“…as a branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abodes in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me." John 15:4
My apricot and peach tree have borne quality crops of fruit this year. My grape vines are also producing large bunches of grapes just as they were designed to do. This reminds me of our spiritual fruit-bearing design. A peach tree will bear peaches, an apricot tree will bear apricots, but do we, God’s chosen fruit bearers, bear spiritual fruit as we should? Or is it stunted and lacking in quality? Do we see quality fruit like “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”? (Gal. 5:23). Is this the kind of fruit that is being increasingly produced for God’s glory out of our newly designed natures in Christ? If not, why not? Maybe it’s because there is a disconnect from the only true source - Jesus Christ the Lord.
John MacArthur in his book ‘Abiding in Christ’ says this:
Fruit-bearing is not a matter of being strong or weak, good or bad, brave or cowardly, clever or foolish, experienced or inexperienced. Whatever your gifts, accomplishments, or virtues, they cannot produce fruit if you are detached from Jesus Christ. Christians who think they are bearing fruit apart from the Vine are only tying on artificial fruit. They run around grunting and groaning to produce fruit but accomplish nothing. Fruit is borne not by trying, but by abiding.