Introduction
As Christians we have a positive view of fruit, but is fruit always good? Everybody in the world is bringing forth some kind of fruit, but some fruit leads to death. Before you "go and bring forth fruit", pray that the Lord will give you wisdom on how and what kind of fruit to bring forth.
Fruit unto Death
The Garden of Eden
We begin in the Garden of Eden. We find Adam and Eve with an assortment of herbs and trees to eat, but God gives instruction about the fruit of one particular tree.
Genesis 2:16-17 [16] And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: [17] But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
See All... And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
God tells Adam that the fruit of this particular tree will bring forth death. Adam and Eve partook of the fruit and died (Romans 5:19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
See All...).
Amnon
In 2Samuel we read about one of David’s sons named Amnon. Amnon had a subtil friend, Jonadab, who helped him plot to take by force his sister Tamar. Notice the similarities between the subtil friend as mentioned here and the subtil serpent in the garden of God. Both tempt with forbidden fruit, but this time it is the fruit of fornication. As you read the unfolding of this story in the scriptures (2Samuel 13:1-14
See All...:20-22) you will find that Amnon partook of some fruit but it was fruit unto death (vs. 28-29).
The World
The World is producing and partaking of all kinds of fruit, but it is all unto death. The world is full of murder, fornication, sodomy, hate and corruption. (Romans 7:5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
See All...) "For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death." Even those who are good people which give to charity, and help everyone whom they can. According to the Bible the best you can produce is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
See All...). You can be sure that if you are in this world that you are bearing some kind of fruit, for much of which you will be ashamed. (Romans 6:21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
See All...) "What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death."
So if everyone is bringing forth fruit unto death, how can a Christian bring forth fruit unto God? The answer is "die".
Death Unto Fruit
The greatest example that we have as Christians is the Lord Jesus Christ, and he said that the way to bring forth fruit is to die.
John 12:24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
See All... Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Truly this is applicable to the death on the cross bringing forth much fruit, but this same principle is true in our own lives. The Apostle Paul, who was very zealous in bringing forth fruit unto God, gave us this same principle and the secret to his success.
1Corinthians 15:31I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our LORD, I die daily.
See All... I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Galatians 2:20I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
See All... I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The Apostle Paul brought forth much fruit unto God because he believed in "Death unto Fruit".
How do I die you ask? Well there are several ways scripturally that you can die and let Christ live through you.
One way to die is to submit to the will of the Father. Pray like the Lord and say, "Not my will but thine be done." As a human you have a will and that will is all about you.
Another way to die is to study the word of God. The Bible has been termed the mind of God and how else can you "put on the mind of Christ" other than getting in the Bible and studying how He thinks.
Conclusion
There are several other ways for you to die a "death unto fruit", ask the Lord to help you to bring forth good fruit. As a child of God, the only way you are going to bring forth Godly fruit is if you die daily. Die out to sin, let Christ live and reign in you. Watch and see if some fruit shows up in your life and then rejoice when you have experienced "Death unto fruit" instead of "Fruit unto Death".