoned that without the tree of the law or the knowledge, they would not have known sin and they would continue to have good fellowship with God. But, in reality, the root problem is not the tree; it is us.
I will ask them, So, do you suggest to cut off the tree if that tree is planted in our hearts now? do you think that cutting it off will solve our 'original rebellion' problem? Adam rebelled by eating from the tree; but we may be worst than him if we rebel by cutting off what is planted by God.
Heb 10:16-17 KJV  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;  (17)  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

I will ask them, Please think, If you cut off the tree or the law in your hearts, can you still grow any fruit? No, certainly not.
Of course, you may argue that the tree or the law was a curse in the garden of Eden, but you cannot deny that the tree in our hearts now is a blessing which grows the fruit. We don't eat it with our mouths; we grow it from our hearts. We were once the thief or trespasser who stole the fruit; but now we are the legitimate partakers of the fruit. Hence, all our sins and iniquities (including our trespass in the garden of Eden) God will remember no more.
Of course, this is made possible only, by grace, by Jesus Christ. Jesus gave us a perfect parable to show how He came to give grace or extend grace to the sinners (including you and me) who are already destined to perish:
Luk 13:2-9 KJV  .. (6)  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.  (7)  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  (8)  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  (9)  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

Under the old covenant, the law on the stones do not grow. But under the new covenant, the law (the vine or the Word) in our hearts will grow and multiply. God's commandments are no longer just the Ten Commandments, Two Commandments, 100 commandments, or .. etc. God's commandments become alive. They are no longer seen as words, codes, or legalistic rules and regulations; they have become 'a people' who do and teach God's words and commandments with their lives.
Heb 8:10-13 KJV  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:  (11)  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.  (12)  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.  (13)  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

We do not teach the believers just to know Jesus; we teach them to know His words and His commandments, with our lives:
2Co 3:2-7 KJV  Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:  (3)  Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.  (4)  And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:  (5)  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;  (6)  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. ..

Do you agree that we don't walk around as lawless people; but as a people who has the laws of God? If that is true, I am not exaggerating to say that we are now the 'living epistles' or the 'walking commandments' among the people, instead of the Ten commandments which were given on the stones. We are now the 'branches' who abide in Christ and walk with Christ.

He is the vine; we are the branches (John 15:5)

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