Treasure Tree DNA: Believers bear fruit.
We affirm that Jesus calls us to grow. Discipleship is a process and we do not expect complete perfection. We already have it in Jesus. But Scripture is clear that true followers of Jesus grow in wisdom, love, and holiness. This fruit is the evidence of God’s Spirit and the promise that we will one day be made completely new (Galatians 5:22-23).
Growth begins in abiding. As a branch cannot grow without being connected to the nutrients of the vine, we cannot grow apart from Jesus (John 15). By remaining in Jesus, we tell ourselves and the world that He satisfies us, that He alone has the life that we are looking for (John 6:68). Staying rooted in Him instead of chasing the whims of our passions reorders those passions and teaches us to love the right things in the right ways at the right time. And it’s not just that this is good for us. Abiding in Jesus and knowing Him more deeply pleases God (Colossians 1:10). It is the aroma of worship and the incense of communion.
When we choose to remain in Jesus and seek to please Him, we reveal that the treasure of our hearts is Him, because where your treasure is, your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). Our actions are the fruit of our desires. And we are what our fruit says we are. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil (Matthew 12:35). The interior can never be hidden. We may be able to cover up for a season or evade for a moment, but what is inside always comes out. But we were made to walk in goodness (Ephesians 2:10). This is the work of Jesus in us as we grow further into grace and learn to treasure Him supremely.
We think, teach, and write with this core truth at heart. Our heart is to help people grow. Whether that growth is geared towards beginning a relationship with Jesus or maturing in wisdom and godliness, we will seek to build bridges instead of barriers and light the flames of passion instead of stamping them out. We will be a city on a hill that others might see us from afar and come to bask in the glow of Jesus’ glory. We will call sinners to repentance and exhort the Church to go deeper. We will be a voice of unity and connection around the person and work of Jesus, and we will earnestly call people to give their lives to and for Him. In keeping with repentance, we will abide in Jesus alone and we will bear the fruit of life and peace.
