The Terms of The New Covenant Part 12 - Fruitfulness

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

It's all or nothing when it comes to being fruitful for the Lord. In Him we bear much fruit; apart from Him there is nothing to show for our lives.

My dad aquired a vine when he bought a new house. The previous owners had grown it in the greenhouse and it looked as though it had been well cared for. My father was well intentioned but didn't really have the time to tend it. Year after year it grew and continued to produce grapes. Because it was left to itself it became an ungainly plant with branches growing in every direction and the fruit becoming smaller and less palatable.

But there was always fruit.

In the end my father took down the greenhouse, dug out the vine and burned the branches. Of course, there was no more fruit.

Our heavenly Father is a diligent gardener and so He prunes the branches and removes the little grapes so there is room for the good fruit to flourish. As long as we remain in Jesus (see Part 4) the Father will ensure that we bear much fruit.

So what fruit will we produce as we remain in Jesus?

Paul tells us in Galatians 5:22-23:  

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.