Aspects of an Abundant Life
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
An abundant life is one characterized by words of fullness such as those considered in prior weeks: joyful, prayerful and purposeful. This week we add another aspect of an abundant life: a fruitful life.
Jesus gave classic expression to fruitfulness in His analogy of the vine and branches in John 15:1–8. In the analogy He pictured Himself as the true Vine and God the Father as the Vinedresser.
His followers are portrayed as branches that bear fruit. Careful attention to His word choice is instructive. He spoke of branches bearing fruit, not producing fruit. The vine produces grapes; the branches simply bear what the vine produces. According to Jesus’ analogy, fruit-bearing in the Christian life is a matter of bearing what the true Vine produces.
Abiding in Christ
The essential responsibility of Christians is abiding in Christ and allowing His life to flow though us as the means of fruit production. As He said, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Bearing spiritual fruit is a vital part of experiencing an abundant life.
Next to the necessity of a life of abiding in Christ an important part of fruit-bearing is pondering the kind of fruit Christ seeks to produce in and through us. Several ideas come immediately to mind. For example there is the fruit of Christlike character identified in Galatians 5:22–23 as fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-
suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Another type of fruit we can bear is that of Christian converts. As has often been said, “The fruit of a Christian is another Christian.” Those who become Christ’s disciples are commissioned to go and make other disciples. Christ, working by means of the Holy Spirit, produces other believers through a process of conviction and conversion. After all we are witnesses but Jesus is the Savior.
An abundant life that is fruitful also practices generous giving. Romans 15:26–28 refers to such generosity demonstrated by believers in Macedonia and Achaia toward poorer believers in Jerusalem.
The Apostle Paul commented about his role in delivering their relief offering, termed as “fruit,” in these words: “When I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit I shall go by way of you to Spain.”
Our prayer for one another may well mirror Paul’s prayer for the Colossian Christians: “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work” (Col. 1:10).
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