Fruit

“But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” - Romans 6v22

I can certainly identify with a blogger I read yesterday who commented about his lack of a green thumb. I have always liked the idea of growing our own fruit. We do have two miniature apple trees, but they are the ugliest little things you have ever seen. I never know what is going to happen from year to year. One thing I do know though is that if they do produce fruit in the autumn that fruit is going to be apples, not oranges, pears, or bananas.

Why is that? Well, because they are apple trees. The Bible talks a lot about bearing fruit. I think it is interesting that the God Who put Adam and Eve in a garden uses garden images over and over in His word. Here as He talks about old and new masters He reverts to the fruit illustration yet again. Now that we are saved, delivered from our old dead master, and serving a new master, we will naturally produce a new fruit. That fruit is holiness and eventually that fruit will show itself in eternal life.

Sounds great! What happens then when my live produces rotten, stinking, filthy fruit that fills the room with its stench? Why does that happen? If my life should produce the fruit of holiness and it produces sin instead there is an issue.

From the context of the chapter it is obvious. Instead of serving my new master I have transplanted myself and grafted myself into a fruit tree that produces sin. We are going to be known by our fruit – what does my fruit show?