Fruit 6 Series Sweet Fruit vs. Bitter fruit (Do not burn the bridges)
Highlights:
2 Peter 1:4
“by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these (words) you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature.” RSV
As we operate in God's word (promises) we partake of His divine nature.
God's nature (namely, His eternal power and deity) is invisible but can be seen through His creation and through the life of Jesus.
Romans 1:20 (The Zoo leaves us without excuse)
“Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” RSV
(Highlighted text added)
His divine nature is truth. (Jesus is truth)
John 14:6 (NKJV)
"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
Satan also has a nature. (He is a liar)
John 8:44
“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” RSV
God's divine nature is what we need to bear the fruit He desires.
Remember our main question has been. Why do we see Christians who have received the Gift of the Holy Spirit bearing little fruit or character?
It is not just fruit but much, sweet fruit.
There are different qualities of fruit both in the physical and spiritual.
Bitter, Stale, Rotten, No Taste
Mark 16:14 (no faith/too stubborn)
“Last of all, Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating. He scolded them, because they did not have faith and because they were too stubborn to believe those who had seen him alive.” TEV
Deuteronomy 29:18-19
“Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away this day from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of those nations; lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, 19 one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, 'I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.' This would lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike.” RSV
Stubbornness or in the KJV "in the imagination of", which means, "in the sense of twisted".
Deuteronomy 29:18-19
“The day that any of you—man or woman, family or tribe of Israel—begins to turn away from the Lord our God and desires to worship these gods of other nations, that day a root will be planted that will grow bitter and poisonous fruit.
19 "Let no one blithely think, when he hears the warnings of this curse, ’I shall prosper even though I walk in my own stubborn way!’” (TLB)
Continuing listening, to the teaching and learn more.
Click here for part 7.