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  AS THE LIFE--SO THE FRUIT
  by C.H. Spurgeon
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Summary: True fruitfulness in Christ comes from having certain qualities
within us, such as faith, virtue, and knowledge, which produce an
overflow of life and usefulness.

Topics: "Fruitfulness", "Spiritual Growth"
Scripture References: John 15:5, Galatians 5:22, 2 Peter 1:8

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DESCRIPTION
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C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes that to glorify the Lord through fruitfulness,
we must cultivate certain virtues within us, starting with faith as the
foundation. He explains that qualities such as virtue, knowledge,
temperance, patience, godliness, and brotherly love must not only be
present but also abound in our lives to prevent barrenness. Spurgeon
notes that true fruitfulness is the result of an overflowing life, and
that graces are more important than mere gifts for effective ministry.
He encourages self-examination among believers to ensure they are not
merely idle knowers but active doers of the Word. The sermon serves as a
reminder that our inner life directly influences our outward
effectiveness in serving God.

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CONTENT
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For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. (2 Peter 1:8)

If we desire to glorify our Lord by fruitfulness, we must have certain
things within us; for nothing can come out of us which is not first of
all within us. We must begin with faith, which is the groundwork of all
the virtues; and then diligently add to it virtue, knowledge,
temperance, and patience. With these we must have godliness and
brotherly love. All these put together will most assuredly cause us to
produce, as our life fruit, the clusters of usefulness, and we shall not
be mere idle knowers but real doers of the Word. These holy things must
not only be in us, but abound, or we shall be barren. Fruit is the
overflow of life, and we must be full before we can flow over.

We have noticed men of considerable parts and opportunities who have
never succeeded in doing real good in the conversion of souls; and after
close observation we have concluded that they lacked certain graces
which are absolutely essential to fruit bearing. For real usefulness,
graces are better than gifts. As the man is, so is his work. If we would
do better, we must be better. Let the text be a gentle hint to
unfruitful professors and to myself also.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/ch-spurgeon/as-the-life-so-the-fruit-2/
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