Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Fruit of Grace

The wicked desires the net of evils; but the root of the righteous yields fruit.
(Pro 12:12)
Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah, and Jehovah is his trust. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters; it sends out its roots by the river, and it shall not fear when the heat comes, but its foliage shall be green; and he is not worried in the year of drought, nor will it cease from yielding fruit.
(Jer 17:7-8)
And now also, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
(Mat 3:10)
Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
(Mat 7:17-19)
Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree corrupt and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit.
(Mat 12:33)
But that sown on the good ground is this: he who hears the Word and understands; who also bears fruit and produces one truly a hundredfold; and one sixty; and one thirty.
(Mat 13:23)
For a good tree does not bring forth corrupt fruit, neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
(Luk 6:43-44)
I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
(Joh 15:5)
So, my brothers, you also have become dead to the law by the body of Christ so that you should be married to Another, even to Him raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit to God.
(Rom 7:4)

Coincidentally, the latest short series of sermons in my church has been preached on the very subject. And today I finished reading appendixes to "The Gospel According to Jesus", and among other things found this list of verses, so I humbly repeated them after John F. MacArthur, from MKJV.

Rand called me "a John MacArthur/John Piper type Christian". I kind of like this description :). Rand, what did You really mean?
Anyway, right now I have many thoughts and considerations, and I am beginning to grasp the depth, the length, and the complexity of this crucible of Grace The Lord put me in. The refining process has just started. What I can do now is to submit myself humbly to it and pray for many fruitful years in the oven of God's Love.
For His Glory.

3 comments:

Profesora Ulla said...

Hej Anna, tack för din kommentar till mig - imponerande sidor (obs plural!) du har...
Ulla

Rand said...

"Rand, what did You really mean?"

In my lingo, a MacArthur/Piper type Christian is:

1- A Calvinist
2- Premillenial, or at the very least, someone who believes in the Hope of Israel, as a nation.
3- Not charismatic

On the negative side though, MacArthur/Piper type Christians tend to associate themselves with ministries that are of a different doctrinal stand. For example, John MacArthur often associates himself with R.C. Sproul, who espouses infant baptism and is Amillenial.

Now I don't know if all this applies to you yet, but my first impression of you is: a MacArthur/Piper type Christian.

Later,

ann said...

Oh Dear. No, I am definitely not in favor of infant baptism. The rest of it - well, I still know too little, but I definitely know where NOT to go :)