2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
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NOT BARREN, BUT FRUITFUL!
SATURDAY, JUNE 6
2 Peter 1:8-9
John 15:1-8
“Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit.”
NOT BARREN, BUT FRUITFUL!
In the preceding verses, Peter taught us how to strive for spiritual refinement and excellence. Now he assured us in verse 8 that such spiritual cultivation will make us very useful and productive in the Lord’s vineyard. “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
True believers who know the Lord Jesus and His will concerning them must abound in spiritual qualities and fruitfulness. They cannot be idle or barren. The word “barren” means ineffective. All the wonderful Christian graces in us will not allow us to be inactive or unfruitful. Instead, those virtues will make us very zealous and lively, and vigorous and active. All who truly know Jesus Christ as their Lord must be eminently fruitful in practical Christianity as they serve Him. Bearing much fruit among men will bring much glory to God.
In verse 9, the Apostle sounded a strong rebuke to those who neglect spiritual refinement and fruitfulness. He said, “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” Believers who are not fruitful in spiritual aspects are those who do not have far-sightedness. They are myopic. They live with immediate earthly pleasure in view rather than with eternal values or the rewards ahead of them. Worse still, as they live with this world’s pleasure in view, they appear to have forgotten that they are already cleansed from sins, and this easily reinforces their present attitude. This sad estate of Christianity was the result of the influence of false teachers whom the Apostle Peter condemned in the chapters following. Even today we see this phenomenon. Not a few Christians live in sin, being influenced by false teachings of some men who hold teaching offices in the churches. Faith and sin do not dwell together; they are strange bedfellows. Spiritual excellence will drive away old sins.
THOUGHT: Heirs of blessings must be a blessing to others.
PRAYER: May I be a blessing to someone today!