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FROM BARRENNESS TO FRUITFULNESS

Date: 
Monday, July 26, 2021
Bible Meditation: 
2 Peter 1: 1-11

“For if these things are yours and abound, you will neither be BARREN nor UNFRUITFUL in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” – 2 Peter 1:8

Redemption in Christ facilitates transformation FROM BARRENNESS to FRUITFULNESS: “For if these things are yours and abound, you will neither be BARREN nor UNFRUITFUL in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2Pet.1:8). Barrenness was never God’s intent for natural creation or the New Creation in Christ. Fruitfulness was the divine mandate from inception of creation: “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “BE FRUITFUL and multiply” (Gen.1:28a). Noah and sons got the same mandate (Gen.9:1, 7). Fruitfulness is however not entirely dependent on Man. God demands fruitfulness, but He empowers us for it. Isaac blessed Jacob: “May God Almighty bless you, and MAKE YOU FRUITFUL…” (Gen.28:3a). Jacob later reminded his son Joseph, of God’s promise: “Behold, I will MAKE YOU FRUITFUL and multiply you…” (Gen.48:4a).

Fruitfulness is therefore both a mandate and a blessing. God commands us to be fruitful, but the enablement or Grace for fruitfulness comes from Him. His Word empowers us to obey His mandate. Fruitfulness is the product of divine blessing and human responsibility. That’s what the 2 Peter 1 text implies. God’s “divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (v.3). We have received “exceedingly great and precious promises” in order to “be partakers of the divine nature” (v.4). Therefore, we have no liaison with barrenness; but if we are to fulfil our mandate of fruitfulness, diligence is demanded: “But also for this very reason, GIVING ALL DILIGENCE, add to your faith” (v.5a). It is when the Grace for Fruitfulness is frustrated or wasted that barrenness sets in.

The true essence of all creation is to be fruitful. John 15 presents the metaphor of the Vine and branches, to describe the relationship of Christ and believers. A branch grows and is fruitful through its connection with the vine; we grow because of our connection with Christ. The branch is nothing apart from the vine; we can do nothing apart from Him. The branch draws strength from the vine; we are strengthened through Christ. We remain fruit-bearing branches only as we abide in the Vine! The Father is the vinedresser who consistently prunes the fruit-bearing branches to make them bear more fruit. Branches that abide in the Vine are blessed to grow and bear fruit to the Father’s pleasure; fruitless ones are removed and burned!

Unfruitfulness of a branch is due mainly to disconnection from the VINE, as nourishment ceases to flow. The secret of being transformed from barrenness to fruitfulness in all aspects of life is committed Connection to Christ. Human effort devoid of divine input is utter failure: “Without Me you can do NOTHING” (Jh.15:5b). Fruitfulness is hinged on fellowship with Christ.

Another reason for lack of Fruit in many lives is a lack of ROOT: “And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take ROOT downward, and bear FRUIT upward” (Isa.37:31). The unfruitful are either NOT rooted or poorly rooted. They lack depth and easily drift off or veer from the faith. They are not prepared to go the whole hog. They can dump their faith in Christ if the prize of compromise is right. They are like seeds that fell on stony grounds, which lacked depth. When the sun rose, they withered instantly (Mk. 4:5-6, 16-17).

The third key factor for fruitfulness is the SOIL. The root is meaningless without the soil. When the seed is the same; the soil makes the difference. The Lord Jesus compared different types of soil to differing heart-responses to God’s Word: the wayside ground; the thorny ground; the rocky soil; and the good ground (Matthew 13).

For transformation to be real, our responsibilities are: to present a proper heart-response to God’s Word; remain connected to the Lord; and rooted in His Word. These demand diligence; hence Peter’s concluding thoughts: “Therefore, brethren, be even more DILIGENT to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will NEVER STUMBLE” (v.10a).

Adetokunbo O. Ilesanmi (Meditations)

Prayer: 
Lord, as we abide in You, rooted in Your Word, transform us totally FROM BARRENNESS to FRUITFULNESS, in Jesus name.
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