The Fruit That Remains

The Fruit that Remains

A mighty oak tree of broad girth inspires those who observe the natural world.  They see a lasting commitment to growth and production, nurturing soil and beneficial shade provided by that wonder of God’s creation, a tree.  Surely we should observe and wonder at the miracle produced in the life of a believer who is rooted in Christ, nourished by The Word, and in whose company all are shaded by the love of God spread abroad around them.

In the Gospel of John, chapter fifteen and verse sixteen, Jesus states,

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go forth and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

This is a quote from Jesus’ well known message concerning the Vine and Branches. Christians all over the globe understand this passage of Scripture to be referring to the productive spiritual relationship that Christ Jesus has with his followers.  When a believer and follower of Jesus Christ embraces His teaching and applies His principles to their life, they can be understood to be like a branch, connected to the Vine, which is Jesus Christ.

It amazes me, how other Christians are readily able to receive this truth and recognize this spiritual occurrence in other people’s lives and yet how quick to judge, prune and cut off we become when something in that person’s life doesn’t match our criteria.  In Scripture, Christ is pictured not only as the Vine, but also as the Husbandman or Vine keeper.  It is His prerogative to address any issues with the branches connected to His vine.

From my own personal experience and the testimony of many others, Churches and Christians in many cultural and social circumstances, can and do take on the private responsibility of ‘pruning’ the Vine of Christ, often damaging many people’s lives in the process.  A young man or woman can be considered by others in their church community as being filled with the Spirit of God, used by the power of Christ to encourage, uplift and strengthen their brother’s and sister’s in the faith, and even specially blessed by God to preach or teach His truth to others.  Such recognition most often comes while that specific individual is just busy about practically following the principles of Christianity that they’ve been taught from their youth.  Then, that recognition and warmth of fellowship can be suddenly revoked, making that person feel as if they never had the Spirit of Truth at work in their lives at all.  Where is the fruit that remains?

I write today to reaffirm and encourage those who have been welcomed and blessed in the company of fellow Christians but were suddenly ‘pruned’ out of existence amongst them for the issue of same gender attraction.  Who a person loves and cares for or is attracted to, is not a ‘branch defiling’ act or position.  It is not a ‘spiritual fruit disease’ that prohibits that person from being spiritually led or spiritually productive.  Having same gender attraction is a natural characteristic of some of the ‘branches’ connected to the Vine of Christ, and not a disease to be pruned away from the plant.

Those Christians who from their youth or in past years have exhibited spiritual wisdom and blessing through their lives to others, are still totally capable of those acts, even though they are now known to have same gender attraction.  It is simply wrong and unjust to condemn and cut off vibrant Christian disciples and ministers in the church merely because they have suddenly been revealed as gay. The spiritual fruit of discipleship, and the blessing of God’s truth revealed through the life of an individual is not dependent upon that person being solely attracted to the opposite gender.  Their fruit remains in them, in spite of what some may think.  God is still their God, Jesus is still the Vine to whom they are attached.