Marks of a true Christian.
John 15:1-8
By: Ysrael De la Cruz
You are not a Christian just because you identify yourself as Christian. Francis Chan said: “There are people who truly believe in their hearts they are followers of Jesus, but their lives look nothing like his.”
There are things you do and choose not to do that would show others whether you are a disciple of Jesus or not. There are things that set us apart from the rest of the world. Jesus said to his disciples, the world will know you are truly my disciples when they see you love one another. It’s very easy to identify followers of Jesus in the New Testament. They are the one reflecting Jesus in their loving each other. They are the ones being committed to Jesus’ teachings. Scripture tells us that the first century Christians were devoted to the teaching of God’s word; committed to being in fellowship or connection with other believers and devoted to prayer. (Acts 2:42)
IN John 15 Jesus gives us another illustration through the metaphor of the vine and the branches.
John 15:1-8
I am the true vine, and my father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
True followers of Jesus remain in him (Abide in him). To remain or abide in Jesus is to stay with him; to be attached to him; being connected to him.

Jesus calls his people to remain in him (v.4) “Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” Why should you abide in Jesus?

Followers of Jesus are to produce fruit. (this fruit comes as a result of being attached to the vine. V.4) A branch cannot bear fruit by itself. Jesus said that apart from him we can do nothing. It’s only by being attached to Jesus that we can produce fruit.
V.5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ESV
Producing fruit brings glory to God. (v.8) and proves that you are truly a disciple of Jesus.
Those who do not bear fruit are not true disciples of Jesus. They are thrown away to be burned (v.2 God cuts off fruitless branches. V.6)

To abide (remain) in Jesus means to abide in his word (v.7) God uses his word to prune us, so we can produce more fruit. (v.2-3); followers of Jesus must remain in his word and not compromise it. We must remain in Jesus’ teaching. (v.3) you are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 15:7 Jesus gives a promise to those who remain in him and his word. He said ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. What is the condition for God to give you whatever you ask in Jesus’ name? To remain in him and his word. Why should God answer our prayers if we are detached from him and his words?

True followers of Jesus bear fruit. It’s one of those marks of a true follower. (v.8) God is exalted or glorified by the fruit produced by Christ’s followers.

True Christians bear fruit. Here are example of the fruit we are talking about. Paul calls this living by the Spirit when we produce this fruit. Gal.5:22 Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
When the world displays hate, followers of Jesus show love. When others display despair and hostility, Christ’s followers display peace, patience, kindness. When others display evil, you show goodness. You repay evil with good. When others are unfaithful, you show faithfulness; you display gentleness and self-control in dealing with others. This is the fruit followers of Jesus are to produce.
A little boy went over to a pastor’s house, where the pastor was doing some carpentry in his garage. The boy simply stood there and watched him for quite a long time. The preacher wondered why this boy was watching him and was finally so curious that he stopped and said, “Son, are you trying to pick up some pointers on how to build something?”
The little boy replied, “No. I am just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer.
Bearing good fruit is really not complicated; it is the natural progression or movement of anyone who remains in Jesus and his word because only those who remain in him produce fruit and bring glory to God by doing so.