Information Related to "Christ's Command to Us: Bear Good Fruit and Much Fruit"
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Jesus Christ taught important spiritual lessons regarding the "fruit" of our lives. What are those lessons, and how well are we applying them? Our eternal life depends on this understanding!
At the mention of fruit, what are your first thoughts? A snack? A dessert? Your favorite fruits?
The Bible refers to literal fruit-such as olives, grapes and figs-many times. More frequently the biblical Hebrew and Greek words translated "fruit" have a symbolic sense. All crops are considered "fruit of the earth." Children are called the "fruit of the womb." A man's words are "the fruit of his mouth."
In ancient and modern times, people have used "fruit" to mean results, products, outcomes, accomplishments and achievements. An employee must be productive to be worthy of his wage. He must work hard, work fast and work smart to get jobs done and done right. In Scripture, "fruit" has similar meanings.
The Bible at times likens people to fruit trees or grapevines and portrays God as the owner of the orchards and vineyards. The Master knows our character by our spiritual fruits, just as "a tree is known [identified] by its fruit"-either good or bad (Matthew 12:33Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.).
God's number one concern is for all fruit to be good -"the fruit of righteousness" (James 3:18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.). In fact, Jesus warned, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and is thrown into the fire" to be destroyed (Matthew 7:19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.).
And what is good? Only God has the supreme authority to define good and evil. Jesus went on to say, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven., emphasis added throughout).
And what is God's will for our lives? It is revealed throughout His Word and is summarized by the two great commandments and the Ten Commandments (Matthew 22:36-40 [36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
[37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
[38] This is the first and great commandment.
[39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
; 19:17).
We must aim high to reach the highest goals. To produce the best fruit requires work, time, patience and perseverance (James 5:7-11 [7] Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
[8] Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
[9] Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
[10] Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
[11] Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
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Closely following God's desire for good fruit is His desire for us to produce a lot of it-to be highly productive . Jesus said, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (John 15:8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples., New International Version). Notice, bearing abundant fruit glorifies God and identifies Christ's disciples!
Later, Jesus states the purpose of our calling: "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -fruit that will last" (John 15:16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you., NIV). Hence we must be oriented toward eternal goals and work with all our hearts to bring them to fruition!
The following parable is quite instructive: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well . But if not, after that you can cut it down'" (Luke 13:6-9 [6] 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.
[7] 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?
[8] And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
[9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
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The keeper of the vineyard asked for another year, during which time he would fertilize the soil to encourage growth. This illustrates God's patience with us-how He is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.).
A fruitless fruit tree, however, will eventually be "cut down." Professing without producing is no good.
The similar parables in Matthew 25:14-30 [14] For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
[15] And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
[16] Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
[17] And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
[18] But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
[19] After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
[20] And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
[21] His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
[22] He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
[23] His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
[24] Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
[25] And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
[26] His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
[27] Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
[28] Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
[29] For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
[30] And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
and Luke 19:11-27 [11] And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
[12] He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
[13] And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
[14] But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
[15] And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
[16] Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
[17] And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
[18] And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
[19] And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
[20] And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
[21] For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
[22] And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
[23] Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
[24] And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
[25] (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
[26] For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
[27] But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
illustrate God's emphasis on spiritual growth and accomplishment. In each story, two servants obediently invested the master's money to earn a profit for him. But the third servant merely hid the money for safekeeping. Fear of failure was his excuse for not even trying.
The parable shows that we must obey God with faith and courage even when it may be humanly frightening. The fearful servant is called "unprofitable" and "wicked and lazy" (Matthew 25:30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth., 26).
To each of the profitable ( fruitful ) servants, the master said, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord" (Matthew 25:21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord., 23). May this be what we hear when Christ returns to reward His servants!
During His life on earth, Jesus Christ said of His miraculous acts, "The Son can do nothing of Himself" (John 5:19Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.). He explained, "The Father who dwells in Me does the works" (John 14:10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.).
Neither can we, acting on our own, produce spiritual fruit! It requires a miracle of God through Christ. Let's carefully read and ponder what Jesus explained to His disciples the evening before His arrest.
He said: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:1-2 [1] I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
[2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
). "Pruning" includes the Father's loving discipline to correct our faults (Hebrews 12:5-11 [5] And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
[6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
[7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
[8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
[9] Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
[10] For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
[11] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
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"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" (John 15:4-5 [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
[5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
). Rely on God and great things will happen!
"If anyone does not abide in Me," Jesus continued, "he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (verses 6-7). Abiding in Christ includes learning and applying God's Word. And a major key to bearing fruit is praying for help!
Abiding in Christ also includes abiding in His Church, "the body of Christ," as numerous scriptures show (1 Corinthians 12:12-14 [12] For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
[14] For the body is not one member, but many.
, 27; Ephesians 1:21-22 [21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
[22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
; 4:12).
Jesus said we can bear fruit only if He "abides" in us (John 15:4-5 [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
[5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
). How is this possible? It is through the gift of God's Holy Spirit dwelling in us.
How do we receive this gift? Peter said, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.).
God's Spirit does many things. It imparts spiritual understanding (1 Corinthians 2:10-14 [10] But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
[11] For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
[12] Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
[13] Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
[14] But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
). It imparts a willingness to obey-to be like Christ who said, "Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.). It imparts an ability to obey and love far above human ability. It is the Spirit "of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.).
With the Holy Spirit, one becomes spiritually alive, beginning a new life! God's Spirit is like the life-giving sap that flows up the trunk of a tree to all its branches so they can yield fruit!
Notice God's beautiful portrayal of His people as flourishing fruit trees: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit" (Jeremiah 17:7-8 [7] Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
[8] For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
; compare Psalm 1:3And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.).
The apostle Paul said in Galatians 5, "Walk in the Spirit . . . If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (verses 16,25). God's Spirit enables us to act according to God's principles-to live a godly life!
Without God's Spirit, we are merely mortal flesh, and the fruits of raw human nature are called the "works of the flesh" in verses 19-21. After listing these sinful "works," Paul warns that "those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God" (verse 21).
With the help of God's Spirit, however, we produce something far different: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering [or patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (verses 22-23). That is truly good fruit! God wants us to bear much of this fruit!
Spirit-led people have these wonderful virtues of godly character as the result of God's Spirit acting from within. The credit for this fruit belongs to God and Jesus Christ who supply that Spirit.
And God will let us bear this fruit only when we are trying to give of ourselves to others. This fruit is manifested in relationships. God's Spirit is like a river (John 7:38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.). It will flow into us only when it is also flowing out to others.
In a series of future articles we will examine each of the special aspects of the fruit of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians 5-to thoroughly understand them, to see how we can cultivate them and to see how we can use them in serving God and one another. We will get a good taste of each one.
As we do that, let's remember to focus on Christ's overall lesson regarding the fruit of our lives: Bear good fruit and much fruit! GN
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Keywords: bearing fruit fruit fruits of the spirit righteousness bear fruit
Holy spirit - fruits of: