Much Fruit

By C. Jones

In the Old Testament the vine is used as a symbol of Israel, Ps.80.8. Sadly Israel, despite all the blessings God showered upon the nation, did not produce the fruit God desired, Isa.5.4-7; Hos.10.1. In Jn.15.1-8 we read that the Lord Jesus Christ is the “true vine,” His Father is the husbandman and believers are the branches. The Lord spoke of the branches bearing “fruit” in accordance with the Will of God and to His Glory. God found in Him, all that was lacking in the nation and infinitely more besides.

The works of the flesh are such things as sexual immorality, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, jealously, quarrelling, outbursts of temper, selfish ambition, envy, factions, drunkenness and orgies, Gal.5.19-21. These contrast with the beautiful cluster of fruit produced in a believer by the Holy Spirit. The “fruit of the Spirit” is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness (kindness), goodness, faith (faithfulness), meekness and temperance (self-control), Gal.5.22,23. It is the will of God that after being saved believers should be fruitful, doing good works as led and enabled by the Holy Spirit, Col.1.6,10; Eph.2.10. Fruit borne by a believer will glorify God, bring joy and blessing to the believer and show the reality of his profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, Phil.1.11; 4.7, Rom.7.4.

Fruit-bearing

In nature a tree planted in an appropriate situation, and receiving suitable nourishment, grows and inevitably bears fruit. This is the figure used in Ps.1.3. When a tree produces fruit it is evidence of life flowing from the roots, through the trunk and out into the branches. Trees are known and identified by the fruit they produce, Matt.7.16-20. God wants believers to produce spiritual fruit all through their lives, even in old age, Ps.92.12-15.

A branch, that is a believer, which is unfruitful “he taketh away,” Jn.15.2. This could refer, as in 1Cor.11.30, to the physical death of a believer who is not bearing fruit. Alternatively, the word translated “taketh away” could be translated as “picked up” or “lifted up.” If a branch of a vine touches the earth it puts down roots and does not bear fruit. Because of this, the sense of v2 regarding an unfruitful believer might be that a believer sometimes needs to be lifted up away from earthly, worldly things so that he will become fruitful.

God the Father is the husbandman, tending the vine and watching for believers to bear fruit. Life is given through the Lord, and the Holy Spirit, who indwells each believer, 1Cor.6.19, causes the fruit to be produced in the life of a believer who is spiritually healthy. It is the purpose of God that believers should gradually become more and more like their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Rom.8.29. Spiritual health is maintained by remaining in close contact and communion with the Lord, like a branch being in contact with the vine and receiving life and nourishment from the vine. The believer should feed on the Word of God, being taught by the Holy Spirit, 1Pet.2.2. The believer who prayerfully meditates on the Word of God and obeys its teaching and precepts will grow spiritually and bear spiritual fruit.

Hindrances to fruit-bearing

The production of fruit will be hindered and prevented by the presence of un-confessed and un-judged sin in a believer's life, 1Jn.1.9. Sin and worldliness grieve the Spirit, Eph.4.30, reduce sensitivity to further sin and hinder the effectiveness of the believer's witness to those who are lost. If those of us who are believers love the world and the things of the world we will not bear fruit for God. The world has much to offer: popularity, material possessions, comforts and entertainments, all of which will distract a believer's mind and consume time, energy and other resources. We are warned that “the friendship of the world is enmity with God,” Jas.4.4. We read in 1Jn.2.15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” Demas loved this present world,” 2Tim.4.10, and forsook Paul. Previously Demas had been a fellow-labourer with Paul, Philem.24; Col.4.14, but he became a backslider, his love was misdirected and he no longer bore fruit for God.

Lack of prayer, failing to meditate on the Word of God, lack of obedience and not spending time with godly believers hinder a believer's fruit-bearing. Worldly success has, in some instances, stunted a believer's spiritual growth. Love of money has been a snare to many, 1Tim.6.9,10. Even what appears to be service for God can cause a believer to fail to bear fruit if, in reality, that service is not carried out for the glory of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit but is undertaken using only human ability and with the intention of exalting self.

Believers who are not bearing fruit for God need to reject the allurements of the world. This will be achieved if they respond to the teaching of the Spirit from the Word of God or to chastening inflicted upon them by God for their blessing and His glory. Chastening is not pleasant, “nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby,” Heb.12.11. Spiritual fruit will be borne by believers who lead lives that are separated from the world and to God, 2Cor.6.14-17; Ps.1.1,2, and whose minds are fixed on things above, not on earthly things, Col.3.1,2. Believers who produce fruit for God need daily to feed on the Word of God that they may be taught, receive daily cleansing and produce more fruit. Even believers who are bearing fruit and becoming more like their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will need worldly distractions and hindrances to be cleansed and pruned away so that they may experience even closer communion and fellowship with Him. Believers received a once and for all cleansing from sin when they were saved but they need a daily cleansing, by the Word of God, from sin and defilement, Jn.13.10; 15.2,3; 2Tim.3.16.

Abide in Me

A believer will not produce fruit for God if he allows un-confessed sin to come between him and his Lord and Saviour. Without the Lord, nothing can be done, and the fruitful believer must abide in Christ, obeying His commandments and continually depending upon Him for grace, strength and enabling, Jn.15.1-5,10. The eternal security of a believer is assured, Jn.3.36; 5.24; 10.28,29. The branches referred to in v6 are seen by some as believers who, through not remaining in communion with the Lord Jesus Christ, have failed to produce spiritual fruit. Their testimony will be rejected by men and the dead works which they have produced in their own strength will be burned up at the Judgment Seat of Christ though they themselves will be saved, 1Cor.3.11-15. However, some would see that v6 refers to those who profess to be believers, and may even be found in the company of true believers, but they have never been saved. These false professors apostatise and thus reveal there is no spiritual life in them and they will ultimately suffer eternal separation from God in a lake of fire, Rev.20.14; Matt.13.40-42.

Those who abide in Christ and have His Word abiding in them will grow spiritually. They will know and obey His will. Their prayers will be in accordance with His Will and for His Glory. These prayers will be answered, Jn.15.7,16. As they pray in accordance with the revealed Will of God, and are led and empowered by the Holy Spirit, so they will grow to spiritual maturity. They will serve God and bear “fruit,” and then ”more fruit” and then “much fruit,” Jn.15.2,5, and in so doing will glorify God, Jn.15.8.