“If the root is holy, so are the branches.” (Romans 11:16)
How peachy should a peach become? Or how rosy should a rose become? How corny should corn become?
These all sound ridiculous, right? We never think a peach tries too hard to become peachy or that a rose spends too much time trying to become rosy. They all are what they are because of their roots. And their roots come directly from their germinated seeds or origin. There is no trying; there are no surprises. We expect the ultimate state because of the initial seed and root system.
Source Seed and Root System
Now let’s apply that law of nature to genuine Christ followers—those who place their complete faith, trust, and reliance on Jesus Christ. Upon a miraculous, supernatural spiritual rebirth (John 3:3, 7), they are “new creations” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The “old” former state is gone. This new seed germinates, and a transformed, divine, holy root system grows and branches out. As the root is holy, so is the plant (Romans 11:16). There is no trying to become anything. God’s new divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) flows from the “root” system throughout the entire person.
At salvation, God plants a divine seed inside. This seed germinates and grows as we submit to the Holy Spirit. As we apply what God says to our lives, fruit appears. Spiritual maturity develops as we become increasingly and steadily more Christlike. As branches of the True Vine (John 15:1-8), we are to resemble that Vine and bear the fruit of that Vine. All the Vine has, He gives to the branches so we can bear fruit for Him. We should so identify with the True Vine—resemble It and surrender to Its life-giving flow—that our lives demonstrate the same nature, power, spirit, and fruit.”
Genuine believers resemble Christ because of His divine seed and roots.
- He changes our inner nature (1 John 3:9; Galatians 3:26; 6:16)
- Divine nature invades human nature (2 Peter 1:4; 1 Peter 1:23)
- Jesus Christ becomes our new identity (Philippians 3:7-9)
- The indwelling Holy Spirit of God establishes, directs, anoints, and seals us (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
Our root is changed, so our fruit is different.
No Trying and No Surprises
Going back to nature, if a plant grows into something other than what is expected, the seed and root are the identifiers. Say, for instance, I have several opened packets of seeds to plant, but I drop them all, and the seeds become intermingled. To identify what each seed will produce, I must plant them. There are no surprises. The roots always, always, always reveal the identity of the plants and any resultant fruit.
By applying nature’s clues to the spiritual life, we identify the same absolutes. When God says, “Be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16), that isn’t an impossible command. Nor is it a demand to keep trying to become something or to spend hours trying to determine how to become something. It is simply the revelation that genuine Christ-followers, who have been “born from above” and given heaven’s DNA, will be what they should be because of their divine nature and holy root system.
A new root will exhibit new fruit. If the old fruit is still rampant, the root becomes suspect. “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot [habitually; intentionally] sin, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9). Those who are truly born of God, with His DNA running through their spiritual veins, “practice righteousness” (1 John 2:29). The old sin nature may remain, but there’s no allowance to fulfill the old passionate desires and longings. The Holy Spirit of God doesn’t live in a garbage dump without conviction or consequences.”
There is no Try, Only Do
So, how holy should genuine Christ-followers become? Not to go all Yoda here, but there is no try, only do.
True, authentic, genuine believers cannot help but be holy because of their divine spiritual seed and root. Sure, the struggle with the old, sinful nature remains. But through Jesus we have His new, abundant life (John 10:10) and are called to walk in that newness of life (Romans 6:4).
We don’t try, we just live. We:
- Yield to His righteousness toward holiness (Romans 6:19)
- “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh” (Romans 13:14)
- Pursue holiness “without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14)
- Reveal holy branches, leaves, and fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), dependent on the holy root
- Surrender daily to God’s supernatural transformation into Christlikeness (Romans 8:29)
This process of Christ being formed in us (Galatians 4:29) is a lifetime journey. It continues right up until we stand in His holy presence, satisfied with finally being fully transformed into His likeness (Psalm 17:15).
The personal question we all face is: “What do my spiritual branches and fruit reveal about my root?”
(Concepts taken from Nate’s book, Called to Christlikeness, not Christianity)
Nate’s book, Called to Christlikeness, not Christianity – Purchase here.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Nate Stevens.
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