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into a knowledge of the Truth are referred to by Paul as fruit and this is the purpose of the
vine:
". . . that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established: . . .
that I might have some fruit among you also" (Rom. 1: 11, 13).
These two aspects of fruit run very parallel. We are unlikely to yield fruit in the
second if we have not already displayed fruit in the first:
"Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that
warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him Who hath
chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet he is not crowned,
except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the
fruits" (II Tim. 2: 3-6).
Verse 6 in this context is not teaching we should pay our vicar an adequate stipend but
rather that when we take on the responsibility of teaching we should be prepared to
exhibit a blameless life. II Timothy is a priceless manual of instruction for the novice
seeking to pass on to others the message of salvation and in 3: 10 the Apostle Paul
declares:
"But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering,
charity, patience."
Why should we not be able to boldly stand up and repeat this verse to those to whom
we minister? At least our conscience should be clear to permit us to do so if it were
necessary.
"Be ye therefore perfect (having unbiased mature responsible concern for others
without any element by us of judgment) even as your Father which is in heaven is
perfect" (Matt. 5: 48).
Consider John 15: 3:
"Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you."
There is utter joy in discovering that every single thing connected with the Lord is so
perfect for its ordained purpose, whether it be the physical body of man, the plan of
redemption, the Word of God or indeed any other work or creation of His. The word
"clean" in the text above is katharos and is translated `pure' as well as `clean'. The
thought behind this word is that of being purged of all ideas that were contrary to the
teaching of Christ; corrected from all the misunderstandings of false tradition. Psa. 12:
compares the words of man with those of God, saying of the latter:
"The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified
seven times" (Psa. 12: 6).
This verse reflects the idea that although God inspires man to record His words in the
Bible He sees that they are so purged of all the dross associated with man that they stand
out in perfection of purpose.