Good Soil to Good Fruit

RESOURCES

RESOURCES

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the world so messed up?

Let’s face it. The world is messed up. God did not intend it to be this way. He created the first humans in a perfect world to be in a relationship with Him. However, He created every person with independence regarding their relationship with Him, and they chose to reject Him and His principles for their relationship with Him and each other. This is called sin, and through it, humanity fell from their intended relationship with God, and in bondage to sin (Romans 3:23).

How can I be forgiven of my sin?

Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. In ancient times, the blood of animals was offered, but it only foreshadowed the blood of the true Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. It was through His shed blood and death on the cross that forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God is obtained. This is the gospel, or “good news.” The gospel is not a universal acquittal for everyone. It is received by anyone who repents (i.e., is sorrowful) of their sins, believes and trusts that Jesus was God’s Son and His death on the cross atones (i.e. makes amends) for their sins and reconciles them to God. By this faith and trust in Jesus our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to God (see John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8-9).

How do I mature spiritually?

Spiritual maturation does not occur by our self-efforts to follow God’s precepts and commandments. Spiritual maturation comes from a right relationship with the God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. When someone places their faith in Jesus Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 1:13). It is a person’s relationship in their union with Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit that matures them spiritually (see 2 Thessalonians 2:13). Increasingly following God’s commands does not bring about Christ-likeness, it is a result of it.

What are good fruit?

Good fruit are the inward characteristics and outward actions the Holy Spirit induces in a Christ-follower as they grow in the likeness of Jesus Christ (see Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Corinthians 13).

Why did Jesus come to earth?

Human beings did not just fall from their initial state in creation with estrangement from God, God is just and must punish sin. The punishment was more than physical death. It is also spiritual death (see Romans 6:23). But God loved humanity so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to buy them out of this death sentence and reconcile them to a right relationship with Him (see John 3:16).

Once I place my faith in Jesus Christ, what am I supposed to do?

Jesus’s calling on His disciples was, “Follow Me.” By this He was calling us to become like Him in every way (i.e., Christ’s likeness). A disciple is a learner through being an apprentice. Jesus calls every one of His followers to become like Him to be His aroma and ambassadors in a fallen world in a ministry of reconciliation (see 2 Corinthians 2:15-16).

What is “good soil”?

The good soil was used in the parable Jesus taught on the sower of seed (see Matthew 13:1-23). The seed represents the gospel message. In the parable, the seed fell on four types of soil. Only in the good soil did the seed prosper, take root, and bear fruit. Therefore, the good soil is a gospel-transformed heart that allows the Holy Spirit to mature a person spiritually and bear the fruit for which they were created (see Matthew 13:23, Ephesians 2:10).

Isn’t salvation by faith alone? Why then the emphasis on producing good fruit?

Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ, and not by good works (i.e. good fruit). While we are not saved by good works, we are saved to do good works which glorify God (see John 15:8, Ephesians 2:10). In other words, we are not saved by good works, but we are saved to do good works.

How Can I Be Saved?

FAITH

You are a sinner, having done things that have grieved God (Romans 3:23);

God’s punishment for sin is spiritual death after this life (Romans 6:23);

Your sin causes a chasm that separates and alienates you from God (Isaiah 59:2);

God loves you, and wants a relationship with you. He wants no one to die (1 Timothy 2:3-4);

You cannot do it on your own by being good (Romans 3:20). God has provided one plan for forgiveness of your sin and reconciliation to Him (Acts 4:12). There is no “plan B”;

God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to become the sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins (John 3:16, 1 John 2:2);

Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for past, present, and future sins of anyone who believed in Him (1 Peter 3:18);

God raised Jesus back to life on the 3rd day (Acts 2:24) demonstrating the power of His Spirit over death (Romans 8:11);

God’s plan of salvation is a free gift, and can only be accepted by faith–there is nothing you can do to earn it (Ephesians 2:8-9);

TRUST

Intellectual belief in God’s plan of salvation is insufficient. Even the evil ones believe and tremble (James 2:19);

Someone may believe an elevator will carry them to the 56th floor, but trust is when they get on the elevator and personally travel to the 56th floor;

As many as received Christ Jesus, they became children of God (John 1:12). To receive is to grasp, to take ahold of Jesus Christ for your salvation trusting in Him for the most important decision of your life, forgiveness of sin and reconciliation to God (Colossians 1:19-20);

It is faith with trust in Jesus that our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to God (Ephesians 2:8-9).

WHEN YOU ARE READY TO RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST, PRAY THIS PRAYER!

Dear God,

I confess I am a sinner. I am sorry for my sins and I ask for your forgiveness;

Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins;

I place my faith and trust that your death on the cross paid the penalty for my sins and reconciles me to God;

I commit from this point on in my life to wholeheartedly follow and serve you to accomplish the things in my life for which you created me.

Jesus, I pray this in Your name,

Amen.

One word of caution. Some may pray the words above quickly and think they have earned salvation. God can see if there is sincerity when you pray this prayer. Reciting a thirty second prayer does not save until it is a genuine appeal to God from a heart broken and contrite from sin, that freely accepts and commits to follow and serve the Lord Jesus Christ from now on.

It took the renowned Christian author C.S. Lewis years to reach a point of belief, trust, and commitment to God through Jesus Christ. Ponder the points and Bible verses above in Faith, Repent, Trust, and Commit until you are ready to make this commitment. Remember, God said that if you seek Him, you will find Him (Isaiah 55:6);

IMPORTANT NEXT STEPS

First, seek out a church who follows Christ Jesus and believes in the infallibility of God’s Word, the Bible. Begin to regularly attend worship serves in person;

Second, identify yourself to the pastor as a person who has recently received Jesus Christ, and ask about two things:

-Being baptized;

-One or more Christ-followers in the church mature in their relationship with Jesus who can oversee your growth and relationship with Him;

Third, commit yourself to the means of grace God gives His children for growth, including His Words in the Bible, prayer, and fellowship with other Christ-followers;

Fourth, devote yourself to growing to maturity in Christlikeness overcoming sin and bearing good fruit;

REPENT

You must be sorrowful of your sins that have offended God, and turn from them to Jesus Christ who can enable you to overcome them thereafter (Acts 2:38);

COMMIT

Jesus Christ identified the commitment with two words: “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19);

It is a commitment to follow Jesus and serve Him for the rest of your life, to bear the good fruit for which you were created (Ephesians 2:10);

The first step in following Jesus is to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord of your life (Romans 10:9-10) by a public profession through baptism (Acts 2:38);

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE MOMENT YOU WERE BORN AGAIN?

You were buried with Jesus in His death and raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4);

When God now looks at you, He sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)!

You are connected to Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13);

You are called to overcome sin in your life through the power of the Holy Spirit in you (Romans 8:13-14);

The Holy Spirit with your cooperation will progressively mature you in Christ resulting in bearing good fruit you were created for (Ephesians 2:10) in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8);

Remember, you are not saved by good works you are saved by faith alone. But you are saved in order to good works!

Additional Sources of Information?

Repentance

  • Miller, C. John (Jack). Repentance. A Daring Call to Surrender. Fort Washington PA: CLC Publications. 2009.

Sanctification: Growing to Christlikeness

  • Bonhoeffer, Dietrich (author) and Metaxas, Eric (foreword). The Cost of Discipleship. New York, NY: Touchstone. 1995.
  • Tozer, A.W.  Discipleship.  What It Truly Means to be a Christian. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers. 2018.
  • Willard, Dallas. The Great Omission.  Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. 2006.

Correctly Using God’s Word

  • Henrichsen, W.A. A Layman’s Guide to Interpreting the Bible. Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress. 1978.
  • Tozer, A.W. “Chapter 45. The Proper Use of the Bible.” In: The Set of the Sail. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers. 2018.

Talking to God in Prayer

  • Nee, Watchman. Let Us Pray. New York, NY: Christian Fellowship Publishers. 1977.
  • Tozer, A.W. “Chapter 14. Prayer Changes People— and Things.” In: The Price of Neglect. Camp Hill, PA: WingSpread Publishers.  2010.
  • Wiersbe, Warren W.  Prayer 101.  Experiencing the Heart of God. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook. 2016.

Overcoming Sin

  • Rogers, Adrian. “Chapter 4.  Every Christian Ought to Know What Happens When a Christian Sins,” and “Chapter 5. Every Christian Ought to Know How to Handle Temptation.” In: What Every Christian Ought to Know. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group. 2012.

Unconditional Forgiveness

Growing in Affliction

  • Carson, D.A. How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil. Second Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 2006.   
  • Tozer, A.W. The Crucified Life. How to Live Out a Deeper Christian Experience (compiled and edited by James L. Snyder). Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House. 2011.  

Growing Through Giving

  • Alcorn, Randy. Money, Possessions, & Eternity. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 2003.

Growing Through being Discipled

  • Anderson, Lynn. They Smell Like Sheep. New York, NY: Howard Books, Simon & Schuster. 1997.
  • Tripp, Paul David. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hand. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing Co. 2002.

Making Disciples

    • Gallaty, Robby. Growing Up. How to Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples. Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group. 2022.

    Sharing the Gospel with Others

    • Tice, Rico. Honest Evangelism: How to talk about Jesus even when it’s tough. Charlotte, NC: The Good Book Company. 2015.

    Bearing Other Good Fruit

    • Halla, Jim. One-Anothering. An Aspect of Progressive Sanctification. Greenville, SC: Ambassador International. 2022.