Over the last 30 years, I have discipled or mentored many persons, male and female, Latinos, blacks and whites, young and old, Christians. Paul saw it as an obligation and an honor. He makes this clear in how he states the following verses.
1 Corinthians 11:1 (NASB) Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
Many persons quote this verse but quickly jump to the second part of the verse which refers to his imitating Christ. This way, the obligation to be someone people may imitate shifts from us to the Christ. Kind of like saying, “You shouldn’t be keeping your eyes on me, you should be keeping your eyes on Jesus. It sounds good, but it is not totally Biblical.
Philippians 3:17 (NASB) Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.
Notice that Paul encourages the newer believers to pay attention to the “pattern” (the way they live) of those who are his imitators. The idea was that his readers should find more mature believes to emulate.
1 Corinthians 4:14-16 (NASB) 14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.
Paul’s main point is that we are to become spiritual parents. As Christians, our main “job” is to find newer believers and provide them an example of how to walk this Christian walk. To bring them “up” in the Lord, as we would bring up our own children regarding life issues.
Paul’s main point is that
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These new believers will then become our “fruit” in the Lord. There are many examples of “fruit” in the Scriptures. Here are just a few.
Fruit of trees and plants
- Every tree and plant has its own “fruit” (meaning it produces what it is supposed to produce).
- They also produce seeds which bring forth other trees and plants.
Fruit of animals and humans
- Babies.
- They also produce “seeds” which bring forth other animals and humans.
Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22 (NASB), “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.”
- These are not a Christian’s “fruit” (what you are to produce).
- These are what the Spirit of God will produce in Christians.
Fruit of the Light
Ephesians 5:8-10 (NASB), “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
- These are fruit of the “Light.”
- These are fruit which Christians are to learn in the walk with God.
Fruit of Wisdom
James 3:17 (NASB), “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”
- Wisdom has its own fruit.
- The fruit is the results of someone acting on the “wisdom from above.”
Fruit of Discipline
Hebrews 12:11 (NASB), “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
- The fruit of discipline is that we will live in a right way before God.
- Discipline in this context is correction.
The fruit of our Good Work
Colossians 1:9-11 (NASB), “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously.”
The fruit of our good work is the results of our ministries.
- How many people we have ministered to, and with whom we shared the gospel.
Our PERSONAL fruit
Romans 7:4 (NASB), “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.”
- Our fruit is to produce mature Christians.
- Our responsibility is to take people under our wings and care for them and teach them.
Romans 1:13 (NASB), “I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.”
Paul wanted to find new Christians to teach them the ways of God.
John 15:16 (NASB), “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My Name He may give to you.”
Appointed means “chosen for,” in this context.
John 15:1-8 (NASB)
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
* This is the only fruit which has a possible negative consequence.
* We are expected to produce this fruit by God, and He will discipline those who do not obey.
* On the other hand, those who obey, God will help produce even more fruit.
3 “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.
7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
* The way we prove we are disciples of the Christ, is that we do as He did.
* Jesus started His ministry by finding disciples to teach and train.
* The Lord expects for you and me to find People to teach and train in the Christian ways.
Example of the fruit:
Acts 8:30-31 (NASB), “Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ And he said, ‘Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.”
New believers need more mature believers to help them understand, and therefore apply, the Scriptures. This means you.
1 Corinthians 4:16 (NASB) Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.
Paul, just like Jesus, taught and trained many persons, by using his own life as an example for them to follow. So should you.
Become Someone’s Spiritual Parent.
Inspire Someone in Christ!
