Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Fruit

Luke 13:6-9 KJV
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.
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?
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.


The fig tree is, within the Scriptures, a frequent symbol of Israel. It is not difficult to see it employed in this manner in our text. The primary application then has to do with God's expectations of Israel. When Jesus came the first time Israel had not produced fruit. She as a nation does not turn to Christ. Rather than cutting her down and destroying her, however, The Lord agrees to "dig and dung" about her for a year. He will expect fruit when He comes the second time. The Bible tells us at that time she will bear fruit and turn to Christ.

If we employ a secondary application as applying to Christian today then we can make the following propositions

The Lord expects fruitIt is His purpose that Christians bear fruit.

Not all fruit is identical
Some would immediately declare that the fruit the Lord wants would be souls saved. However, that was not the fruit that the Lord expected of Israel. He expected her to turn to Christ. In some plants the fruit is a beautiful flower. In some it is a food to be eaten. In others it is a seed to be planted. No doubt the fruit that God desires of us is as individual as the person God is dealing with. But he does expect fruit.

The Lord expects that Lost souls will come to Him for salvation. If they do not, He often gives them time and puts in their lives circumstances that might lead them to trust Christ. If they do not we know they will eventually be destroyed in everlasting torments.
The Lord also expects that the saved will grow in faith and knowledge of the Lord. He expects that we will be witnesses unto Him and He expects that we will produce the beautiful fragrances of holiness. God chastens and disciplines His own children so they will produce this fruit. And when they steadfastly refuse to produce He may choose to make them "cast away" as Paul put it.

I cannot make myself produce fruit. But I can obey the Lord and will thereby, I am sure, produce the fruit that God chooses of me.

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