[Maximum Joy Series] The Fruit of Fellowship Sample

Roots and Fruits–the Child of the Devil

Have you ever seen an apple tree that produces oranges? I am sure that your answer is no. It is not part of its nature. As we have previously seen, the natural resembles the spiritual. Just as a physical seed cannot produce something outside its genetic code, so God’s seed cannot produce something contrary to His nature. The apostle John shares a powerful and profound message that can help us not only to better understand our nature in Christ, but also to identify and be aware of the work of the Devil. 

The child of the Devil cannot produce divine fruit: “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (3:8 NKJV). This is just another way of saying, satanic roots produce satanic fruit. Someone who is doing the works of the Devil must have a nature within him like the Devil’s. 

We believe this was one of the results of the fall; it is the sin(ful) nature inherited from Adam. It was not given to Adam by birth but somehow, the choice of personal sin twisted his make-up, and this perverted nature could be passed down to the human race through his seed (Psalm 51:5). For this reason, the unbeliever cannot keep from producing the works (fruit) of the Devil—it is in his nature. 

A child of God cannot remain in sin. This is what John says in 3:9, “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (NKJV). I am sure that at this point you might be saying, “Wait, I still sin, does this mean that I am not a child of God?” This passage may be best understood as a parallel to Paul’s statements in Romans 7:14–25. The evil which I do is done by me, but not really; it is done by my sin(ful) nature. So, the divine good which I do is not done by me; it is done by my divine nature. Both of these natures dwell in the child of God simultaneously. 

However, a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) knows that when he knowingly sins, he is not acting in accordance with the change that took place when he was born-again. As he has the mind of Christ, he acts in harmony with his new identity. We tend to act in accordance with how we see ourselves, that is why it is fundamental to understand who we are in Christ. 

As children of God, we make visible, or demonstrate (manifest), who we really are when we produce divine righteousness. On the contrary, when we sin we are hiding God’s glory. So, remember who you are. You were created for God’s glory, so manifest God in your home, at work, at school, at the gym. Wherever you are, manifest who you really are as a child of God. Manifest God’s glory. As John Calvin said, “The responsibility of the Christian is to make the invisible world visible.”