Category Archives: Unfruitful

Benefit, Bible, Choices, Fruit, Scripture, Unfruitful

WHAT’S THE BENEFIT?

ROMANS 6:21

“Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.”

People do the craziest things for the craziest reasons. People rob banks just to get money which they think will make them happy or get them out of some jam. People do drugs to relieve themselves of worries or problems only to find those things still there when the high wears off. We really should stop and think about the benefits of our actions before we do something stupid. There – I said it – stupid.

Paul points out in today’s verse what I just was talking about. He asks the readers why they did those shameful things. Surely, they had a reason. And then he reminds them of the cost – death. The word for “benefit” is the Greek word karpos which is the word used to describe fruit, good or bad. So, Paul is saying, “What did you expect to reap when you sowed bad seed?”

APPLICATION

I don’t normally insert long passages in my devotional blogs, but you really need to read all of Matthew 7:15-20. You will see Jesus use the word karpos over and over.“15 ‘Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits.’”

What kind of fruit did you expect when you engaged in sinful behavior? Did you really think the temporary fruit would last? Nope, it doesn’t work that way. We will reap what we sow. Too many people think they can sow their wild oats and then pray for a crop failure (not an original saying by me).

In the ministry in which I serve, Every Man A Warrior, we teach me to produce good fruit. We train them to become disciple makers, not just disciples. We want to see each and every man produce a crop 30, 60 or 100 times what they invested. Generational growth is our goal. That is not done by indulging our flesh. But when we yield to the Spirit, we can see that fruitful outcome. Produce the good fruit!

Lord, help me to produce fruit that can continue to grow long after I leave this earth.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Fruit, Judging, Law, Scripture, Unfruitful

FRUIT INSPECTORS

ROMANS 2:27

“And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a violator of the Law?” 

When I grew up in SW Georgia, I worked a few years for Walter Pollock & Sons. They owned a gas station, pecan groves, tobacco fields, a grainery and several other businesses. Mr. Pollock was quite the entrepreneur. During pecan season I was often working in the warehouse where we received pecans. I had to know how to recognize the different varieties and grade (or judge) them to offer the seller a price. I can still recognize some of those varities.

Paul calls out the Jews pretty forcibly in today’s verse by telling them that even an uncircumcised Law keeper would be able to judge them for not following the Law. Ouch! You have to remember that the Jews tended to look down on non-Jews (Gentiles). To be told they would be judged by a Gentile would have been highly insulting to them. Nevertheless, that was the truth, and Paul did not hesitate to tell them.

APPLICATION

Today we followers of Christ are not concerned about the issue of circumcision or keeping the Law. But we should be concerned about producing the fruit He has for us to produce. We are told not to judge others because we do not know their spiritual position just by looking. But we can judge their fruit production. Are they spending time daily with the Lord? Are they sharing their testimony with lost people in order to win them to Christ? Are they exhibiting the joy of the Lord as they encounter the trials of life?

Let me hasten to say that we have been given clear instructions about judging others. Look at Matthew 7:1-5. “1 “‘Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye!’”

If you’re going to judge someone else’s fruit, make sure yours isn’t rotten. Make sure your fruit production is totally dependent on Jesus and not yourself. And encourage other believers to exercise the gifts God has given them so that they too will produce the fruit of the Spirit.

Father, accept any fruit I produce as an offering to honor You.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Abundance, Bible, Fruit, God's Will, Gospel, Scripture, Unfruitful

FRUIT BEARING

COLOSSIANS 1:6

“which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth;” 

Trees that don’t bear fruit often meet a fatal end. The farmers can’t afford to have a tree take up valuable land and nutrients if isn’t producing fruit. There are so many stories in the Bible about fruit bearing. Jesus told several Himself. In Luke 13:6-9, Jesus tells this parable. “6 And He began telling this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. 7 And he said to the vineyard-keeper, “Look! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?” 8 But he answered and said to him, “Sir, leave it alone for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; 9 and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.”’”

The Greek word Paul uses for “bearing fruit” is karpophoreó. Strong’s Lexicon says karpophoreó “is often used metaphorically to refer to the visible results or outcomes of a person’s life or actions, particularly in a spiritual or moral context. The term implies productivity and the manifestation of inner qualities or virtues.” Just as God expected Israel to bear fruit (the image of the fig tree in the parable), He expects us to do the same.

APPLICATION

But Carl, I’m not a preacher. Nobody said you had to be a preacher to bear fruit. Our verse today says the gospel will itself bear fruit, if we will just share it. You don’t win a soul to heaven. God does through the Holy Spirit. You are simply the tool He has chosen to use. If you didn’t realize it already, God still uses people to accomplish His will.

This word karpophoreó is used eight times in the New Testament. Four times it is used in the Gospels (Matthew 13:23; Mark 4:20, 28; Luke 8:15) where Jesus is telling the parable of the sower. Paul uses it twice in Romans (7:4, 5) referring to the battle between law and grace producing fruit for life or death. Then finally we have the last two occurrences in Colossians (1:6, 10). We will see verse 10 in a few days.

Why am I telling you all this? Because fruit bearing is important. Take a minute and read John 15. Look at how the vine and branches are meant to produce fruit. We are the branches designed by God to produce fruit for His kingdom. Share the gospel. Share His Word. Tell someone about Jesus this Christmas season and watch how God will produce the fruit.

Forgive me Father, for not being more bold in witnessing about Jesus. Use me to produce fruit for Your kingdom.

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Bible, Darkness, Fruit, Light, Scripture, Unfruitful

DEEDS OF DARKNESS

EPHESIANS 5:11

“Do not participate in the useless deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;”

I remember in elementary school doing science experiments. One experiment involved planting seeds and allowing them to germinate. Once they were all about 2 inches tall, we placed some in the sunlight and others in a dark closet to measure the effect of light on these plants. You know what happened. The plants placed in the dark stopped growing and began to wither while the ones in the light continue to grow and flourish.

Paul is giving the Ephesians this same picture through his words. The Greek word for “useless” is akarpos which is literally “no fruit.” Paul tells them to “not participate” with such deeds. The Greek here literally says don’t have fellowship. There are some things which a believer just cannot participate in. Do I need to name them? I don’t think so. You know. The good rule of thumb is if you have a doubt, don’t do it.

APPLICATION

The Jamieson-Fausett-Brown Bible Commentary says this about these useless or unfruitful deeds of darkness. “Sins are terminated in themselves, and therefore are called ‘works,’ not ‘fruits’ (Ga 5:19, 22). Their only fruit is that which is not in a true sense fruit (De 32:32), namely, ‘death’ (Ro 6:21; Ga 6:8). Plants cannot bear ‘fruit’ in the absence of light. Sin is ‘darkness,’ and its parent is the prince of darkness (Eph 6:12). Graces, on the other hand, as flourishing in ‘the light,’ are reproductive, and abound in fruits; which, as harmoniously combining in one whole, are termed (in the singular) ‘the FRUIT of the Spirit’ (Eph 5:9).”

Well, that is pretty exhaustive. I don’t think I could even attempt to explain it better. Light produces fruit. Darkness produces death. Not only does Paul tells us not to fellowship with these deeds, it’s a command. The Greek verb there is Present Imperative. Don’t do it and keep on not doing it. In other words, Paul is telling the Ephesians to turn their backs on these previous dark deeds they had been part of.

Can you do that? Can you turn your back on your past deeds of darkness? Carl, I don’t have any deeds of darkness to stop. Oh, really? We all have past sins that we drag along like a wet blanket. Drop them now. Give them up. Walk in the light so you can produce the fruit God has called you to produce.

Let me walk in the Light as You are in the Light.

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