What does the Bible say about bearing fruit? There are five verses in the New Testament that discuss it, and they cover how to bear fruit, the necessity of bearing fruit, the results of bearing fruit, the strength that enables us to bear fruit, and who bears fruit.
What
“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” — Matthew 13:23
In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus outlines the basics of bearing fruit. When we hear the Word of God and enter into our walk with God, we are supposed to understand His Word, then live His Word, which will naturally bring forth the fruit of that life, which is the fruits of the Spirit and eventually the birth of the Spirit.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” — John 5:24
This is the description of our entire walk with God, from beginning to end. To hear and believe is to pass from death to life, just as those who hear and understand are to bring forth fruit. If the Spirit of God takes root in us and dwells in us and we walk in the Spirit, then the Spirit works in us and our obedience to the Spirit naturally brings the fruits of the Spirit, “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Eph. 5:9).
“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” Romans 8:9-10
And again,
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:13-14
“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” — John 3:3, 5-6 KJV
Why
“And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.” — Luke 13:9
The Bible is quite clear about the necessity of bearing fruit. We must bear fruit or eventually, we will receive the rewards of the fruit we do bear. As we read above,
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:13-14
This verse in Luke, “And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down”, belongs to a parable where the tree stands for years without bearing fruit before finally the Lord decides to give it special attention and see if it will bear fruit at last before He cuts it down.
God is patient with us and not quick to cast us away; nevertheless, we are not judged after what we profess, but rather what we do and whether we grow in Christ.
“The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;” — Matthew 13:38
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” — Matthew 6:24
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” — James 1:22
When
“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.” — John 15:2
When we do not bear fruit, we are ‘taken away’ and removed from among the branches of Christ’s church. Here we are talking about growing in Christ through His power and abiding in Him as it says:
“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.” — John 15:5
If we are taken away from the vine, then we are no longer the children of God with the hope of kingdom of heaven. We lose our inheritance.
“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.” — Matthew 25:29
But when we do bear fruit, this also brings results. We are ‘purged’ or pruned that we bring forth more fruit.
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” — Hebrews 12:6-7
We bear more fruit through the discipline and correction that God gives us and through enduring the trials of this life to grow in the Spirit.
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” — James 1:2-4
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:…Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” — I Peter 1:7, 9
How
“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.” — John 15:4
Christ is the strength by which we bear fruit. Christ is our power and it is only by abiding in Him, that we can bear fruit. To abide in Him is to remain with Him, to continue with Him, to dwell with Him.
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” — John 14:16-18
Christ promised to come to us and make His home in us, even to walk in us.
“Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet” — Acts 7:48
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” — I Corinthians 3:16
“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” — II Corinthians 6:16
How do we allow Christ to walk in us? By walking after the Spirit and separating ourselves from the world and from sin.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” — II Corinthians 6:17
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” — Romans 8:1
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” — II Timothy 2:19
Who
“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” — John 15:8
It is an ongoing theme throughout the New Testament that we know the children of God by their fruits. Here it directly states that bearing fruit is how we are His disciples.
To become a disciple, we must experience discipline and discipline ourselves, as it says in many of the verses above. We must discipline ourselves to walk in the Spirit and serve and remain in Christ. But in this, our Father is glorified.
“Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” — John 12:28
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” — John 14:12
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16
— Megan Payne
