There are many references related to fruit, being fruitful, etc. Being fruitful… your goal? Do you know how? Actually, there are over 100 verses that talk about being fruitful. But how is this defined? And what is required of us?
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”
(John 15:4, NASB)“Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance…” (Luke 3:8, NASB)
“…walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].” (Colossians 1:10, AMP)
“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, …” (John 15:16)
“You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7: 16-20, ESV)
I’ve chosen only these 5 verses to be a guide to our understanding and applying ‘fruitful’. Only a cursory glance tells us that fruitful is important. I believe it’s our demonstration of our new life in Christ. John the Baptist in Luke challenges the new believer to bear fruit. Bottom line in my world – if scripture tells us that we should or shouldn’t do (fill in the blank) then that ends the discussion and also informs us that we are able to fulfill this ‘requirement’.
These scriptures also tell us that we can, should bear fruit that remains (John 15). John 15 also tells us that it is as we abide in the Lord that we do produce good fruit. But the scripture that speaks to what WE do is also instructive:
“And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” (Matthew 13:23)
Now couple that with:
“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.” (Matthew 15:2-3)
It is WE who need to listen and hear the word, which leads us to understanding, which is expressed and seen in the fruit WE bear. It doesn’t end there because the Lord wants us to continue to bear good fruit which requires US to continue to grow (prune) because we are becoming who we are and doing what we do.
WHEN will we get it in our minds and hearts that WE have been fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) by the God of the Universe? Why would He then leave us to our own devices?! We ALWAYS can turn to Him (1 Corinthians 10:13) at any time in any situation and He will help us to not just get through (fill in the blank) but also that we can become fruitful and bear good fruit!
