If it Dies, it Bears Much Fruit

“And Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.’” (John 12:23-26 ESV; cf. Luke 9:23-26)

Jesus Christ is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And he was with God from the beginning, and he is our creator God, the giver of life – both physical life and eternal life in him (via God-persuaded faith in the Lord Jesus). But he left his throne in heaven, came to earth, was born as a baby to a human mother, but was conceived of the Holy Spirit. So when he lived on the earth he was fully man and yet fully God (God incarnate, in the flesh). And he came to save us from our sins.

But the majority of his people turned against him and refused to believe in him. And many of them plotted and carried out his death via the governing officials. But in his death he became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. He died that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. So by faith in him we are crucified with him in death to sin, and we are raised with him now to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to righteousness.

And this is what this passage of Scripture in John 12 is talking about. This is the essence of the gospel message that Jesus was giving to those who were seeking him. If we are to believe in Jesus Christ with genuine faith which saves us from our sins, and which promises us eternal life with God, we must first of all die with Christ to sin, but not just once, but daily. And then we can walk in holiness and in righteousness, in walks of obedience to our Lord, and thus bear much spiritual fruit for the kingdom of God.

So all those people who are telling you that all you have to do is to give a verbal profession of faith in Jesus Christ and now all your sins are forgiven, and you are on your way to heaven, but without telling you that you must first die with Christ to sin, and then you must, by his grace, walk in obedience to his commands, they are not telling you the truth. It may sound good to the ear and to the flesh, but it is not good if all we do is give lip service to God but then we continue living in sin and not in obedience.

For if we love our lives (in the flesh), and so we hold on to living in sin and for self, then we are going to lose our lives for eternity. But if we hate the sinful lifestyles we have in the flesh, and so we give up our sins to now follow Jesus in obedience to his commands, then we have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And to believe in Jesus is to follow him where he leads. It is to serve him with our lives. But that requires that we obey him. And we must continue steadfast in this faith until the very end.

[Isaiah 53:1-12; Matt 7:21-23; Matt 26:26-29; Lu 9:23-26; Lu 17:25; Jn 1:1-36; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 8:24,58; Jn 10:27-33; Jn 20:28-29; Rom 5:8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 9:5; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 11:23-32; 1 Co 15:1-8; 2 Co 5:15,21; Eph 4:17-24; Php 2:5-11; Col 2:9; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 1:8-9; Heb 2:14-15; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:24; 2 Pet 1:1; 1 John 3:4-10]  

Breath Of Heaven (Mary's Song)

Songwriters: Amy Lee Grant / Chris Eaton

I have traveled many moonless nights

Cold and weary with a babe inside

And I wonder what I've done

Holy father you have come

And chosen me now to carry your son

I am waiting in a silent prayer

I am frightened by the load I bear

In a world as cold as stone

Must I walk this path alone?

Be with me now

Be with me now

Breath of heaven

Hold me together

Be forever near me

Breath of heaven

Breath of heaven

Lighten my darkness

Pour over me your holiness

For you are holy

Breath of heaven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6VGVXjGLBQ

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