Fruit Bearing vs. Fruit Producing
The sermon emphasizes the importance of fruit bearing, which is the overflow of the life of Christ dwelling in us, and distinguishes it from fruit producing, which is attempting to live the Christian in our own power.
Major Ian Thomas emphasizes the distinction between fruit bearing and fruit producing in the Christian life. He explains that fruit bearing is the natural overflow of Christ's life within us, resulting from faith and leading to eternal good works, while fruit producing is a struggle to live by our own efforts, often leading to short-lived results. Thomas highlights that true fruitfulness comes from abiding in Christ, which brings peace and rest, contrasting it with the anxiety of self-effort. He reminds us that our identity in Christ shapes our character and actions, and that genuine faith is evidenced by divine activity flowing through us. Ultimately, he calls believers to embrace their identity as fruit-bearers, relying on God's grace rather than their own strength.
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By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
John 15:8
Fruit bearing is the overflow of the life of Christ dwelling in us. Fruit producing is attempting to live the Christian in our own power. Fruit bearing is the result of faith: fruit producing is striving and struggling. Fruit bearing abides in Christ bringing rest and peace. Fruit producing is rules and self-effort never knowing if one has done enough. Fruit bearing produces good works that last for eternity. Fruit producing is short-lived and only gives the appearance of true Christianity. We are called by Christ to be fruit-bearers not fruit-producers: fruit is borne when we allow enabling grace to work out the life of Christ in us (John 15:1-5; Gal. 5:16-24).
Fruit is not what we do, but who we are; not our activity, but our Christlikeness; not our relationship to people, but the condition of our character. Do you remember what James said in his epistle? "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26). The "spirit" there means breath, and a body without breath is dead. Stop breathing-and folk will bury you! In other words a living breathing body breathes, and a living faith breathes with divine action. A living faith breathes with the activity of Jesus Christ. That is why the Lord Jesus, in John 6:29, said. "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."
That is the work of God. It is your living faith in the adequacy of the One who is in you, which releases His divine action through you. It is the kind of activity that the Bible calls "good works," as opposed to "dead works."
Sermon Outline
- Fruit Bearing vs. Fruit Producing
- The Key Differences
- The Call to Fruit Bearing
- Fruit bearing results from faith, while fruit producing results from self-effort
- Fruit bearing brings rest and peace, while fruit producing brings rules and self-doubt
- We are called to be fruit-bearers, not fruit-producers
- Fruit is borne when we allow enabling grace to work out the life of Christ in us
Key Quotes
“Fruit is not what we do, but who we are; not our activity, but our Christlikeness; not our relationship to people, but the condition of our character.” — Major Ian Thomas
“This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” — Major Ian Thomas
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” — Major Ian Thomas
Application Points
- We must allow enabling grace to work out the life of Christ in us, rather than relying on our own efforts.
- Our faith must be living and breathing, releasing the divine action of Jesus Christ through us.
- We must recognize that good works are the result of our living faith, rather than our own self-effort.