“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
\"If it dies…\" What is this death? It is the cracking open of the shell by the working of temperature and humidity so that the true life within the grain can express itself. It is all too possible for a Christian to have the Lord’s life in him and yet for that life to be confined and suppressed by the hard shell of nature. So we have the sad fact of a fruitless Christian. In this case, it is not a matter of obtaining life for that came at conversion but of the release of that life so that it can grow and be fruitful.<br/><br/>If we wrap ourselves in our natural shell and resist Christ’s call to share His cross and be broken open, we will hinder the possibility of God-glorifying fruit. We may enjoy some inward blessing ourselves, but it is only when that inner life is dispersed around us that others can benefit from our lives.