Through attachment to Jesus Christ by faith, a believer becomes the good soil through which they bear good fruit.

Good Soil to Good Fruit

Jesus said that unless a person be born again, they will not see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). In a parable of the sower and the seed, He taught what this meant (Matthew 13:3-23). The seed represents God’s Word and the soil is the heart of every person. The person whose heart nurtures the seed to grow to produce good fruit is the person who has been born again.

Good soil: Being born again involves faith, repentance, trust, and commitment. It is the first sign of a heart that is good soil. If you have not yet been born again, please go to “How can I be saved?”

Good fruit: The good soil does not just allow the seed to germinate, but to put down deep roots, grow to maturity, and bear good fruit: “But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much” (Matthew 13:23).

On coming to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, God has given us His means of grace to grow to Christlikeness. Why? So we become the good soil that bears the good fruit He has created us to produce (Ephesians 2:10) to glorify the Father and the Son. Please find relevant resources in the Reading List.

Born Again (Justification)

•  Repentance and Faith in Jesus Christ

Good Soil – Growth to Christlikeness (Sanctification)

•  Transformation by the Holy Spirit

•  Correctly using God’s Word

•  Talking to God in Prayer

•  Overcoming Sin

•  Replacing Pride with Humility

•  Forgiving Others

•  Maturing in Affliction

•  Growing Through Giving

Good Fruit

•  Sharing the Good News with Others (Evangelism)

•  Making Disciples who Make Disciples

•  Producing Additional Good Fruit

Coming soon: Unrelenting. Pursuing Christ’s Likeness in Making Disciples. God’s means of grace are available to every Christ-follower for them to become good soil. But the means of grace are not obtained passively. they require pursuit. You will be encouraged to do this through this book. So, the goal is to become a fruit bearer to glorify God. Order here after November 1, 2024.

Be the good soil!