III. THE FRUIT OF THE GODLY MAN - Psalm 1:3
A. THE FRUIT OF SALVATION
B. THE FRUIT OF SANCTIFICATION
C.
THE FRUIT OF SERVICE
IV.
THE FUTURE OF THE GODLY MAN - Psalm 1:6a
Introduction:
(Psa 1:1-3).
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the
ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful. {2} But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in
his law doth he meditate day and night. {3} And he shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also
shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
The fruit of Psalm 1:3 includes the whole spectrum of Godly
productivity. 1) The fruit of Salvation, 2) the
fruit of Sanctification, and 3) the
fruit of Service, though it does not specifically say that the fruit includes these
categories.
We have discussed the fruit of salvation, but there is another kind of fruit, which is produced by God’s
purging. God Himself prunes all the
branches that have the fruit
of salvation so that they can have the
fruit of sanctification, identified
as “more fruit: (Jn 15:2c). Today
let us to look at some specific information about the fruit of sanctification.
The fruit
of salvation is automatic. THE FRUIT OF SANCTIFICATION IS NOT
AUTOMATIC.
B. The Fruit of Sanctification – Jn.
15:2c-15
Though the whole passage of John 15:2c-15 has to do
with sanctification, for the present teaching, I want to highlight the last
part of verse 2: “And every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that
it may bring forth more fruit.”
We can define scriptural sanctification as living in
the will of God in accord with the Word of God: "Sanctify them through thy
truth: thy word is truth" (Jn 17:17 ). And in 2 Corinthians 7:1 we read:
"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of
God."
The fruit of
sanctification is a theme that runs
throughout the Bible, though many times we don’t connect these teachings with the term
sanctification. The Bible refers to
sanctification frequently without using the word “fruit.” But since we are
talking about the fruit of sanctification,
I would like to look particularly at verses talking about sanctification which
have the term “fruit.”
Maybe we should note that the godless trees have fruit just as the godly trees have fruit.
(Prov 10:16)
“The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.”
(Prov 11:30) “The fruit of the righteous is a
tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”
(Prov 12:12)
“The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.”
Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns,
or figs of thistles? {17} Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth
forth evil fruit. {18} A good
tree cannot bring forth evil fruit,
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. {19} Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into
the fire. {20} Wherefore by
their fruits ye shall know them” (Mat 7:16-20).
Again, Jesus said, “Either make the tree good, and his
fruit good; or else make the tree
corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for
the tree is known by his fruit”
(Mat 12:33)
(Phil 1:9-11)
"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in
knowledge and in all judgment; {10} That ye may approve things
that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of
Christ; {11} Being filled with the
fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory
and praise of God."
(Rom 6:16-23)
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his
servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness? {17} But God be thanked, that ye were the servants
of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered
you. {18} Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness. {19} I speak after the manner of men because of the
infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to
uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members
servants to righteousness unto holiness. {20} For when ye were the
servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. {21} What fruit had ye then in those things
whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
{22} But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have
your fruit unto holiness, and the
end everlasting life. {23} For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
This is one of the most important passages concerning
the path and the product of sanctification.
Verse 23 makes a conclusion concerning the process of sanctification: 1)
The wages of sin is the fruit of
sin, and 2) The gift of eternal life is the fruit of salvation.
Those who intentionally, habitually disobey the Word
of God are not Christians. They belong
to the second group in Psalm 1:4-6.
(James 3:17-18)
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable,
gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. {18} And
the fruit of righteousness is sown
in peace of them that make peace.”
(Eph 5:8-9) “{8}
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:
walk as children of light: {9} (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and
truth;)”
(Titus 3:1, 14)
“{1} Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers,
to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, . . . {14} And let ours also learn to
maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.”
There
is a hymn in our hymnbooks entitled Trust and Obey. Here is the first stanza:
When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Chorus
Trust and
obey,
For there’s
no other way
To be happy
in Jesus
But to trust
and obey.
This song is in complete harmony with the first sacred
song of the book of Psalms. Frieda says
her mother taught her to sing the chorus of this hymn when she was two years
old.
When Frieda and I were first married, I was in my last
year of Bible College. I was under a lot
of pressure as I was taking several graduate classes. Many a night when I felt tense, she would
sing many of these godly and glorious hymns to me in the dark. It was comforting and encouraging.
(Col
(To be continued)
