Essay 4: New Creations Bearing Godly Fruit
Copyright © 2005-2025 by Terry E. Manning
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV
Father God draws individuals to His Son Jesus. Those who respond and believe in Jesus, repent and seek His forgiveness are washed clean of their trespasses and sins at the outset and are made alive together with Christ. They are spiritually born from above and become members of the household of God. This combination of human and divine makes them a new creation in Jesus (2 Cor. 5:16-21, Eph. 1:7, Col. 3:10).
There is a great distance that must be traveled on the difficult way of the Lord to progress from having been born again to full spiritual maturity. From among those who are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets and who successfully grow up in Christ, the Holy Spirit is building a holy temple in the Lord, a dwelling place for God (Eph. 2:19-22).
Weak believers, who are the product of worldly Christianity ("churchianity"), its numerous deceptions and/or their own unwise counsel, have become dull in their spiritual hearing and sluggish in achieving spiritual insight. Because it is common for contemporary believers to expect God to cater to their will instead of striving to conform themselves to the Father's will, tens of millions remain spiritually immature throughout their lifetimes.
Becoming born again, is the starting point for all believers, but today, the vast majority do not grow beyond spiritual infancy or early childhood in Christ. We are created, redeemed and loved by Father God for His purposes and pleasure. Believers who fall short of Father's will for them perpetually need spiritual milk (like nursing infants), unable to eat solid spiritual food (Heb. 5:11-6:9). They are certainly not abiding in Christ Jesus, being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit (Eph. 2:22).
To their shame, of the millions who are born from above, only a minority grow through their faith in Jesus to become obedient children of God. Of those who are called to go further and become Jesus' disciples, the majority tend to persist in their ignorance, complacency and carnality, only desiring to use God instead of living to do the Father's will (Rom. 6:11-12, 2 Cor. 5:11-15).
A third group, a very small remnant of all believers, learn to yield and later abandon their will to the will of God (in all that is required of them) to grow to full spiritual maturity and become mature sons and younger brothers of Lord Jesus (both men and women – as the Scriptures point out, their is neither male nor female in Christ; Gal. 3:28).
Stubbornly, self-serving believers readily embrace this fallen world and its values and may choose their own way or worldly religion instead of an obedient personal relationship with Jesus. Their vital connection to the true Vine is non-existent or, if they began a discipleship to Jesus, severely compromised and what their lives produce as new creations is not the divine fruit that Father God expects. By refusing to grow up in Christ to love and serve God (as Father God desires through obedience) they firmly remain part of the problem, the rebellion against their Creator's rule, and distant from God's only Solution (see Hebrews 5:11-14).
Jesus made it clear in the gospel of John (see chapters fourteen and fifteen) that a diligent disciple demonstrated their love for Him, as their Lord, through their obedience to Him and to His commands. The failure for a follower of the Lord to learn to do so leaves them at odds with the will of the Father because of their self-serving choices. The consequences are severe.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 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. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:1-11 ESV, [emphasis added]
Then He said to [them] all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it. What is a man benefited if he gains the whole world, yet loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and that of the Father and the holy angels. Luke 9:23-25 HCSB, [emphasis added]
The vast majority of believers, who reject the Lord's call to follow Him, do so because of their fear, ignorance, unbelief, complacency or carelessness. Being led by the Holy Spirit and personally taught by Jesus either threatens their security in temporal things, exposes their steadfast unbelief or requires a greater commitment to Jesus (as their Lord) than they are willing to make and keep. It can be said of the majority, who are called to follow Lord Jesus, that they love themselves more than they love God and choose to remain that way.
Of those who actually grow to bear spiritual fruit, too many eventually damage their spiritual connection to the life-giving Vine (Jesus) through their carelessness, self-will and/or by rejecting the pruning of their lives that Father God deems necessary. For those who reject God's correction, instead of pressing forward and upward by striving to abide consistently in Jesus, they are offended by and resentful of God. The personal cost of their commitment to Lord Jesus (the requirements of denying themselves, picking up their crosses daily and submitting themselves to follow and not lead) may prove to be more than they are willing to pay.
The Word of God differentiates between what is produced from self (self-rule, self-will, self-sufficiency, selfishness, self-direction, vanity, futility, etc.) and what is produced from the life of Christ within (the fruit of the Spirit, the divine nature and character of Jesus, anointed words and actions, a life hid in Christ, etc.). Personal obedience to the Lord (and His commands} is God's requirement for abiding in Christ and abiding in the love of Jesus.
Compromising disciples value their self-will, self-rule and image of themselves so much that they choose to stop following the Lord. When a disciple stops following Jesus, they are rejecting the sovereignty of God in their life and the Person of Jesus. The consequences for those who choose to reject the Lord and return to the darkness is future condemnation and the wrath of God (Gal. 6:1-9, Heb. 6:4-8, 2 Peter 2:1-22).
Believers who respond to Jesus' personal call to become His faithful followers are leaving their spiritual childhood behind to take their place as "youth" and "spiritual young adults" in Christ (spiritual maturity seldom coincides with an individual's chronological age). It is only after the Holy Spirit has done a substantial work in a true disciple that they follow the Lord into full maturity in Christ.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 1 Cor. 13:11 ESV
The initial challenges to a disciple's walk before the Lord are similar to a boy or girl in the natural realm who grow from childhood past puberty, into their teen years and on to young adulthood. In the natural, some change biologically, mentally and emotionally during this stage of growth while others have issues that prevent them from reaching responsible adulthood. In both the natural and spiritual realms, growing from childhood to stable maturity can be a turbulent and dangerous time, but hopefully some followers of Jesus in this generation will press on to full maturity in Christ.
It would be easy to blame the appalling spiritual problems of our present time on the fractured sectarian religious groups and unanointed leaders who propagate false doctrines, Christian myths and "man-handled" versions of the gospel. It might be more accurate to view these as challenges that provide a rich "training ground" and "effective refining crucible" for the majority of the elect of God.
In the midst of the chaos of the world and the confusion of "churchianity," Lord Jesus continues to speak to individuals – personally calling them to commit themselves and follow Him as His disciples (Psalm 118:8). Some of Jesus' disciples never were a part of organized religion and of those who were, many are later led of the Spirit to abandon man-led "churchianity" and become cleansed of its ways (often after it has served God's purposes in their lives).
Today, few make it through this intermediate spiritual stage of growth and Father God's repeated "pruning" to go on to bear an abundance of godly fruit. In this generation too, some believers are choosing to become Jesus' followers and respond with a consecration of their lives to Him and then back it up with their allegiance and obedience to God.
Every day, believers refuse to become Lord Jesus' followers when He calls them to commit as His disciples. And of those who become His disciples, many rebel when Father God begins "pruning" their lives to produce more godly fruit. It seems that, unlike carnal humanity, God isn't obsessed with quantity, but desires His standards of divine quality in His elect. Mature men and women of God are rare and have been baptized with water, the Holy Spirit and have endured God's baptism with fire (Mal. 3:2-3, Matt. 3:11-12, Lk.3:16-17).
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV, [emphasis added]
Jesus is the narrow Gate and multitudes have been led by Father God to Jesus where they have entered in by faith. He has become their Savior but many wrongly assume that by asking Jesus (usually at the time that they first believe) "to become their Lord and take over their life;" that His sovereignty is forever established in them. In truth, it is just the beginning of their choosing to yield or resist Jesus' personal reign in their lives. Self-will and self-rule are only overcome in stages as believers become the Lord's disciples and "deny themselves, pick up their crosses daily and follow Jesus."
For Jesus to become your Lord, you have to enter through the narrow Gate and then continue on to walk the difficult way that leads to life (and there are few who find it). Only as you hear, follow and obey the Lord Jesus daily is His rule and reign actually established in you as you work out your salvation (with fear and trembling).
Salvation is a divine process, not a "low hurdle that you step across" when born from above. Neither is it the "ticket to heaven" that worldly religion teaches. Nominal believers clutch to deceptions and lies like "once saved, always saved" because of their ignorance of the Word of God or rejection of the truth (John 15:1-11, Heb. 6:1-9, 2 Peter 2:20-22).
Believers who don't hear and obey Lord Jesus are neither clean through the words that Jesus speaks to His present-day followers, nor are they producing divine fruit from abiding in Jesus – evidence that they are not going forward on the difficult way of the Lord. In this "lukewarm" state, their Adamic human nature isn't dealt with to Father God's satisfaction. This is because they make choices that effectively keep them from submitting to the sovereignty of Lord Jesus in the various aspects of their lives. They may have become "religious" and even modified their behavior, but their Adamic nature remains strong. Being ever-faithful to false doctrines, spiritual-sounding presumptions and unanointed religious leaders (who speak messages that "tickle their ears") is no substitute for diligently following Jesus.
Unfortunately, the darkness of compromised believers (those who are spiritually "still-born," "stunted" or "stumbled"), is as deep as the darkness of fallen mankind without God. Because Jesus became their Savior, they may consider themselves righteous, but they neither abide in Jesus nor do they consistently bear His fruit. These self-willed believers may indeed have entered through the narrow Gate of God, but by not diligently following Lord Jesus they are headed towards or have found their way back to the broad way that leads to destruction (2 Peter 2:20-22).
If the implanted Seed of the life of Jesus was quickened in you, do not complacently assume that it will automatically thrive and grow to full maturity. Spiritual growth is the result of consistently being connected to Jesus as you are taught by Him and as God works in you. Only through your faith in and obedience to Lord Jesus and His commands do you consistently abide in His love. Abiding in Him and submitting to Father God's "pruning" allows His life within you to grow and mature and consistently produce the divine fruit that the Father desires.
For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things— That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition]. Colossians 1:9-10 AMP, [emphasis added]
Pertaining to the above passage (Col. 1:9-10): let the Holy Spirit use these Scriptures as personal questions to reveal whether you are going forward on the difficult way of the Lord or are headed back towards the broad way leading to destruction. Believing in Jesus should lead to a submitted relationship with Him that bears godly fruit, not the fruit of a carnal man or woman that is void of the life of Christ within them.
Are you steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God? This first-hand knowledge is the result of a progressively deeper personal relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You cannot successfully and regularly interact with God on your fleshly terms. Repentance, commitment, faith, submission and obedience are choices that you must make daily to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and fully pleasing to Him.
Lord Jesus is the Truth and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. Don't grieve Them by just seeking affirmation for your delusions about yourself and your favorite religious beliefs. You are supposed to be striving to please Jesus, not the other way around. A popular belief among nominal Christians is that God's love is "unconditional." The Scriptures support the truth that God is loving and merciful, but New Testament Scriptures such as John 15:1-11 and Hebrews 6:1-9 clearly state that a believer can end up rejected by God and in the "burn pile." Jesus loves you, but you probably need to read and embrace the Scriptures in Revelation and Hebrews (Heb. 12:5-11, Rev. 3:19) about "whom the Lord loves, He chastises and corrects."
Human carnality has had centuries to attempt to "hijack" the truth. In all that matters, go to the Source; the Way, Truth and the Life (John 14:6, 18:37). It is wise to honestly seek the Lord's appraisal of your walk before Him and the accuracy of the things that you believe about the nature, character, integrity, ways, words and will of God. Seek Jesus for His definitions and meaning for things such as abiding in Him, godly fruit, the love of God, the fear of the Lord, spiritual discernment, spiritual maturity, etc.
Some falsely teach that abiding in Christ is a casual and easy to maintain spiritual state – the product of having been born again and becoming an active member in a nominal church group. The New Testament Scriptures certainly don't support such an apathetic position on abiding in Jesus (John 15:1-11). This fallacy is consistent with the many other life-stealing deceptions that are preached, taught and spoken of regularly in worldly Christian circles (Psalm 40:4).
You are obliged to accept Lord Jesus' correction and embrace His sovereignty in your life or live eternally with the consequences. As you walk the difficult way of the Lord, Jesus will teach you and reveal the words, laws, ways, nature and principles of God to you in stages as His Holy Spirit works in you to bring the life of Christ to full maturity. God uses many forms of correction, instruction and discipline to complete an inner transformation (into the image and likeness of Jesus) in the lives of the elect.
If your personal communication with the Lord isn't reliable, it may be because you haven't obeyed what He has spoken or revealed to you in the past. Humble yourself and get right with Him and you will notice your spiritual "hearing" improve dramatically. "Getting right with the Lord" involves repenting, sincerely asking Jesus for His forgiveness and determining that, in that area of weakness, temptation or error that stumbled you – you will deny yourself and rely on the Lord. Strive and make Jesus your refuge, strength and fortress of protection (Psalms 18, 27, 62, 91).
Generally, false Christian teachings emphasize things that appeal to believers who walk according to their flesh or that re-enforce the authority of a carnal religious organization and its leaders. Because of the spiritual immaturity and shallowness of contemporary believers; false shepherds, hirelings, prosperity schemes, immorality, sexual abuse, carnal political involvement, racial prejudice, greed and unbelief thrive in worldly Christian environments. Many "Christian myths" sound right to the undiscerning ear, but are not true and serve to undermine an obedient and close walk with the Lord.
If you have spent any time in worldly Christianity, you need to fast from the false and seek after the truth. This means that you will have to daily resolve to live according to the Spirit and learn to stop sowing to your flesh. Pray for a love of the truth, the faith in God that Jesus demonstrated in the gospels and a persevering spirit to see you through the challenges and difficulties that lie ahead.
Diligently seeking Jesus, the will of the Father, the daily leading of the Holy Spirit with the resolve to obey God's sovereignty and words are the characteristics of those who desire and live in a manner pleasing to the Lord. A faithful follower of Jesus values their personal relationship with God above all else and is quick to repent when the Lord reveals to them where they are in error. A good "rule of thumb" is to realize that every aspect of the principles, truth and nature of God are much deeper and more meaningful than what you may assume and what is believed and taught by nominal Christians. Lord Jesus knows those who keep their distance from Him and the few who are lovingly devoted to Him. The latter dwell in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 57:1, Psalm 91).
Each day and in each situation you choose to either live according to the direction and management of the Holy Spirit or according to your self-serving human nature. Walking according to your flesh (your spirit, will, mind and body independent of the sovereignty of God) comes "naturally." To walk according to the Spirit you must diligently seek Lord Jesus with a heart to obey Him.
It is true that if you were born from above you have the Holy Spirit within you, but if you have not been baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, how are you going to discern His often subtle leading, move in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and recognize, receive from and operate in the anointing of God? Didn't you know that the "baseline" for the normal Christian life is the baptism with the Holy Spirit and a committed discipleship to Lord Jesus? Nominal Christian leaders emphasize church attendance and tithing to them while omitting or distorting what is presented in the Scriptures and required by God.
If you have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, are you continually being filled with the Spirit as you obey and abide in the Lord? Is the Holy Spirit leading you or are you repeatedly resisting, rejecting, grieving and quenching the Spirit by refusing to relinquish the "reins" of your life to God? If you persist in living according to your flesh you need to clearly understand that it leads to spiritual death. This is because everything about your carnal nature opposes Father God's will for you and His greater plan for a redeemed people who are made righteous and holy in Christ.
Lord Jesus said that none are good but God and this truth applies to non-believers and believers alike. When walking according to your flesh; your works, words and worship are void of the life of God because they find their source in the self-sufficiency of your ungodly motivations, thoughts and choices. It is as if everything that you are proceeds directly from the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil," not the "Tree of Life."
The Father desires godly fruit and righteous works that can only come forth from a follower's submitted, committed and obedient relationship with Jesus. Godly spiritual fruit should not be compared to the "good things" that are brought forth from the motives, choices, thoughts and behavior of unanointed human beings. The fruit that you naturally produce is the product of your Adamic nature which is self-willed and independent of Jesus. All that is produced by the "flesh," whether it’s from believers, non-believers or "pagans" is referred to in the Scriptures as "dead works," transgressions, sins and iniquity.
Salvation is an undeserved gift, something that cannot be obtained through works of the flesh nor from striving to keep Mosaic law. Jesus said to the Jews who wanted to work God's miracles or have Jesus work a miracle for them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." (John 5:19-20, 30-47, 6:38, 8:28, 14:6). if you place your faith in Jesus and learn to obey His commands consistently, you will abide in Jesus's love and He will abide in you and manifest His life through you. This is how you are expected to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Pray and learn to discern the difference between human good, which is independent of God and therefore carnal, and true godliness which draws from and flows from the indwelling Holy Spirit. Integrity towards God demands that you learn the distinction in your life between carnality and godliness and strive to manifest the latter in Christ.
Do you presume that your "good works" are produced from Christ dwelling within you? The test is to discern the source, the spirit from which it originated. If your "good work" was inspired, enabled and anointed by God through your personal obedience to and faith in Jesus – your abiding in Him, then the indwelling Holy Spirit will confirm that it is from God. Cultivate the desire to produce only from your intimate relationship with Lord Jesus – not one word, action, behavior, thought, choice or motive independent of Him, that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. This attitude and ability is a trait of a mature man or woman of God, a true bond servant of the Lord who has made Jesus their refuge and strength.
Another way to say this is: Abiding in Jesus requires you to deny yourself, pick up your cross daily and follow Him. Attain to what God desires – the life of Christ within you developed to a fullness and maturity that consistently bears godly fruit. Guard yourself from complacency. Do not presume or assume anything. Diligently inquire of the Lord concerning these things and let the Holy Spirit perfect you in love and conform you to the Truth (2 Thess. 2:9-17). Know that learning to walk according to the Spirit while refraining from living according to your flesh may be the most difficult and challenging thing that you will ever attempt to master. You cannot succeed in your strength. You overcome in Christ.
The Blood of Jesus is for the forgiveness of your sins (everything that you think and do outside of your faith in Jesus). Almighty God is not interested in strengthening and perfecting your Adamic nature – He wants it crucified (a piece-at-a-time) and replaced by the incorruptible life of Jesus. Allow Father God to apply the Cross of Christ to your life (through the Holy Spirit) to deal with and prune your sin-producing Adamic nature. If the Father brings confining pressures, trials and difficulties to bear in your life; don't waste these opportunities to learn to yield your will to His (Psalm 2:11-12, 119:67, 75).
Cain’s self-righteous offering to God was a "dead work" that originated with his faith in himself and carnal presumption. Abel’s offering was righteous and demonstrated his faith in God. Godly works and the fruit of the Holy Spirit are expressions of God’s holy nature manifested through followers of Jesus who are vitally connected to the Lord and obey the Spirit's guidance and instruction. Like Abel, the righteous live according to their faith in God. Like Cain, many today believe in God, but self-righteously place their faith in themselves and their "dead works."
13 Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.
14 But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 AMP
To gain the Prize, you must respond well to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus and commit to daily walk the difficult and straitened way of the Lord (see Philippians, chapter three, Matthew 7:13-14). Believers who are learning to follow Jesus and live worthy of the Lord are first taught by God to repent of their dead works and exercise and grow in their faith towards God. This isn't a one-time lesson. These and the other elemental principles of the doctrine of Christ may require decades to become internalized and perfected through the working of the Spirit (Heb. 6:1-8). Persevere as the Holy Spirit transforms you into the image and likeness of Jesus, the Pattern Son. You can't accomplish this, but you can cooperate with the Lord's Spirit as you daily choose to be led by Him with your faith in God.
The New Covenant is foremost about writing God's laws, instruction and holy integrity on your heart which is a dramatic and miraculous change in your nature (see Hebrews, chapters eight through ten). This is not an immediate change, but a progressive, inner spiritual transformation with which you choose to cooperate. The Scriptures contain the mysteries and deeper things of God and are permanently closed to your carnal mind, but not to the mind of Christ – something that you have access to as you learn to faithfully abide in Jesus.
Commit yourself to Jesus to let the Spirit of the Lord do a deep work in you by applying the principles of God in your life that He reveals to you in the Scriptures and through anointed ministry. The spiritual circumcision of your flesh is a crucial part of this divine process. The life of Christ isn't static, it cleanses and transforms you! Follow Jesus, embrace Him as the Truth and obey Him as your Lord and King. Submit to Lord Jesus from the heart, even if you cannot find another person who is doing the same.
Followers of Jesus aren't supposed to be filling their heads with misinterpretations of the Word of God (brought on by handling the Scriptures carnally or allowing the carnal reasoning of others to be planted in their hearts). The deep inner transformation of God isn't apprehended through superficial behavior modification, human-directed study of the Scriptures nor the dictates, false doctrines or pitfalls of human-led religion. Carnally misinterpreting the Word of God and embracing everything but the Truth plagues worldly and compromised believers. Their true spiritual conditions ranges from unhealthy to appalling (Rev. 3:14-22).
Develop the habit of prayerfully reading and studying the Scriptures while relying on the Lord to give you direction concerning what you should read (or listen to) and divine wisdom and understanding about the content through the Holy Spirit. Learn to meditate on the word of God and inquire of the Lord Jesus concerning the meaning and application of each message, type, story, person, parable, phrase and word from the Bible that He lays on your heart. He may not quicken the deeper meanings of the ways, will and word of God to you in the manner that you expect.
You will not apprehend anything of value independent of yielding and then abandoning your will to the sovereignty of Lord Jesus in all the areas of your life that He requires. Father God expects a deep spiritual transformation in the lives of each of the elect. It is a individually-tailored refining process that accompanies a committed, personal discipleship to Lord Jesus.
The Holy Spirit will reveal and confirm the truth to you as you obediently follow Lord Jesus. Trust that the Spirit will bring understanding and help you to apply the word of God to your life in the circumstances and situations into which He leads you. Concerning the internalization of the principles of God, the Spirit of the Lord may have to first prepare the ground of your life to receive the seed (truths) that are the gospel of the kingdom of God (something much deeper than the "Cliff Notes" and counterfeits of the gospel embraced by compromised "churchianity"). Spiritually, you need God's careful and continued husbandry in your life mixed with your faith in God and love of the Truth to bring forth harvests from this precious, divine seed.
If a disciple of Jesus is moving forward and upward in Christ, they are being conformed to His image and likeness (Jesus' character and nature – His integrity, morality, holiness, righteousness, humility, faith in God, allegiance to His Father, purity, mercy, love, etc.) as they become more deeply acquainted with Him. As Jesus' followers, they are being washed by the water of the word of God as they eat of the Lord's flesh (substance) and enabled and empowered by His Spirit as they drink of His blood (life-source).
The Potter is shaping each true disciple through the circumstances of their lives, their faith in God, all divine interactions with Lord Jesus, the precious Word of God and through the power and working of the Holy Spirit. Don't settle for anything less. Live humbly according to the Lord's standards and direction, not led by the presumptions that you may have nor influenced by the confusion of human-led religion and the many proud and vain religious leaders (the blind leading the blind) who don't actually follow the Lord (Psalm 40:4).
Individual followers who choose to reject the Lord (refuse to draw their life from Jesus) are like useless "branches" whom the Father removes from the Vine (see John 15:1-11). These branches "wither"’ and are gathered to be "burned"’ at a later time. Consistent godly "fruit-bearing" is a trait of a spiritually mature follower of Christ. Unbelief and corrupt "dead works" characterize immature and "half-baked" believers (and clergy), compromised followers and all of those who dwell in darkness. Determine to faithfully follow Jesus, develop a strong connection to Him (through your obedience) and persevere to grow up in Christ.
True Christianity is a serious and difficult covenantal relationship with God. Your obligation, in the New Covenant of God with man, is only fulfilled through a primary and dynamic personal relationship with Jesus that is full of challenges. A life lived out in Christ is far superior to the only other choice: a life that continues to express the carnal Adamic nature of the individual.
This is true whether you live lawlessly, according to the best codes of morality and behavior (that the society that you approve of values) or are faithful to the religious standards of a faction of human-led Christianity. Without a submitted and vital personal connection with Jesus, all ways of existing in this life are independent of the rule and will of God. If Jesus isn't your Source of life, you are traveling on the broad and easy way that leads to destruction "following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience" (Eph. 2:1-3).
If you choose to walk the difficult and hard way of the Lord, Jesus will lead you through trials, tests and suffering to purify, strengthen and perfect your love for and obedience to God (the Holy Spirit will personally guide, comfort, counsel, convict, correct and teach you as you faithfully interact with Lord Jesus).
My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights. Prov.erbs 3:11-12 NKJV
If Jesus personally calls you to become His disciple and you choose to commit yourself to Him; as you follow the Lord, you will make mistakes and Lord Jesus will correct you because He loves you and desires more from you (Heb 12:5-11, Rev. 3:19). Don't "lose heart" or reject His correction and become a "spiritual bastard", a child without the Father. It is only through a robust faith in Jesus and a strong bond with Him that you will conquer the "evil" and the "good" aspects of your Adamic nature (all that is independent from God's sovereignty), the spirit and influence of a world in darkness and the evil forces of Satan.
A substantial degree of faith in God is forged in you according to your daily responses to the Holy Spirit in your life. Initially, your faith in God may be weak. Because of your poor choices, you may have had to endure "self-inflicted wounds" and "hard knocks" along the way. Don't let that or your personal weaknesses become an excuse for quitting. If Jesus calls you to follow Him, commit yourself to Him and to the will of the Father. Ask Lord Jesus to help you see it through to the end. An obedient personal relationship with Jesus will progressively make Him Lord in all areas of your life and you will learn to live in His strength and purity.
Then He said to [them] all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will save it. What is a man benefited if he gains the whole world, yet loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and that of the Father and the holy angels. Luke 9:23-25 HCSB
Do you want to come with Jesus or are you ashamed of the Lord and His words? If you have committed yourself to Lord Jesus, remember that Father God began this good work in you and will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. As you partake of Lord Jesus, the true Vine, and are inspired, directed, cleansed and anointed by the Spirit of God, you eventually begin to bear godly fruit and fulfill the will of the Father.
In order to "hold any ground gained," the Holy Spirit will transform you by raising up Jesus’ own holy nature and life to replace each facet of your Adamic nature that you allow Him to crucify. Don't try to control or direct what the Lord is doing in your life, submit to it and cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Attaining to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ may take much longer than you assume that it will. Persist in Christ to overcome and apprehend all that God has for you, bringing honor and glory to the Father and Son.
You should regularly ask Lord Jesus how well you are doing with the incredible gift of Christ in you. Inquire of Him to discover if, in any way, you have missed the mark. The Holy Spirit will convict you of sin and if you have been careless, it may not be too late for you to repent. Seek Jesus' forgiveness and begin to really value and desire a strong personal and interactive relationship with Him as your Lord.
Paul, an apostle (special messenger) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah), by the divine will (the purpose and the choice of God) to the saints (the consecrated, set-apart ones) at Ephesus who are also faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus. Eph. 1:1 AMP, [emphasis added]
The many promises and blessings contained in the Word of God are to the saints of every age who are also faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus. As one of Jesus' disciples, your new creation life and eternal relationship with Him depend on your growing faith in God and obedience to Jesus and His commands.
Firmly abiding in Christ is not easy. By design, submitting to Jesus' sovereignty in your life will prove to be costly to your self-sufficiency, self-rule and predisposition to be self-indulgent. On your part, abiding in the Lord will require a substantial trust and faith in Jesus, prayer, great resolve, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, obedience to the Lord and the ability to repent quickly. This is what it will take for you to learn to consistently walk according to the Holy Spirit and yield your will to the will of the Father.
The true Christian life
is not the "broad way" of darkness which includes the confusion, hypocrisy and duplicity of human-led religion, but the difficult way of the Lord that few find. Talking and thinking about Jesus is not enough: you must choose to answer His call to discipleship and diligently follow Him.
While reading this essay, you may recognize that you are a long way from consistently abiding in Christ. Don't give up. Earnestly pray for the Lord to make you fit for the kingdom of God and determine to follow Him, one step at a time, through all of the stages of spiritual growth that He requires of you. Embrace Lord Jesus' instruction, commands, correction, warnings, rebukes, chastisement, etc. These are evidence of His love for you and taken to heart will bring forth God's quality of life (eternal life) within you to produce godly fruit through you.
The Father will have a dwelling place on Earth, a holy temple in the Lord made up of "lively stones." The challenge is to believe in Jesus, the Cornerstone and true Vine, draw close to Him as your Lord, make Him your dwelling place and refuge and become an inseparable part of Him. Almighty God's Solution isn't found in carnal religion, but in self-denial and daily cross-carrying as you follow Lord Jesus honorably and faithfully.
Submitting to the Father's "pruning" and yielding to His will is as important as your communication with, obedience and commitment to Lord Jesus, His words and the leading of His Holy Spirit. The Godhead is one in purpose. For you to become one with God, you will have to cooperate as the Holy Spirit transforms you into the image and likeness of Christ. Apart from Lord Jesus, you can do nothing of godly value. You will only become divinely fruitful and victorious in Him.
— Terry E. Manning
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