Chaplain’s Corner – February
22, 2008
Rev.
Rich Hines
What Christian Fruit Looks Like
This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ
as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel
minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission –
in the
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deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations
from the original languages, or as notes from the
original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.
ALL CAPITAL
LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment
about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement
Last
month I began our 2008 messages to ministers of the gospel in jails, prisons
and rescue missions, with some thoughts on being fruitful for eternity. I pointed out that biblically speaking, fruit is what we do, what comes out of our
lives. BUT, WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT IS
THAT WE BEAR ACCEPTABLE FRUIT, THAT WILL LAST.
Another way of looking at is - bearing fruit for God.
Romans
7:4 using the illustration of a widow remarrying, says to Christians –
4
Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body
of Christ, that you may be married to another – to Him who was raised from the
dead, (in order) that we should bear fruit
for God.
Only
those that have been born of God can bear fruit for God. Last month we saw in John 15, that Jesus
taught every true child of God, by virtue of their union with Him, will bear
some fruit. The reality of true
spiritual fruit will then glorify Him throughout eternity.
This month I want to
further develop the thought, and give you a message on what Christian fruit
looks like. In other words, what
specific things will come out of our lives IF WE ABIDE TIGHTLY IN THE ONE WHO
IS OUR TRUE VINE, the Lord Jesus Christ.
There really are many
applications for those in the inmate population that are being saved. I’ll try to point some of them out as I
develop this message.
To begin, here is a short
list of five things the word of God calls good, spiritual fruit.
1. Matthew
13:23 - Loving to hear the word of God, and a God given ability to understand it. Note the context from verse 18 and following.
Matthew 13: Jesus said -
18 “Therefore hear the
parable of the sower:
19 When anyone hears the
word of the kingdom, …
In Mark 4:14 a true
parallel passage, Jesus said: “The sower sows the
word.”
… then
down to verse 23 -
23 But he who received
seed on the good ground is he who hears
the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a
hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
If any inmate is truly
saved, one of the fruits of their salvation will be a greater hunger for the
Bible. They will want to come to Bible study and services, not just to be
with others of like precious faith, BUT TO LEARN THE WORD OF GOD.
2. John
4:35,36 - Jesus
calls gathering (harvesting) souls for the
35 (He was speaking to His
disciples) Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest?’ Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and
look at the fields, for they are white already for harvest!
36 And he who reaps
receives wages, and gathers fruit for
eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice
together.
So another indication of
true salvation in an inmate’s life is that they will want to see others embrace Christ as Savior and Lord so much,
that they will want to get involved in personal evangelism. Truly saved “branches” will always want these two things.
3. Romans
1:13 refers to seeing spiritual growth and strengthening in the faith as fruit.
Note the context from verse 11.
11 For I (a minister of
the God’s gospel) long to see you, (so) that you MAY BE ESTABLISHED (this word
means to set or fix so that a thing stands fast – like to set in concrete) –
12 that
is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you
and me.
13 Now I do not want you
to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered
until now) that (literally, in order that) I MIGHT HAVE SOME FRUIT AMONG YOU
ALSO, just as among the other Gentiles. (by stablishing them in the faith)
Those inmates that are
connected to the True Vine, will become more solid in
their faith. They will believe and
behave more and more like the word of God says they should. For instance, they will grow in respect to
not being gullible and thereby duped by false religion within the facility or
from the outside. That manifests
Christian fruit.
As the Apostle said in
Ephesians 4:14, “no longer be children, tossed to
and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men,
in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,…”
4. Romans
6:22 and Hebrews 12:11 refer to holiness and righteousness of life, as "Fruit."
Romans 6:22 – “But now
having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, YOU HAVE YOUR
FRUIT TO HOLINESS, and the end, everlasting life.”
Similarly, Hebrews 12:11 –
speaking to Christians about God’s chastening from verse 7 on says:
7 If you endure chastening,
God deals with you as with sons …
8 But if you are without
chastening of which all (all true believers) have become partakers, then you
are illegitimate and not sons.
…
11Now no chastening (from
God) seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward
it yields the peaceable fruit of
righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
So look for the fruit of a
growing love of holiness and a growing hatred of sin in inmates that claim
salvation. If it’s there, it’s fruit
produced by being in Christ.
5.
Philippians 4:18 calls sacrificial giving, "fruit
that abounds to your account."
Romans 15:26-28 also refers
to the same thing as “fruit,” and 2 Cor. 9:10 even calls such giving, “righteous fruit.” Inmates can also give material finances for
God’s causes.
So, Christian fruit is
evident when we see:
- The Bible eagerly being
studied,
- A deep desire to see
lost people saved, (remember these first two must continue)
- A stronger resolve and
greater likeness to Jesus Christ,
- An increase in holy
living,
- And sacrificial giving
to promote the gospel, or to minister to the needs of believers.
Lastly, I want you to look
at Galatians 5:19-23. This passage shows
the contrast between what human sinners do and what the Holy Spirit does. Here, fruit is that which only the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of
Christ, who said He was the True Vine, can produce.
19 Now the works (deeds)
of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery fornication, uncleanness,
lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery,
hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions,
dissensions, heresies,
21
envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you
beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who
practice (continually live in) such things will not inherit the
22
But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness,
self-control.
In this passage, what is called the “works
or deeds of the flesh,” is what other Bible passages call bad fruit. There is a plurality of different sins listed in
verses 19-21, but NOTE THE CONTRAST, the fruit of the Spirit in verses 22-23, is
singular.
Whereas a person
living in the flesh might commit all the SINS on the list of the fleshly
attitudes and actions (in verses 19-21), or just some of them, the person
indwelt by the Spirit of Christ will show, at least sometimes, all nine aspects of the SINGULAR FRUIT
described in verses 22,23. All nine are
part of the one fruit.
If a person is in
Christ, they are saved. If they are
saved, the Holy Spirit will produce in their life some: love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As I explain these words that describe the fruit
that is only produced by the Holy Spirit in the life of a true believer, note
how different they are from the general inmate culture, and how much they need
to be on display in your facility.
1. LOVE
This word means the
opposite of selfishness. This word puts
others ahead of self. This NT word
always has in mind the love God demonstrated at the cross. It sacrifices for the ultimate good of even
those that are the enemies of the one loving.
More than an emotion, it always involves action for someone else. It’s based on the decision of the one loving
rather than on the deservedness of the ones loved.
What a contrast to
normal prisoners’ attitudes, a true community of Christ's followers can be in a
jail or prison setting! As His Spirit produces this attitude of putting others interests
above self and of even being willing to sacrifice to help those who in the
natural realm are their enemies, it is a
testimony to God's true presence.
Think of it, inmates so
loving the guards, or so loving other inmates of a different ethnic background,
WOW - what a testimony to God’s reality
and presence! The fact that this
kind of love is so unnatural points to the One who is its’ source: God
Remind the professing
believers that Jesus said, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John
13:35)
The next two aspects
of this fruit produced by the Spirit are inward, but can be seen and wondered
at by others. They are “joy” and
“peace.”
2. JOY
Jails and prisons are
filled with sadness and emotional darkness, but even these places can be
brightened by the evidence of Christ's Spirit produced fruit, for it also
manifests JOY. This attitude is the
exhilaration that comes from knowing that you know, that you know, everything is all right between you and
God!
Nothing on the human
level can add to or take away from this gift of joy from Christ to His true
followers. This joy isn't based on
anything temporary. In fact, it shows
itself best when the Christian branch abiding in its True Vine is under
hardship and trial.
Consider 1 Peter
1:6-8 as an example.
6 In this (salvation
ready to be revealed at the last time) you
greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been
grieved by various trials,
7 that the
genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that
perishes, though it is tested by fire,
may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8
whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing,
you rejoice with joy inexpressible and
full of glory,
3. PEACE
Like joy, this
manifestation of the Spirit in the believer's life is linked to the realization
of their relationship with God. Since the enmity with God has been removed by the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ, the believer
experiences peace. This peace is
the tranquility of mind that is a result of a true saving relationship with
God.
Colossians 1:20-22
states this reality when it says:
20...by Him (that is
the God's Son) to reconcile (the word means to change the relationship) all
things to Himself (God, the Father) by Him (God, the Son), whether things on
earth or things in heaven, HAVING MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS
CROSS. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies (of God) in your mind by wicked
works, yet now HE HAS RECONCILED (He’s made a new relationship) 22 IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH THROUGH
DEATH, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight -
Since this peace
refers to peace with God, it therefore is outside the realm of its possessor’s
temporary situation. It remains when the
world does it worst to the believer.
Like the joy aspect of this fruit, peace with God does not depend on what the temporary human
circumstance is.
Spirit produced joy
and peace (in Christ) are internal, but the contrast
to the internal turmoil inmates without God go through can and has been used as
an evangelistic tool by the Holy Spirit.
In some cases, He draws the unsaved to Christ by the reality of joy and
peace they see in another inmate's life.
The next five aspects
of Spirit produced fruit (patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness) relate to attitudes and actions toward those around the believer –
in your inmates’ case, even to other unsaved inmates and staff.
4. LONGSUFFERING
(PATIENCE) - this word is used to describe “love” in 1 Cor.
13:4
The word actually
means "long on ardor" and carries the idea of slow to become
wrathful. This aspect of Christian fruit
is a tolerance that endures injuries or insults inflicted by others. It is the calm willingness to accept
situations that are irritating or painful.
You and you co-laborers should discuss this issue a lot with inmates.
5. KINDNESS - this word is also used in 1 Cor. 13:4, to describe “love.”
This is a desire to
reach out to others to tenderly help them.
Although not heard very much today, the expression about a physician
said to have a "good bedside manner," communicates this type of
kindness. This is so different from
normal inmate harshness!
6. GOODNESS
This is the moral
good that desires to honor God by confronting sin and evil. Because internally that which is morally
right is embraced and highly valued, this “goodness” seeks to benefit others by
communicating what is good, and right and proper.
7. FAITHFULNESS
This word combines
the concepts of loyalty, reliability and trustworthiness. Most inmates have been
double-crossed and let down by others.
This should never come from a Christian inmate, because the fruit of the
Holy Spirit makes them faithful.
8. GENTLENESS
This word in verse 23, refers to power under control. Rather than demanding its "rights,"
it yields to what will accomplish the greater good. Again, how different from normal inmate
behavior!
The last of the nine
aspects of the fruit the Holy Spirit produces mentioned in Galatians 5:23,
”SELF-CONTROL,” is inward, but others certainly will benefit from it, even
though they may not realize it. For
instance, just think of the fights it could prevent.
9. SELF-CONTROL is an
inner-strength that has a strong grip on the mind and the subsequent actions,
of a Holy Spirit indwelt person. This
characteristic of the fruit He produces is what battles temptations and wins.
As you and your
co-workers for Christ teach Bible studies, you really could have separate
studies on each one of these descriptions of Christian fruit. Think of how they could apply in the
facility. It would be very challenging,
and the outcome could bring glory to God.
Ultimately that should be the goal of every one of us that names the
name of Christ.
Rich Hines
Minister To Chaplains