In John 15:1, 2 (KJV) we read “I am the true vine, my Father is the husbandman. Every branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away; every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” When we love righteousness, we become a branch that bears fruit. We build a relationship with God making us a fruitful branch.
The scripture says, “Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill” (Isaiah 5:1 KJV). However, the vineyard bore wild grapes. “And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, or digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it” (verse 6). The Lord spoke to Israel in a parable.
“Israel became an unproductive vine; he bringeth forth fruit unto himself … they had made goodly images. Their heart was divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars; he shall spoil their images” (Hosea 10:1 & 2). Israel was the vineyard; yet, they chose idolatry. Though they started with good land, they ended up producing wild grapes, briers, and thorns. They grossly failed God.
“The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings … they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father’” (John 14:12). Jesus is the true vine. If we are grafted into him, we will produce good fruit. Where does it all begin?
The new birth experience grafts us to him. Being born of the water and Spirit makes us a branch of the true vine. “Then Peter said unto them ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.’” To become branch of the true vine we first repent of our sins; die out to our carnal ways. Second, we are baptized in the name of Jesus. Third, we receive the Holy Ghost. Fourth, daily, we cultivate the fruit of the Spirit. What is the fruit of Jesus?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law … If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22, 23, & 25). If we allow the Spirit to purge our hearts and we walk in his ways, we will produce good fruit not wild.
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