“Longsuffering” is perhaps not a common word in everyday vocabulary, but it is a fruit of the Spirit, the result of an inner cleansing process. 1. Purchase or download Christian literature at Christian BookShop, the online bookstore for Hidden Treasures Foundation Publishers (HTFP)/Stiftelsen Skjulte Skatter Forlag (SSSF). This does not seem like something we would necessarily see as good. If something…. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…" As Christians, we want to bear fruit in keeping with our relationship with God. A healthy tree bears many fruits. If branches had feelings and one were to ask the branch how it feels during the pruning process, the branch would undoubtedly reply, “Quite painful!”, It can sometimes feel the same for us who are living wholeheartedly for God, and walking in the Spirit to the best of our abilities and knowledge. Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance. The bearing of fruit, the fruit of the Spirit, can only come forth by abiding in Jesus and walking in the Spirit. We are born with a sinful nature and thus we naturally produce bad fruit. (John 14:15-17; John 14:21,23-24; 1 John 1:6-7) Jesus Himself says here that each branch that does not bear fruit is taken away by the Father. Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. New Living Translation. Bearing fruit is a result of obedience to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit’s promptings. Learn more. To bear down upon, to press to overtake; to make all sail to come up with. What does this all mean? Bearing the fruit of the Spirit is not optional in the Christian life. B.Jonson. Finally and briefly, the end for which you seek to bear fruit is not just your own joy (v. 11) or the benefit of your people: it is that God the Father might be glorified. The others are joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, virtue, knowledge, endurance, piety, and brotherly love. Galatians 5:22-23 gives us a starting place: the fruit of His Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our bad behavior/fruit is a natural result of being born with bad hearts (Psalm 51:5; Ephesians 2:3; Romans 5:12). Some people think the fruit referred to here has to do with the gifts of the Spirit—how many people they have won to Christ, how much they have prophesied in His name, and various other good works accomplished through the spiritual gifts. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. The Bible gives an excellent description a life characterized by the fruit of the Spirit. 2. 1 The Principle of Root and Fruit This passage recognises a simple principle which, if we would be wise and successful, we must understand very well, and put into practice. The fruit of the Spirit can only come forth in me by the power of the Spirit. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. Such a thought should awaken me to seriousness, but should not lead to discouragement, hopelessness, or heaviness. “If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you …” It is clear that abiding in Jesus has to do with His words abiding in (i.e. . So how can I bear fruit? It is clear that bearing fruit—the fruit of the Spirit—is the calling of every Christian: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. In our sinful nature, we bear things such as idolatry, jealousy, dissensions, and fits of anger. The Bible gives us different pictures as to what "bearing fruit" means. The vinedresser comes to prune and cuts off part of the branch, in the hope that the branch will bear even more fruit—fruit that becomes more perfect and abundant with time and pruning. And if you do these things, you will bear much fruit. We see our lack of the fruit of the Spirit, and it awakens in us a need for a deeper surrender to Jesus and a deeper obedience to His Word. Bearing Fruit. Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 3 Bible Tips: Jesus Commanded That We "Bear Much Fruit" The Bible in many places compares God's people with fruit trees. Jesus was meek and lowly of heart, yet He drove the money changers out of the temple with a zeal and righteous anger. We’re supposed to remain in Christ, like a branch remains on a vine so that it can bear fruit. Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Berean Literal Bible. Romans 7:5 says, “For when we were in the realm of the flesh . Is the fruit what Paul is describing when he writes, … the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Terms of Use: Apart from personal use, reproduction or redistribution of material from the ActiveChristianity website for use elsewhere is not permitted without prior written permission. (Matthew 16:24; 1 Peter 2:21-22) ... s.” John 15:1-8. "A tree is known by its fruit… The more we allow the Holy Spirit free rein in our lives, the … Galatians 5:16–24 contrasts the works, or fruit, of the flesh with those of the Holy Spirit. The parable in John 15 can seem a bit abstract. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [God] takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” ~Jesus in John 15:2. God's people should be producing spiritual "fruit"—the good works of obedience to God and service to others. These fruits show the reality that we have been changed by the Lord's grace. In what way is love a fruit of the Holy Spirit? If something that someone does bears fruit, it produces successful results: 2. Good fruit is that which is produced by the Holy Spirit. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Answer: The Bible often uses the metaphor of fruit to describe the produce of our lives. In the same way, a healthy Christian also bears a lot of good fruits. (Hebrews 12:5-11). . Fruit refers to the product of their ministry. And by God’s grace it is possible for you too! The key is that the fruit that it must be bearing is of the same type, quality, and substance of that which it comes from and when the Bible … Right character will result in right conduct, and as we live a life of good works we produce fruit (Colossians 1:10). Instead of repeating the very sins we committed prior to salvation, we do the God-pleasing opposite: It is imperative that all who profess to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ be able to show the fruit of a changed life because only then can we prove that we are indeed made new. The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree. Believing that and acting on it is what it means to abide in the love of Christ. Such trials bring us to the end of our own strength in area after area, in areas where we did not know we were operating in our own strength and not in the power of the Spirit. The last parable is the most important part of the section, because it explains what has come before it and clearly announces that the Messiah has been rejected by his own people who bear no fruit and so the kingdom will be taken from them and given to a people who will bear fruit. The branches that bear fruit are pruned so that they can bear even more fruit. What is meant by being a fruitful Christian? bear fruit meaning: 1. What it means to bear fruit. Fruit can be either good or bad ( Matthew 7:18; Luke 6:43 ). ActiveChristianity® by Brunstad Christian Church aims to show how God’s word challenges and empowers followers of Jesus to live 100% according to God’s will, so we no longer need to fall in sin, but can come to a life of victory. It is a lifelong process of making changes, and over time we will produce the fruit of the Spirit more consistently than the … Then the bearing of fruit—the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of obeying Jesus’ words—will come forth quite naturally. So what does it actually mean to be meek? Indifference and willful disobedience to God’s will means I am not truly a Christian—a follower of Christ—and this means I cannot have fellowship with Jesus Christ and the Father. Such a total surrender occurs when Jesus is my first love, and reigns in my heart and mind. The branch shares in the joy of the vinedresser, because it is the desire of the branch to bear more perfect and abundant fruit, that the vinedresser might be glorified. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. The Father is the vinedresser, and He does the pruning. In what way is peace a fruit of the Holy Spirit. © bcc.media foundation, A disciple is another word for a follower of Christ, one who is learning to be like his Master. In the case of bearing fruit for the Christian, it specifically means to be producing something similar to what the attributes of the tree or plant is. A fruitful Christian will produce better results: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life” ( Proverbs 11:30 ). 2. Therefore, the first and most important thing towards understanding what it means to be a fruitful Christian is to understand what it means to be a Christian. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, unless otherwise specified. Then it is His will—His Word—that is done in my life, and not my own will. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. (Matthew 7:21-23) When Jesus speaks about bearing fruit by abiding in Him, He is speaking about the fruit of the Spirit that comes forth in the lives of those who walk in the Spirit. But Jesus warns that there are many who called Him “Lord, Lord” who had many such good works, who manifested the gifts of the Spirit, but nevertheless He never really knew them. I am the vine, you are the branches. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine. There … Bearing fruits helps us to grow spiritually. To bear on, is to press against; also to carry forward, to press, incite or animate. Bear Fruit for the Glory of God. When we are told to "bear fruit in keeping with remembrance," it means living a repentant life, one that is characterized by a consistent and persistent pursuit of living a Godly, holy life in Christ. The fruit may be very different: in one patient suffering, in another active service and self-sacrifice, in some persevering intercession, in others a Is that what others see in your life? The number 30 in the Bible represents dedication to authority, leadership, or rulership. We seek to do things outwardly that demonstrate that we have been made new in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). To show these character traits is to bear fruit in one’s life. At first, I thought it meant that once we are saved, we … Copyright 2011-2020 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. You may be interested in reading more on our topic page about Bible studies and commentaries, or in the articles below. If not, then either you don't know God or you are living outside of fellowship with Him. That is why the branch can bear the pain of pruning, just as Jesus could bear the pain of the cross: “… who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross …” Hebrews 12:2. Used by permission. Study Bible. For example, a vine can produce grapes and the fruit that is born is of similar nature and quality of the plant from which it comes. • One encouraging promise in this verse is: “The righteous … [who stay] planted in the house of the Lord … will still bear fruit in old age.” The book of John compares our Christian way of living to being part of a vine. It means to live in such a way that I am always found to be in Him, to walk hand in hand with Him, to live according to His Word. The number 60 in the Bible has the idea of help, support, or being upheld. But some of them require a rethinking of things and perhaps some adjustments. we bore fruit for death.”. (Matthew 16:24; 1 Peter 2:21-22), topic page about Bible studies and commentaries. The joy and satisfaction that go hand in hand with the bearing of more perfect and abundant fruit are not only reserved for the vinedresser, but are shared by the branch as well. 10 One Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,…. … 8 ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. Abide in Me, and I in you. If you have ever wondered why you suffer losses–a job, a come, a business, a marriage, etc.–take a … Confidence hath borne thee on. He sometimes allows difficult circumstances and situations to come over us: poor finances, poor health, opposition, misunderstanding, a difficult relationship, etc. All rights reserved. Berean Study Bible. Matthew 3:8 "Bear[ing] fruits worthy of repentance" implies a process.Just as a tree does not produce fruit overnight, a Christian does not fully repent overnight. As a disciple you follow Jesus Christ, who is the Master and by living like Him you become more like Him. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. As a disciple you follow Jesus Christ, who is the Master and by living like Him you become more like Him. Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, and God is the vinedresser. The following is an excerpt from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary on John 15. "Bearing fruit" is a phrase used to describe the outward actions that result from the inward condition of a person's heart. In the Bible, the word fruit is often used to describe a person’s outward actions that result from the condition of the heart. What is meant by bearing fruit? 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. In what way is joy a fruit of the Holy Spirit? By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My discipleA disciple is another word for a follower of Christ, one who is learning to be like his Master. For example, praising and thanking God is a way of bearing fruit in our lives. To abide in Jesus is a very active lifestyle! We have been appointed to go and bear fruit but apart from that relationship we have no chance whatsoever of producing the desired fruit. No amount of self-effort will bear spiritual fruit. Bearing abundant fruit, the fruit of the Spirit, is the calling of every believer and God’s promise to them! that becomes my nature when I die to sin. What does it mean to bear fruit, according to the bible? The Bible tells us that our repentance should bear fruits. What does that mean? In our sinful nature, we bear things such as idolatry, jealousy, dissensions, and fits of anger. To bear hard, is to press or urge. "Bearing fruit" is a phrase used to describe the outward actions that result from the inward condition of a person's heart. English Standard Version. The principle is that you have to "make root downward" before you can "bear fruit upward". 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. And yet, if the parable of the Vine means anything, it means this, that every branch can and must bear much fruit. It is written: “… the Holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey Him.” Acts 5:32. Just as a tree’s output is the fruit it yields after a season, so is a teacher’s production measure by the lasting effect (i.e., fruit) they yield in the lives of their students. So we have two short narrative episodes, and two parables. By this the Father is glorified, and by this definition Jesus has said: “… so you will be My disciples.”. Have you ever heard someone say that Christians are called to bear fruit? But if not, you can cut it down. The fruit of the Spirit is coming forth, but there can be areas where the fruit is immature or stunted. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove … The number 100 in the Bible means promise, specifically the promised son who came from one, Abraham, who was as good as dead. The fruit of the Spirit is the divine nature (love, longsuffering, goodness, etc.) Whatever fruit is produced will be produced by that relationship with him. Galatians 5:16–24 contrasts the works, or fruit, of the flesh with those of the Holy Spirit. So what is the key to bearing godly fruit? John 15:2. This is also known as God’s chastening, or His treatment with us. Rather, it should be an inspiration that I should bear more fruit and have fellowship with Him! The Bible tells us in Galatians that we’re meant to show the fruit of God in our lives, like love, joy, peace, and more. We need answers, and the bible has answers. How can a Christian bear fruit? It requires a total surrender of my self-will to God so that I can obey Jesus’ words in the daily situations of life, in order for the fruit of the Spirit to come forth instead of my own nature. Cesar doth bear me hard. When the words of Jesus abide and have power in my heart and mind such that I obey them by the power of the Spirit, then the fruit of the Spirit, the virtues of Jesus, will also come forth in my life. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. To bear through, is to conduct or manage; as,"to bear through the consulship." dwelling in, having power in) my heart and mind. John 15:8 ESV / 9 helpful votes. 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. I realize that God's ways are higher than my ways, so does this mean that God will take away things as we grow in service to him? An ever-increasing obedience to God’s Word—walking in the Spirit—brings an ever-increasing power of the Spirit, and then the fruit of the Spirit can be manifested in our lives to an increasingly greater degree. In a parable in Luke 13:6-9, we read that a tree that does not bear fruit should be cut down. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.". We observe this principle in nature. For our fruit to be good, our hearts must first be good. Christian Truth. It is clear that bearing fruit—the fruit of the Spirit—is the calling of every Christian: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. This was a question I have been confused about, so I have started this and will be adding to it ( my personal study not here ) as I find more answers. 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