Fruit (Dictionary): A product of plant growth (such as grain, vegetables, or cotton); the effect or consequence of an action or operation: product result the fruits of our labor the fruits of victory.
Fruit (Bible): (a) Fruit, generally vegetable, sometimes animal, (b) met; fruit; Deed; action; result, (c) profit; gain; beautiful; as an outward sign of the inward good; noble; honorable character; good; worthy; honorable; noble; and seen to be so.
As we search the Bible we see one of God’s desires for His creation is to bear fruit. We find that fruit bearing starts in Genesis and continues into Revelation. In fact, we see that fruit bearing has eternal significance:
Genesis 1:11: 11Then God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them.”
Revelation 22:1-2: Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (NASB)
The Apostle John saw the river of life and the fruit trees bearing fruit watered by the river. God has also determined we are to be fruit bearers and He is very serious about our calling to bear fruit!
John 15:1-8: “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” (NLT)
Paul spoke on this very subject:
Colossians 1:9-10: 9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work andcincreasing in the knowledge of God. (NASB)
The Bible tells us what fruit God is seeking and contrasts it with worldly fruit:
Galatians 5:9-25: 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. (NLT)
There are probably many ways of bearing fruit. Some of the ways are to lead others to Christ, mentor, speaking hope to someone struggling, and interceding in prayer for others. It is also showing we are Jesus Disciples by our words and actions. There are many more! And in fact, a lifetime of fruit bearing lies before us. As Christians, we must be walking in the anointing of the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit that God desires. Whenever we read Galatians 5, we should go through the two checklists (flesh vs. Spirit) to see where we are at. Bearing fruit comes from our relationship (i.e. abiding) with our Lord Jesus. It is in that abiding we see God at work in our lives and producing fruit. The key purpose of fruit producing is found in John:
John 15:8: 8 “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” (NLT)
So, we see fruit bearing is a key part of our life song and our witness of Christ to a hurting world. And in the end, we will get to see what our heavenly Father did with fruit He produced through us. It will be joy beyond measure!