²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24 ESV)

I do not think we take this idea of death to self and life in Christ seriously enough. We are looking at it metaphorically and not putting ourselves to the test of what bearing fruit really means in our faith life.

Too many people believe that if they live a good life they are headed to heaven. This is not scriptural. If we do not truly embrace death to self and life in Christ, meaning that we accept his gift of salvation through believe in his death and resurrection, then produce good fruit we are not fulfilling the concept of rebirth.

Our lives have to be marked by something more than just our earthly success, the things we accumulate or a loving family. It must be marked by bearing faith based fruit and if our seed does not die, it cannot reproduce.

I believe that far too often our seed falls upon hardened ground. We have not plowed the fields of our soul to provide a rich place for Christ to take deep root. He is choked out by all of the other weeds in our life and infertile ground.

We must till this ground with scripture and prayer so that new fruit of the spirit may grow, and that we may grow.