Let's consider what Jesus said in Luke 13:6-9:

"He spake also this parable; A certain [man] had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung [it]: And if it bear fruit, [well]: and if not, [then] after that thou shalt cut it down."

The one in charge of an orchard, will, with logic, pluck out all the bad trees so the orchard will be able to bear more fruit. In the Bible, a tree represents us (see Psalms 1:3), and these Bible texts in Luke are talking about a tree (or a person) that isn't bearing fruit. So, in the Bible, what are our fruits? The answer can be found in Galatians 5:22: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" (NKJV).

How do we acquire the ability to bear the fruits of the Spirit? I mean, I want to have peace, I want to have gentleness, and I want to have all the fruits of the Spirit, don't you? The answer is found in John 15:4-5:

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (NKJV)

Abiding in Christ by fresh acts of faith will confirm our connection with Christ. However, when believers depart from Christ there is a fruitless condition that is present.

Why do we have to abide in Christ to bear fruit? Can't we accomplish many productive things on our own? In Colossians 1:16-17 the Bible tells us:

"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

How remarkable! This text is saying that everything - everything, is from, for, and by God! We are all alive because of Him, and without Him in our lives we cannot bear good fruit.

Yet, often we tend to forget about God and think we can bear good fruit without Him. We must be careful not to become proud and think we don't need Jesus, because in Galatians 6:3 the Bible states, "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself". We must "think soberly" (Romans 12:3). Sometimes we may think that we are in a first-rate situation; but really, we're in desperate need of Christ, the Bible warns us, "Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:17).

Our greatest necessity today is Jesus Christ. We are the branches, and He is the vine, without Him in our life, we will not bear fruit.

"There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable"
"Our only safety is in constant distrust of self, and dependence on Christ."
-Ellen White, Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 154,155