Marks of Christian discipleship #2

March 2, 2021 (Tuesday)

 

The second mark of Christian discipleship is found in John 15:8, “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” [John 15:8 ESV] Let’s look at the context of this statement.

 

Jesus tells us, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.” [John 15:1 NLT] The image here is that Jesus is the grapevine, the source and cause of life. The Father is the one who tends to the vineyard.

 

As the gardener, the Father’s job description includes, “He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit.” [John 15:2 CEB] There is a significant threat to this action, “If you don’t remain in me, you will be like a branch that is thrown out and dries up. Those branches are gathered up, thrown into a fire, and burned.” [John 15:6 CEB]

 

Unfortunately, the ideas found in this section of scripture has been weaponized by church leadership. What is proposed is that if the believer does not lead others to Christ or otherwise produce a desired measurable result, then they will be cut off and thrown into eternal Hell.

 

To be blunt, this is a favorite subject for abusive leadership. Nothing like the threatening your followers with eternal Hell to motivate them. The threat is delivered “ex cathedra” (“with the full authority of office”) by abusive leadership, meaning it is unacceptable to question the threat.

 

The problem is “leading people to Jesus” is never associated with “fruit.” I’m not saying the interpretation is not plausible, it’s just that if it is, it’s an unusual interpretation. Literally fruit is the result of the excess energy of the plant.

 

John the Baptist declared, “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” [Matthew 3:8 ESV] What he was insisting was, if one repents then that person will act like it. In this instance fruit is proof of repentance.

 

Identifying false prophets, Jesus stated, “So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.” [Matthew 7:17 ESV] So there is good fruit and bad fruit. The word translated “bad” in this verse means “hurtful” (by implication “evil”), such as using a questionable interpretation to threaten followers with eternal Hell.

 

Paul also used the image of fruit, “But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” [Romans 6:21 – 22 ESV] The results of how we live life are the fruit. We end up ashamed or sanctified. We end up chained in sin or set free. We end up spiritually in death or eternal life.

 

Paul encourages us to be, “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” [Philippians 1:11 ESV] In other words, the result (fruit) of our relationship to Jesus is righteousness.

 

Paul begins his list with, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…” [Galatians 5:22 ESV] Being filled with the Spirit will result in all sorts of healthy and positive things.

 

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything.” [John 15:5 CEB] Everyone has a relationship with Jesus. Drawing life and energy from Jesus will produce concrete, healthy, and positive results (fruit). Maybe God will even bless you with leading other’s to Jesus!