In parables, Christians are compared to a fig tree and vine branches. As the farmer expects his fruit trees to bear fruit so are Christians expected to bear fruit. Even the earthly farmer observes all the cultural practices to ensure fruitfulness. God, the heavenly farmer, does better. He makes the necessary resources available to the Christian to ensure fruitfulness. The good tree responds to the farmer’s effort and bears fruit. Christians also depend on the resources given by God to bear fruit such as love, loyalty, truthfulness, etc.
In the Parable of the vine, Jesus made this statement, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit … (John 15:2). According to the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree, the master of the vineyard said, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down!… (Lu 13:7)’ Just as some trees or branches tend to disappoint the hopes of the farmer by not bearing fruit, it is possible for some Christian or saved people to be unfruitful or to stop bearing fruit.
Moreover, the orange farmer appears to be enjoying more success than God because, in an orange grove, almost all the orange trees are fruit-bearing and make the farmer’s trade profitable. However, in Christianity, a chunk of professing Christians either fall under apostate Christians or unfruitful Christians. Jesus’ sermons suggest that only a few Christians are bearing fruit and shall inherit the kingdom of heaven – ‘For many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14).’
There is a saying that you can’t eat your cake and have it. How do you live recklessly and still think you are on God’s side just because you call Jesus your Lord and Savior? God threatens to disconnect such Christians from Christ and He does so by, first, taking away His Holy Spirit from them (John 15:2; 1 John 4:13). After the spiritual disconnect from Christ has been done, God will ensure that such Christians leave the church.
Sometimes, God kills them to remove them from the church like Ananias and Sapphira. Sometimes, God exposes their evil deeds to the church and when the church tries to discipline them, they leave and never return. Normally, Christians who are not bearing fruit do not find the church convenient because the teachings from the pulpit offend them and they easily slip away from the church before anyone notices.
Unfruitful Christians are the ones we call backsliders or backsliding Christians. All hope is not lost for them. We can still reach out to them and help them to return to Christ and live right. Remember that the prodigal son returned (Luke 15:11-32), the lost sheep was found (Matthew 18:10-14, Luke 15:1-7 ), and the lost coin was found (Luke 15:8-10).