In the first eight verses of John 15, the great truth brought before us is fruit-bearing. This division of the discourse closes with the words, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” Then, at the close of the chapter, the Lord refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit, with the result that the disciples become witnesses for Christ. Fruit is the lovely character of Christ reproduced in the lives of believers in the power of the Holy Spirit. In as far as this fruit of the Spirit — “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, self-control” (Gal. 5:22-2322But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22‑23) JND) — is found in us, the Father will be glorified and it will be manifest that we are disciples of Christ. Also, in as far as we follow Christ we shall become witnesses to Christ in the world from which He was cast out. Thus we realize that it is the Lord’s desire that believers should be in this world for the glory of the Father, known as disciples of Christ, and witnesses for Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Fruit-bearing, discipleship, and witnessing, are the great themes of chapter 15.
Moreover, in verses 9-16 the Lord sets before us a most beautiful picture of the new Christian company, with the outstanding moral characteristics of that company according to the mind of the Lord. These express, indeed, the desires of the heart of Christ for the whole Christian company, but what should mark the whole company should surely be true of any little local company of His people. Therefore in a day of ruin when the great Christian profession has wandered far from the Lord’s revealed mind, it is still possible for two or three gathered to His name in any locality to seek to be marked by the characteristics that are pleasing to Him. We may well challenge our hearts as to how far we have done so.
Hamilton Smith