Luke 13:6 ¶ He spake also
this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and
he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his
vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and
find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it
alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if
not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Israel is likened to a
fig tree in the Old Testament. Here is one example;
Hosea 9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness;
I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her
first time: but they went to
Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that
shame; and their abominations
were according as they loved.
This statement about
God’s forbearance and patience as Christ asks the Father for more time with the
warning that there is a specific limit to God’s patience. The time is coming
when the fig tree that is not bearing fruit will have to come down.
For the Christian,
which each one is a type of the nation of Israel, God also calls for fruit to
be produced through the work of the Holy Spirit in how we treat God, our
brothers and sisters in Christ, and our fellow men and women in general.
It has been mentioned
previously that the fruit or proof of having the Holy Spirit indwelling is
found in Galatians, chapter 5. They are sharply contrasted against the dead
works, the works of the flesh. The entire passage and warning bear repeating
here.
Galatians 5:13 ¶ For,
brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve
one another. 14 For all the law is
fulfilled in one word, even in
this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take
heed that ye be not consumed one of another. 16
This I say then, Walk in
the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and
the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so
that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18
But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these; Adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife,
seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you
before, as I have also told you
in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of
God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is
no law. 24 And they that are Christ’s
have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of
vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
If we do not bear fruit
how long should God have patience with us before He cuts us down in this life
on earth?
We, too, should be
grateful that we, when unbelievers, had one more season of restraint before
judgment was to come upon us in this life. And it was God’s forbearance that
gave us time to be saved for eternity as we wallowed blindly in our stubborn
selfishness.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest
thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance
and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance?
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