Back to the Basics
When starting this blog over a year ago now, the driving force behind my mission was to encourage and equip the saints, as we live out this faith journey with Christ. Too often, I have seen many a church folk come and go through sanctuary doors, seemingly unchanged by the gospel of Jesus.
I have seen them walk the isle and kneel.
I can testify that they prayed.
I have witnessed baptisms and confessions of faith.
I observed hands lifted high in worship.
But there was no fruit…or if there was any, the product was small, underdeveloped and bitter.
Why?
First, what do I mean when I say the term “fruit”? In Matthew 7, starting in verse 15, Jesus gives us this definition:
“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” (Matthew 7:15-20)
As a disciple of Christ, it matters what we do and how we present ourselves to the world. Not because our faith is behavior modification, but because, as a follower of Jesus, we are to imitate, to the best of our ability, our Rabbi.
In biblical times, when a man was called to follow a teacher and become his disciple, the new student’s goal was to soak in everything they could learn from their Rabbi (which means “master”), and find out what it meant to live a life pleasing to God. They copied all aspects of their leader’s actions, memorized scripture, studied their teacher and took detailed notes regarding how he would conduct himself in a multitude of situations. You would learn everything from this man, striving to emulate his every move.
So back to our fruit discussion. If we can identify people by their “fruit”, what specifically does that mean? What are the fruits in our lives, we should take note of?
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against these things.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
I’m willing to wager, most of you have heard this list of Godly attributes at some point in your life. Some of you may be unfamiliar with the scriptures entirely, but somewhere in your years of living, was made aware of these adjectives to help describe “church folk”.
So why then, are some many professing Christians not producing the proper fruit to match their words? How is it, we continue to witness erroneous, sinful acts being committed by those claiming the name of Jesus? It could have something to do with the fact we can name the fruits of the Spirit by memory, have taught our kids the list with cute, card stock images of happy fruits and even have a coffee mug with the verse eloquently printed on the side, when all the while the application is actually in the next few verses.
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” (Galatians 5:24-25)
Point #1: Nailing our passions and desires to the cross
If you do not take sin seriously in your life, it will seriously destroy you.
No question, no doubt.
Too often, there are those within the big “C” church, who keep “little sins” within their lives like they are a pet. Do not be deceived, dear friends. What starts out as a kitten, will quickly grow into a tiger. I have said it previously and I will say it again. Sin will not be contained.
Pride
Lust
Greed
Sexual perversion
Anger
Slothfulness
Unforgiveness
Dishonesty
So many more could be added to this list, all of them will eat you whole. Our society has soft served sin in a waffle cone for so long now, instead of running from the ice cream shop like we should, we ask for extra hot fudge topping.
We must wage violent war against this flesh that seeks to kill and destroy us. Nail it to the cross of Calvary- daily! Do not rest until you have purged your life of everything that is not of God. Then continue with ongoing maintenance and upkeep by quick, immediate confession of sinful thoughts or actions.
Going through a difficult season of temptation? Reach out to your trusted brothers or sisters in Christ and confess. Ask for help and accountability. Speak to your pastor. We must do whatever it takes to battle the darkness and overcome the evil that wants nothing more than to see you bound in chains, imprisoned and lost.
Point #2: Following the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives
You run through grassy meadows containing a beautiful brook flowing with clear, blue waters to refresh your thirst. The Good Shepherd has lead you here. Two months later, you sit at a banquet feast, hosted by the same Master of the peaceful fields, and indulge in the most decadent foods you have ever encountered. He must surely love me, you think.
A few weeks go by, and the road you are walking, per the direction of your Provider, becomes increasingly rugged and steep. The path becomes narrow and more difficult to find, while rocks begin to lodge in your shoes and blisters start to form. You look around in confusion. Weary from your journey, you spot a side path that seems flat and well worn. You quickly advance in that direction to escape your difficulties, when you hear the voice of the One Who told you come this way.
“No, stay the course I have laid before you.”
No? This cannot be what He would have for me? I thought He cared for me. Why have me walk this painful passage, when there is ease and comfort just within a few steps.
Pausing for a moment, looking back to the rocky course you were just traversing, you decide to take the worn path. The flat ground and level footing makes your journey enjoyable once more, and your mood begins to brighten. Looks like I knew better than the Master this time.
After several turns and a couple of forks in the road, you realize you have no idea where you are or how to get out. The woods begin to feel as if they are closing in on you, and the once level ground starts to slope steeply downward. Sliding, falling, you are totally out of control, until you slip over the edge of an embankment, injuring your leg in the tumble. Panic grips your heart, and you know instantly you have made a grave mistake.
How often do we do this in our relationship with Jesus? He will tell us to go one way, but when we peak at the rugged terrain ahead, we shake our head and jet off in the opposite direction. Before long, we are making all of our own decisions and forging our path, only to become terribly lost and often injured in the process.
If we had trusted the Lord’s leading, we would have found out the climb He was asking us to do, was actually trying to take us around the danger we ended up landing in. His path is always for our best, for His thoughts and ways are not ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Stubborn pride and the need for control often whisper to our hearts that we know better than an all knowing, all seeing God. (Make that make sense)
More importantly, the discipline of obedience, is what is at stake here. When the Holy Spirit asks you to do something, how quickly do you respond with a “yes”?
Do you argue like Moses that you are not qualified?
Do you run like Jonah, because you don’t want to do what He asked of you?
Do you begrudgingly move, but look back in rebellion like Lot’s wife?
Total surrender to the Almighty, is the start of total freedom. If you have an area of your life where you seem to always have a defeat, chances are there is something there you need to lay down and hand over to the Father.
We must be all in with our relationship with Christ, holding nothing back, and allow Him to direct our path. If you are not doing this, repent of your rebellion and ask God to help you surrender.
These principles are the basics of a strong, Christian walk. Following them, will cause you to produce much fruit for the Kingdom. We must get back to the simple gospel. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. When we accept the free gift of salvation, we are then joined with Him for eternity.
Work and live and act like you belong to Him.
Strive for holiness.
Desire what He desires for your life.
Make sure your actions match what you profess with your mouth.
Will this be easy? Of course not! We are selfish, and want what we want most days. The other days, the shadows wait to over take us, but we must at least try. Give it your everything! Hold nothing back from Him. Don’t just offer lip service, give Christ your whole life. We must get back to the basics and build a strong foundation on the Rock.
This world only continues to grow ever darker and more sinful. If the bedrock of your faith has cracks, you will not survive the shaking. Take the necessary steps today to repair the breeches and shore up the walls. Crucify those fleshly desires, killing sin, and walk continually in the ways the Holy Spirit leads you.
Every effort you put into your relationship with Jesus, will be worth it in the end. For there will be nothing more glorious, than to hear Him say,
“Well done, My good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord!” (Matthew 25:23)