THE FRUIT OF THE GOSPEL OF GRACE
Col 1:6 The gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world - just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God's grace.
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The good news is that the gospel is at work in you and in others all around the world[i]. When we hear and understand the gospel of the grace[ii] of our Lord Jesus Christ[iii] an amazing thing starts to happen. The gospel spontaneously starts bearing fruit in us and through us.
We don’t have to strain and sweat, we don’t have to do and strive, to bear fruit, we simply have to let the gospel do its work within us. An apple tree cannot strive to make apples, it simply happens because of its identity and being... apple trees effortlessly grow apples because something within them brings it about.
Jesus declared that the kingdom of God is within us[iv]. God is concerned with our inner person, what’s at the heart of us[v]. Its from the overflow of the heart that we speak[vi] and do. The good news is that every time you hear and receive a bit more revelation of the gospel of grace it has a profound effect on your heart, your inner person. This is because the gospel of grace always sets up Jesus as Lord inside you and always points to him instead of to you.
Wow, now that’s a mystery if ever there was one, but it’s true, Christ in you[vii] has made you righteous, has transformed you to be as he is and to bear his fruit. He is the vine and you are one of the branches[viii] . Branches have no choice but to bear bigggg bunches of grapes. You can’t make it happen, it happens by the indwelling presence of the Word[ix] of grace - Jesus in you.
The fruit of the Spirit[x] is great and plentiful. Picture yourself: Like a fruit cake; all different types of fruit in you at the same time. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control, Jesus has them all in abundant measure.
Let’s face it when you are a living life full of that kind of fruit you don’t need a whole load of rules, regulations and religious laws. Simply living the fruit fulfils the Law. Jesus in you fulfils the Law[xi] and produces righteousness, holiness and effortless good works[xii].
Talking of “fruit cakes” I can assure you that when you share and live out of Jesus and his grace people will think that you are a “fruit cake”..... crazy. Well you are in good company[xiii].
What gospel have you heard, is it the gospel Paul preached, or is it a mixture of Law and Grace? is it bearing fruit?
The gospel of grace IS bearing fruit - find rest in the truth[xiv] and the truth will set you free. It seems too easy and too good to be true. But it is! Try it, plunge deeper into grace and intimacy with Jesus and see the fruit.
Be blessed.
Garry
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[i] Col 1:6 The gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world.
[ii] Grace or “charis” (Greek) is God’s free gift of righteousness, unearned & undeserved favour, blessing and enabling
[iii] Act.20:24 ...the Lord Jesus has given me the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
[iv] Luk 17:21 .... “the kingdom of God is within you."
[v] Act.13:22 'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart. (Strange as David was an adulterer, murderer and liar.. yet God saw his heart!)
[vi]Luk.6:45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
[vii] Rom.8:10 If Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
[viii] Joh 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him shall bear much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.
[ix] Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[x]Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
[xi] Mat 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.
[xii] Eph_2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
[xiii] Mar.3:21-22 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."
[xiv] Joh 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.