God Evening Family,
Some months ago I realized that having a fruitless life was a sure way to reserve a place in hell.
Yesterday I heard someone say that Christians who do not bear the fruits of Jesus Christ were going to hell. He referenced John 15:2 which says,
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away...
I also found in Luke 3:8 & 9,
Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance...And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
The scripture is in no way vague. Jesus says He is the vine and we are the branches. If we branches do not bear the obvious fruit that marks us as Christ's then we have no place in Him and thus, no place in heaven.
But what fruit is Jesus talking about. Well obviously we must have the fruit of the Spirit found in Gal 5:22 & 23,
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
But the scripture in both Luke 3 and John 15 is specific. In both of these Jesus demands that those who are His must love the very people made in His image. Look at John 15: 16 & 17
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. These things I command you, that you love one another.
In Luke 3 after John warns the people that the fruitless will be cut down and cast into the fire the people ask him what must they do to avoid such punishment. He tells everyone to share with others, the tax collectors were commanded to not cheat the people out of their money, and the soldiers were told to not use their authority to take advantage of others.
The fruit of our relationship with God is the love of people. He said Himself if we say we love Him and do not love others we are liars. (1 Jon 4:20) How we treat the least of us is how we treat God. Cheat others you cheat God. Turn your face away from a brother in need and you've just turned your back on God.
This is no milk toast, sappy, "God bless brother, be warmed and filled" kind of love. How must we love? We must lay down our very lives for one another. Prefer one another before ourselves. Go out of our way and be inconvenienced for one another. (1 Jn 3:16-17)
Still not convinced? How's this? On that great day God will separate the sheep from the goats. The sheep on His right hand who will enter heaven, generously and on purpose loved others by clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, and visited the shut-in and imprisoned. The ones that went to hell lived selfish, self-centered lives and God declared that He took their lack of love towards others as an expression of their lack of love toward Himself. (Matt 25: 31-36)
God doesn't make it complicated. Love God. Love People. Not too hard...
...right?
In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another 1 Jn 3:10-11
Stay in the Word and in Prayer!
Love in Our Lord,
Lauren
