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A Fruitful Life
'It is my desire through these pages to point you back to the simplicity of a life lived out of relationship with Jesus Christ. A life of intimacy, of abiding in him, is the source and spring of all other activity and endeavour. The branch bears fruit because it abides in the vine.' In A Fruitful Life we ponder the teaching of Jesus in John chapter 15, the famous 'vine' passage. He is preparing his disciples for his departure and describing how they can be effective witnesses in a hostile world. Just as his instructions revolutionised their lives, so a proper understanding of what he is saying can revolutionise our lives also. It is the heart of the gospel the only way to live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live his life in us and through us. This book includes material for individual reflection and also questions for group discussion.
Paperback
First published March 24, 2006
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September 30, 2025
Changes in society, and the movement away from the certainties of modernity into the relativism of the postmodern era, inevitably affect the church. It has become difficult to hold to moral absolutes when truth, for many, is personal and individualized. Pastoral issues are increasingly complex, and ethical dilemmas once seen as straightforward now appear confusing. Navigating today’s moral maze is no easy task for the church.
What is needed is change—deep, fundamental change that reaches the heart of the matter. We must re-examine how we “do church” and return to its essence. How do we live the Christian life? Altering external forms and structures may help for a time, but unless we rediscover what it truly means to live as Christians, even new models of church will eventually prove inadequate. The pressing question remains: What does it mean to be a Christian?
In the allegory of the vine and the branches, Jesus points his disciples toward a life of union with Himself. The Christian life cannot be lived apart from Him. It is only possible as we allow Jesus to live His life in us and through us.
True intimacy with Christ always leads to God-initiated activity, producing fruit that lasts. Only God-directed work is effective, and it flows out of abiding in Christ.
We exist for a purpose, and our lives gain meaning as we discover that purpose and align with it: to glorify God. We were made not only by Him but also for Him, and life is about allowing God to use us for His purposes. Faith itself begins when God, in His initiative, breaks into our lives and calls us to Himself. We have been chosen—for a reason: that our lives might bring glory to Him.
If He has called us to bear fruit, He will also show us how. This is our destiny, our divinely designed purpose. One of life’s greatest joys is to discover and walk in that destiny. What is this “fruit”? It is the outward expression of the life of God within us.
A disciple is someone who takes Christ’s claims seriously and applies His teaching daily. We demonstrate our discipleship by the impact our lives have on others for good. If we abide in Christ, our lives will bear fruit that blesses others—and the more we recognize our own inability, the more we depend on God, making it clear that the fruit comes from Him, not us.
When the life of Jesus works within us, it produces in us the same qualities that marked His earthly life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We are not merely imitating Christ; we are expressing His life. The authentic fruit of the Spirit grows naturally as we allow His life to fill and guide us.
Abiding in Christ will inevitably move us outward into the world, as His compassion flows through us. People who live out Christ’s life are marked by an attractive quality; often, as much by who they are as by what they say, they point others to Jesus.
It is easy to worship when life is good. But true abiding sustains praise even in hardship. Only as Christ’s life wells up within us can we give thanks in every circumstance. When we yield ourselves to God’s purpose, even our ordinary lives gain eternal significance.
Jesus Himself modeled this abiding life, living in constant dependence on His Father—withdrawn in prayer, attentive to God’s voice, watchful for His work. Just as a vine depends on the skill of the gardener, so we depend on the divine Vinedresser, who works to bring us to maturity in Christ.
The heart of the gospel is this: we are in Christ, and Christ is in us. This “mystical union” is the secret of faithfulness. By grace, God grafted us—once wild and uncultivated—into His Son, that we might share His life. This leaves no room for boasting, only awe and gratitude.
We can become like Jesus because He shares His pure nature with us. Holiness, therefore, is not about rule-keeping but about His life within us.
It is vital to discern the “seasons of the soul,” recognizing God’s work in each stage of life. Just as the farmer’s tasks change with the seasons, so God works differently in us at different times. Periods of rapid growth, seasons of testing, times of barrenness, and times of rest—all are part of His plan to produce maturity.
The vine must also be cleaned and pruned. Cleansing comes through God’s Word, convicting us of sin, reshaping our minds, and rooting our identity in Christ. Pruning, on the other hand, is God’s way of enabling fruitful branches to bear even more fruit. This often involves removing distractions, misplaced priorities, or sources of false security. Though painful, pruning reveals God’s determination to produce in us fruit that glorifies Him.
To abide in Christ is to rest in our true position—making Him our home, focus, and source of life. Union with Christ leads naturally to communion with Him. Such intimacy requires time, discipline, and intentional closeness. Practices like prayer, Scripture reading, and meditation are not ends in themselves but means of drawing us nearer to Christ.
Why must we abide? Because apart from Him, we can do nothing. Dependency is at the heart of abiding. The self-directed life breeds stress and emptiness, but the God-dependent life is fruitful and restful, for He bears the burden and accomplishes His will through us.
Abiding also shapes our prayer life. As our hearts align with God’s will, we gain confidence in prayer, knowing He hears and answers. Prayer, rooted in intimacy, becomes a powerful weapon in advancing His kingdom.
From this flows joy—deeper than happiness, grounded in God’s unchanging love—and love, the mark of true community. A Christ-abiding church will be welcoming, barrier-breaking, and compassionate, caring for the poor, the sick, the lost, and the needy.
At the core of fruitful living is love: received from God, shared with one another, and poured into the world. As we abide more deeply in Christ, His love overflows from us, drawing others to Him and advancing His kingdom.
What is needed is change—deep, fundamental change that reaches the heart of the matter. We must re-examine how we “do church” and return to its essence. How do we live the Christian life? Altering external forms and structures may help for a time, but unless we rediscover what it truly means to live as Christians, even new models of church will eventually prove inadequate. The pressing question remains: What does it mean to be a Christian?
In the allegory of the vine and the branches, Jesus points his disciples toward a life of union with Himself. The Christian life cannot be lived apart from Him. It is only possible as we allow Jesus to live His life in us and through us.
True intimacy with Christ always leads to God-initiated activity, producing fruit that lasts. Only God-directed work is effective, and it flows out of abiding in Christ.
We exist for a purpose, and our lives gain meaning as we discover that purpose and align with it: to glorify God. We were made not only by Him but also for Him, and life is about allowing God to use us for His purposes. Faith itself begins when God, in His initiative, breaks into our lives and calls us to Himself. We have been chosen—for a reason: that our lives might bring glory to Him.
If He has called us to bear fruit, He will also show us how. This is our destiny, our divinely designed purpose. One of life’s greatest joys is to discover and walk in that destiny. What is this “fruit”? It is the outward expression of the life of God within us.
A disciple is someone who takes Christ’s claims seriously and applies His teaching daily. We demonstrate our discipleship by the impact our lives have on others for good. If we abide in Christ, our lives will bear fruit that blesses others—and the more we recognize our own inability, the more we depend on God, making it clear that the fruit comes from Him, not us.
When the life of Jesus works within us, it produces in us the same qualities that marked His earthly life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We are not merely imitating Christ; we are expressing His life. The authentic fruit of the Spirit grows naturally as we allow His life to fill and guide us.
Abiding in Christ will inevitably move us outward into the world, as His compassion flows through us. People who live out Christ’s life are marked by an attractive quality; often, as much by who they are as by what they say, they point others to Jesus.
It is easy to worship when life is good. But true abiding sustains praise even in hardship. Only as Christ’s life wells up within us can we give thanks in every circumstance. When we yield ourselves to God’s purpose, even our ordinary lives gain eternal significance.
Jesus Himself modeled this abiding life, living in constant dependence on His Father—withdrawn in prayer, attentive to God’s voice, watchful for His work. Just as a vine depends on the skill of the gardener, so we depend on the divine Vinedresser, who works to bring us to maturity in Christ.
The heart of the gospel is this: we are in Christ, and Christ is in us. This “mystical union” is the secret of faithfulness. By grace, God grafted us—once wild and uncultivated—into His Son, that we might share His life. This leaves no room for boasting, only awe and gratitude.
We can become like Jesus because He shares His pure nature with us. Holiness, therefore, is not about rule-keeping but about His life within us.
It is vital to discern the “seasons of the soul,” recognizing God’s work in each stage of life. Just as the farmer’s tasks change with the seasons, so God works differently in us at different times. Periods of rapid growth, seasons of testing, times of barrenness, and times of rest—all are part of His plan to produce maturity.
The vine must also be cleaned and pruned. Cleansing comes through God’s Word, convicting us of sin, reshaping our minds, and rooting our identity in Christ. Pruning, on the other hand, is God’s way of enabling fruitful branches to bear even more fruit. This often involves removing distractions, misplaced priorities, or sources of false security. Though painful, pruning reveals God’s determination to produce in us fruit that glorifies Him.
To abide in Christ is to rest in our true position—making Him our home, focus, and source of life. Union with Christ leads naturally to communion with Him. Such intimacy requires time, discipline, and intentional closeness. Practices like prayer, Scripture reading, and meditation are not ends in themselves but means of drawing us nearer to Christ.
Why must we abide? Because apart from Him, we can do nothing. Dependency is at the heart of abiding. The self-directed life breeds stress and emptiness, but the God-dependent life is fruitful and restful, for He bears the burden and accomplishes His will through us.
Abiding also shapes our prayer life. As our hearts align with God’s will, we gain confidence in prayer, knowing He hears and answers. Prayer, rooted in intimacy, becomes a powerful weapon in advancing His kingdom.
From this flows joy—deeper than happiness, grounded in God’s unchanging love—and love, the mark of true community. A Christ-abiding church will be welcoming, barrier-breaking, and compassionate, caring for the poor, the sick, the lost, and the needy.
At the core of fruitful living is love: received from God, shared with one another, and poured into the world. As we abide more deeply in Christ, His love overflows from us, drawing others to Him and advancing His kingdom.
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