Laboring and Bearing Fruit unto God
We spent the first part of this study looking at the fruit as it applies to our individual lives. Hebrews 12:11 calls it the peaceable fruit of righteousness that trains us. The fruit of righteousness in our personal lives is the first step to bearing fruit to God. We learn how to live in righteousness so we can abide in Christ and he in us. Then we are equipped for the work of God, and we will have the eyes to see the work of God laid out before us. Let’s look again at Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
The workmanship is God’s shaping of our lives. At times, it will be painful as God removes the things that are harmful; however, it is joyful when we see God building us up in righteousness. Our lives are the handiwork of God. In Philippians 1:6-11, the Bible explains that God has begun a good work in us and will finish it until the day we stand before Christ. It is a work that never ends, but rather, God is steadily shaping us into his perfect image, and will continue to do so until this life is over. If we resist, God chastises us. The goal is not punishment, but to prepare us for that great day when we will stand before him. The goal – to make us complete before him. We are to grow in knowledge and discernment so that we can be sincere and without offense.
In verse 10 of Philippians chapter 1, the Bible uses the phrase ‘sincere and without offense’. This is a passage with deeper meaning than catches the eye at first glance. For example, the word ‘sincere’ is the Greek word ‘heilikrines’, which means: to be found pure when unfolded and examined in the sun’s light. This is God’s goal for your life. We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and the Lord prepares us for that day so that when our life is examined, we will be found pure in his sight.
As we grow in knowledge by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, we also grow in discernment. We not only discern between truth and error, but we also discern the path of works God has prepared for us to walk in. I walk in fellowship with Christ and he leads me to his work and opens my eyes to see the works God has prepared beforehand that I should walk in them.
The first principle of producing fruit by good works is that the work is of God. He is working to accomplish his works, and he’s calling me to walk in his work. Rather than coming up with my own plan and presenting it to God, we are preparing our heart to walk with the Lord and he presents the work to us. Has God called us to be preachers, teachers, or be in Christian leadership? Maybe. But if we are seeking leadership as a goal, we are not preparing our heart with a Christ-centered focus. Achieving a personal goal is not necessarily the work of God. Perhaps God has decided to appoint us to one of the less attractive roles in the church as explained in 1 Corinthians 12. If we try to force ourselves into a role that God has not ordained, we can never be in God’s will. This is true even if we have outward signs of success.
Many times I have read motivational Christian books which instruct people to set “God-sized goals.” It is claimed that we must set a goal so high that only God can achieve it. What passage does this doctrine come from? I’ll give a hint – no where in scripture. In fact, the Bible warns that those who exalt themselves will be humbled. This is true whether you are pointing to yourself, or pointing to your vision – a vision that came from your own imagination instead of scriptures.
Jesus said, “I came to do your will.” He repeatedly testified that his focus was not his own will, but the will of the Father. The will of the Father required him to humble himself, become a servant, and submit to the cross. The Bible tells us to let this mind be also in us. It is not for us to choose the path, but to submit to God’s will – even if that requires abasing ourselves.
Carefully read 1 Corinthians 12. The Bible tells us to receive the roles in the church that God has chosen for us. In fact, we are instructed to give more honor to those who hold the roles that seem less attractive. The reason should be obvious. If someone has a role that seems insignificant by man’s standard, the church should be acknowledging the importance of that role so people are encouraged to fulfill their calling. Yet in this modern era, we are taught to only look for excitement and big achievements that will show the world God’s glory. The reality is that we are not glorifying God – we are glorifying ourselves and claiming it to be God’s doing.
The fact is that fruit comes from the Lord, not our efforts, and not from God-sized goals. I can build a church and fill it up with sixty-thousand people and still produce no fruit. I can also fulfill my calling in a way that will never be noticed or acknowledged by those around me and have a fruitful life. When I stand before Christ, he is not going to praise me for how big my ministry was, how much money I collected or earned, or how much fame I received for his name. He is going to measure me solely upon to things – was I faithful and was I obedient?
As Christians, we need to get our eyes off the things that don’t matter. God doesn’t only work in God-sized proportions. In fact, the Bible is filled with examples of God working in humble ways to accomplish his will in a way that only points to him as the source. In the first part of this study, we used Gideon as an example of God’s calling.
If Gideon was a modern worker, he would be told by the church to go out and build a God-sized army and take the world by storm. He would be told that he needs to do something so big that it will rattle the windows of the community and draw everyone’s attention. He would be praised for assembling a thirty-thousand man army of God’s warriors. But when Gideon assembled his army, what did God do? He said that the army was too big and he wouldn’t use it, lest the people think the deliverance came by their own strength and efforts. When he sent half the army away, God said it was still to many. In the end, God left only three-hundred men. Not enough to fight. Just enough to be able to spread out and provide the proclamation of the work of God.
The Bible says that God uses the weak things to confound the mighty, and the foolish things to confound the wise. The Lord himself declares that he makes us weak, because his power is perfected in our weakness. If God chooses to raise up a mighty force, it is for him to do so. Our role is to humble ourselves before him so that he can raise us up as he sees fit. Humility always comes before honor (Proverbs 15:33).
When it comes to works, we are not called to blaze a trail so God can be glorified in our labors. We are called to humble ourselves, seek the Lord, and walk in the work he has prepared beforehand that we should walk in it. He has already determined the path and the work. According to scripture, the works of God were completed before the foundation of the world, and we are called to enter into his labors.
Consider Cain and Able. Both of these men presented their works before the Lord. One was rejected, the other was honored. Cain labored with his hands and presented his best to God. The Lord rejected it. Able presented the increase of his flock to God and sacrificed what God had produced, and used it to worship the Lord. Why did God reject Cain? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother’s were righteous (1 John 3:12). This is exactly what Jesus warned against when he said many will come before him, bearing works done in Jesus’ name, but will be told that their works were lawlessness. We cannot present our works to God; it must be the work of God that we submit to, so we are presenting his work in a sacrifice of praise and obedience.
The truth is that nothing you do can produce righteousness. None of your works can please God or bear fruit. You must be able to discern the heart of God and walk in his works in order to produce fruit. It is interesting that each time the Bible speaks of us bearing fruit, it is never in relation to our efforts or works. It is always the work of God. Let’s examine some of these passages.
John 15:16
16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
Notice that it is God who chooses. He calls us and appoints us. We then go and bear fruit. We do not appoint ourselves, or our work, or choose our ministry. We are called, appointed, and we go with the confidence that we will bear fruit. Even our prayers where we ask for things in Jesus’ name are based on our appointment and our desire to bear fruit. We will get into asking and labor a bit later. Now, let’s dig a little deeper into what it means to bear fruit. Look now at John 15:2-11
2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
9 " As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Notice this passage starts off with pruning. This is God removing the things that hinder us so our lives aren’t wasted on vain efforts. Consider the implication of this passage. Do you understand why a grapevine must be pruned yearly? If a vine is left to itself, it will spend its resources on expanding its growth. As it spreads out, more energy and effort is needed to sustain its growth. The vine has no ability to know when to let go of a fruitless effort. The vine dresser cuts it back each year so new growth will emerge. Grapes are produced abundantly in the new growth, but very sparsely in the old growth. So, even though it is producing fruit, it cannot produce in abundance unless it is pruned first.
The same is true in our lives and ministries. Some ministries expand to the point where they need huge resources to sustain old growth – even if it is fruitless. Our personal ministries can be the same way. Christians will burn themselves out trying to hold onto and sustain busy activities which bear no fruit. Let me say this again. Personal lives are crowded with old activities that may seem good, but produce no fruit. It isn’t sinful behaviors, it is fruitless efforts that we try to sustain. Sometimes we may even feel guilty for letting go of something thinking that it is a spiritual defeat if we don’t force ourselves to maintain vain efforts. God has to prune away these things so we can be free to grow in ways that will make our lives and ministries fruitful.
At this time, I want to look at verses 4-11 as a complete thought. Jesus is painting a picture in order to instruct his disciples as to how to bear fruit from their works. The first principle is that fruit is not possible without abiding in Christ. We must abide in him, have his word abiding in us, and then we have the promise that we ask of the Father, have our prayers answered so that we bear fruit.
“If you do these things, you will bear much fruit.” Jesus made it clear, these promises are not so their selfish prayers can be answered, but so they bear much fruit. If you abide in Christ and walk in the Lord’s will, you will bear fruit. He did not say, “You will have success.” Success and fruit bearing are not always in agreement. As I said before, you can have a very successful ministry and never bear fruit. The reason is that fruit is produced through abiding in Christ, and walking in his word.
The same principle is taught in 2 Peter 1. The Bible explains how to abide in Christ and finishes with the promise in verse 8, “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Stop for a moment and consider that promise. If you do these things, you will not be barren nor unfruitful. You will bear fruit. It is a promise. The reason this promise is sure is because if we are abiding in the vine, his work is flowing through us to produce fruit through our labors.
At this point, we probably need to stop and discuss what it means to labor in the Lord. It is easy to misunderstand the Bible’s teaching and say something like, “Since it is the work of the Lord, I don’t need to do anything.” The Bible doesn’t say this. We are called – no, commanded – to labor and do good works. It is a matter of faith verses flesh. If your labor is dependent on human effort, you are laboring in the flesh and will only produce the false works of the flesh. No reward, no fruit.
If you are laboring in obedience, your trust is twofold. You first believe the command of the Lord and know where he has directed, and you trust in his work in your life to accomplish his will, then you are on the path of fruitful works.
It is not what you are doing for God. It is what God is doing and the work God is asking you to walk in. True, the work was finished from the foundation of the world (Hebrews 4:3), but the fruit is through the man or woman who abides in Christ. If you refuse to enter the fields of harvest, God will raise someone who will. It is true that God does not need us, but he has chosen to bless man in his harvest and to share in the reward. He will not allow his fellowship of love to fall to the ground, but will raise up someone who will keep his word.
Asking, and the foundation it’s built upon.
Let’s go back to the passage we read from John 15. Look again at verses 7-11
7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
9 " As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
There is much to learn here. First, we are told to ask. Our desire to ask begins with a life that abides in Christ. If this is lacking, the promise to receive will not be given. 1 John 5:14-15 affirms this by saying that we must ask according to his will, and then we know – not hope but know – we have the petitions we ask. If our abiding in Christ and seeking his will is absent, our prayers fall into what James 4:3 says is amiss. It will not be answered for we are only seeking to consume God’s grace for our own lusts.
If we are doing God’s will, why do we need to ask God for the things we need to fulfill his commandments? I believe the answer is found in our hearts. The ultimate goal of God’s work in our life is to glorify himself through shaping us into his likeness so we can have fullness of joy in him. We are to experience his love. The fact is that we still have a human nature and we are quickly turned out of the way by our own misconceptions.
If we automatically succeeded in all that we set out to do, we would lose sight of God’s power in our lives. It is a fact that if I never struggle, I will fall into a self-sufficient mindset, and will begin to think my own ability is accomplishing the work of God.
Consider King Nebuchadnezzar. God plainly stated that he raised Nebuchadnezzar up in order to judge the sins of his people and the nations around them. God said Nebuchadnezzar was a servant of the Lord (Jeremiah 27:6). Everything was easy for Nebuchadnezzar. He conquered every nation and no one could stand against him. According to the Bible, the Kingdom of Babylon was the greatest kingdom in history. As pride began to rise in Nebuchadnezzar’s heart, God gave him a dream and sent Daniel to warn the king that he would be judged for his pride. Even so, he looked out over the kingdom and said, “Look what I have done.”
The king heard a voice from heaven saying the kingdom had departed from him, and he lost his sanity for seven years. When God revisited him, Nebuchadnezzar testified that all the affairs of men are the works of God’s hand, and nothing can restrain him or question what he has done.
We too are servants in God’s hand. God has appointed us a part of his work, but our tendency of carnal thoughts are no different than that of Nebuchadnezzar. If I have unhindered success, I will begin to think that my righteousness has exalted me, or that my abilities are an asset to God and needed for his kingdom. Even if I declare my dependence on him, I am still vulnerable. Just as Peter declared that he would never fall, never abandon Christ, and he would never deny him, he found out he didn’t have the strength to stand without God’s sustaining hand. He could not pray for one hour with Christ, because he felt sufficient to stand. He failed to heed the warning of Jesus, “Pray with me that you don’t fall into temptation. The heart is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
We overestimate our ability to remain faithful without God upholding us by his strength. For this reason, I believe the work of God requires perseverance, effort, labor, and prayer. It is not easy, because it is not intended to be easy. God is completing his work through us, but roadblocks and challenges reveal two things every Christian must understand. We are dependent upon God to fulfill the work, and that we recognize that we need to look to him for our own strength.
I probably overuse this illustration, but it beautifully shows how God works through our labors. When Jesus finished feeding the five-thousand men, he instructed his disciples to get into a boat and go to the other side of the sea of Galilee. He departed to the mountain to pray, and the Bible says that he watched his disciples rowing fruitlessly against the wind. For over nine hours, twelve disciples rowed to the point of exhaustion, but refused to disobey the Lord.
All reason would tell them to let the wind carry them back to the shore they departed. It would seem justified to do so, but they continued to row. I imagine that he waited until he knew they were at the breaking point. He promised that man would never have to endure beyond his ability to resist temptation. Just as all hope seemed to be lost, Jesus descended from the mountain, walked on the troubled waves, and came to them in the boat. And then, according to John 6:21, Jesus took them to the other side.
Their labors did not accomplish the work; it only served to prove their faithfulness and obedience. In God’s timing and in his way, he accomplishes the work. Like the disciples, God reveals to us the path of works for us to walk in. He commands us to go and do. Sometimes the work falls right into place, but other times he allows man to struggle against the wind until the time comes for him to produce the fruit of our labors. Keep the words of Psalm 121 in mind:
I will lift up my eyes to the hills -- From whence comes my help?
2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.
Just as Jesus watched from the mountain, the Lord watches over us. He calls us to be faithful and obedient. We obey and labor knowing that our help doesn’t come from within ourselves, but it comes from the Lord who has made everything, ordained all things, and will finish the work in our lives. He will allow us to struggle – even to the point of exhaustion, but he will never slumber. He doesn’t close his eyes, but watches over us and sustains us. We labor and battle in this world because we need to look to the help of the Lord. As we depend upon him, we trust in him, not our own labors.
Jesus didn’t need the labor of the disciples to get to the other side of the water. The Lord is above all things and didn’t even need the boat. The purpose of this event was to prove their faithfulness, and so they could see him to be the power behind their efforts. He didn’t need the disciples and he didn’t need the boat. Yet, he chose to use his disciples in his purpose.
This is the heart of works. As I said in the previous study, God calls us into the work because of his great love for us. He is the Father who wants his children to enjoy what he is doing, and to share in the rewards of the labor. The reward is a gift, not a payment. Labor and works are part of our fellowship with our heavenly Father. Jesus said, “My Father works, and I work… What I see of my Father, I do.” We also look to our heavenly Father, join him in the fields of work, and enjoy fellowship and the fruit of our labors. Our labor does not produce the fruit, our labor is an act of worship and fellowship. We join the fellowship between the Father and the Son as we submit to God’s will and walk in the works God has prepared before him.
We indeed labor, but we labor through faith and love, not by the efforts of our flesh. Fellowship is the first works. Jesus said, “This is the work of God that you believe on him who the Father sent.” Without faith, it is impossible to please God. If works is not an act of faith, it is human effort. If faith produces no works, it is human faith. True faith reveals the will of God, and those who believe God, will walk where he leads and do what he says. So, if your need is to know the will of God, the first step is to have fellowship with him and know him through the word. As you grow in faith, your eyes will be opened to hand of God directing you to the work. It can work no other way.
Eddie Snipes
Exchanged Life Outreach
Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eddiesnipes
<<Click Here to Sign up for Weekly Messages>>