Three Times Immersed

Jesus said…

"He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit" (John 15:5)

I once heard a sermon on evangelism which said the above means that saved people go out and win others to Jesus. The sermon went on to suggest that if we were not soul winners then we needed to make sure we had really been saved and quoted…

“…he who is wise wins souls.” (Proverbs 11:30)

Believe it or not he got a few “Amens” from the self-righteous folks who were involved in the ministries of the church…like me at the time. As a child growing up in the church from age 7 to 15 such sermons as these caused me to doubt my salvation and get baptized 3 different times, trusting these preachers and being convinced by them that I had not been saved. The truth is that none of those decisions and baptisms saved me. God saved me and everyone else through Christ Jesus 2000 years ago!

But what is this “fruit” that one who abides in Christ produces?

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Some people who never get baptized or go to church produce more of this "fruit" in their lives than some Christians I know…including myself. And many of them tirelessly teach their children to live virtuous lives and therefore, without knowing it, are the "wise" in that Old Testament proverb who  produce the "fruit" which can "win souls"…

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.” (Proverbs 11:30)