IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST, AND HE IN YOU, YOU WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT, THERE IS NO ARGUMENT TO DENY THIS...

I just read an article by a Pastor whom relayed the steps to a JOY filled life, and one of the steps was to bear fruit worthy of THE SPIRIT, to which a few people replied that he was wrong! There is SO much dissension over clear instructions, and part of the problem is because people are being taught part of the whole, and then, because they do not study deep enough to understand the whole!!!

From MATTHEW 3 throughout the NEW TESTAMENT, reference to bearing fruit of THE SPIRIT, is plainly visible! (LUKE, ACTS, EPHESIANS, JOHN, & some OLD TESTAMENT BOOKS reiterate the good tree/good fruit) The first reference is MATTHEW 3: 8-12...
8/ Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
9/ And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10/ Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11/ I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.
12/ His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Not only is there sufficient Scripture bidding us to bear fruit, it is written that when we are of CHRIST, THE LORD *GOD*, we are a NEW being, having taken off the old being, which means we are to live in as much resemblance of HIM as we can, AND, the Children of *GOD* ARE known by their goodness, as opposed to those not of HIM!!!

We are to be as the salt, and light of the world, full of virtue, ethics, goodness, and all which reflects our LORD, in which case, IF THE HOLY SPIRIT is not grieved in us, CAUSES us to bear worthy fruit!!!

When Paul states in ROMANS that we saved by FAITH, he is NOT negating that there are components which make up this FAITH, such as bearing fruit, instead, he is TRYING to explain to the hypocrites, that works alone, do NOT bring them to *GOD*, BECAUSE they refuted CHRIST THE LORD, and had NO FAITH, relying on the show of their works! This Man, Apostle Paul, could NOT deny that works accompany FAITH, because he personally, was a model of both; going through DRAMATIC change of body, mind, heart, and spirit, in order to FULFILL THE WILL of THE LORD who Called him! It is like this, NOTHING in THE WORD works independent of anything else, ALL instruction works TOGETHER, as ONE, to perfect the spirit, the TRUE being! And so, as is explained in JAMES, FAITH without evidence/works, is as if not having any FAITH...

People who resist that there IS responsibility to salvation, to the COVENANT, need to study deeper, and open UP! A COVENANT is more than one-sided, it is at least, 2 sided; it is an agreement, and can only be fulfilled by both sides honouring it! *GOD* HAS HONOURED HIS end, we also, must honour ours! Not only this, but HOW does it make sense that we can continue to live unconstrained, uncontrolled, and act as those in the world, when we have been Called to obedience, and righteousness, set apart for lofty use BY THE LORD *GOD*?!?

The HEAVENLY beings that did not act according to HIS WILL are chained, or are roaming the Earth; they are NO longer with THE LORD, so you see, as is written, if HE did not spare the Angels, what makes you think HE will spare you? THE WAY is complex, IF not embraced, and that is for reason! On the other hand, as knowledge leads to understanding, and then, we LIVE accordingly, it is oh, so sweet! To LIVE accordingly, requires change, effort, and so, works...

Read now the Commentary on the above Scripture, MATTHEW 3: 8-12...
To make application to the souls of the hearers, is the life of preaching; so it was of John's preaching.

The Pharisees laid their chief stress on outward observances, neglecting the weightier matters of the moral law, and the spiritual meaning of their legal ceremonies. Others of them were detestable hypocrites, making their pretences to holiness a cloak for iniquity. The Sadducees ran into the opposite extreme, denying the existence of spirits, and a future state. They were the scornful infidels of that time and country. 

There is a wrath to come. It is the great concern of every one to flee from that wrath. God, who delights not in our ruin, has warned us; he warns by the written word, by ministers, by conscience.

And those are not worthy of the name of penitents, or their privileges, who say they are sorry for their sins, yet persist in them. It becomes penitents to be humble and low in their own eyes, to be thankful for the least mercy, patient under the greatest affliction, to be watchful against all appearances of sin, to abound in every duty, and to be charitable in judging others. 

Here is a word of caution, not to trust in outward privileges. 

There is a great deal which carnal hearts are apt to say within themselves, to put aside the convincing, commanding power of the word of God. 

Multitudes, by resting in the honours and mere advantages of their being members of an outward church, come short of heaven. 

Here is a word of terror to the careless and secure. Our corrupt hearts cannot be made to produce good fruit, unless the regenerating Spirit of Christ graft the good word of God upon them. And every tree, however high in gifts and honours, however green in outward professions and performances, if it bring not forth good fruit, the fruits meet for repentance, is hewn down and cast into the fire of God's wrath, the fittest place for barren trees: what else are they good for? If not fit for fruit, they are fit for fuel. 

John shows the design and intention of Christ's appearing, which they were now speedily to expect.

No outward forms can make us clean. No ordinances, by whomsoever administered, or after whatever mode, can supply the want of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire. The purifying and cleansing power of the Holy Spirit alone can produce that purity of heart, and those holy affections, which accompany salvation. It is Christ who baptizes with the Holy Ghost. This he did in the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit sent upon the apostles, Ac 2:4. This he does in the graces and comforts of the Spirit, given to those that ask him, Lu 11:13; Joh 7:38,39; see Ac 11:16. 

Observe here, the outward church is Christ's floor, Isa 21:10. True believers are as wheat, substantial, useful, and valuable; hypocrites are as chaff, light and empty, useless and worthless, carried about with every wind; these are mixed, good and bad, in the same outward communion. 

There is a day coming when the wheat and chaff shall be separated. The last judgment will be the distinguishing day, when saints and sinners shall be parted for ever. In heaven the saints are brought together, and no longer scattered; they are safe, and no longer exposed; separated from corrupt neighbours without, and corrupt affections within, and there is no chaff among them. 

Hell is the unquenchable fire, which will certainly be the portion and punishment of hypocrites and unbelievers. Here life and death, good and evil, are set before us: according as we now are in the field, we shall be then in the floor.

REV. LWINSOR © 2013
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS

The EVIDENCE of CHRIST, our LORD, in us, IS through the fruits of THE SPIRIT, which, require us to know, understand, and live in them: they already exist in us, we only have to tap into them, by existing in the spirit, instead of the egocentric flesh! And, as LOVE would have it, where is there time, or room, for the old ways???