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What does it mean to bear fruit?
In what way do we bear fruit? What does it really mean? These are the questions presented to me for an answer recently. At first, I thought it was simple to answer them but, after looking more deeply I now understand that they are not easily answered at all. These questions beg to know what God is calling fruit not what man calls fruit.
Perhaps one could look at bearing fruit as "being productive". Our lives are often measured by such things as bearing fruit of certain kinds. Many measure their "productivity" in terms of money, power, influence, position or possessions. We have a tendency to make the yardstick longer and longer in these areas; seemingly, we never really satisfy the metric. These are not the fruits that are the subject of the question.
Jesus calls the fig tree to bear fruit after searching for the fruit (Mark 11:12-13 NASB). Jesus finds no fruit on this tree and it is cursed. The tree is found withered later in the text (Mark 11:20). Jesus goes on to tell Peter to have faith and with it he can move mountains. Is this what God is asking of us in bearing fruit – to have faith that will move mountains?
Paul tells us in his letter to the church in Galatia:
"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another." Gal 5:13-26
Luther tells us in the Large Catechism:
"Behold, thus we might train our youth, in a childlike way and playfully in the fear and honor of God, so that the First and Second Commandments might be well observed and in constant practise, Then some good might take root, spring up and bear fruit, and men grow up whom 76] an entire land might relish and enjoy. Moreover, this would be the true way to bring up children well as long as they can become trained with kindness and delight. For what must be enforced with rods and blows only will not develop into a good breed, and at best they will remain godly under such treatment no longer than while the rod is upon their back.
77] But this manner of training so spreads its roots in the heart that they fear God more than rods and clubs. This I say with such simplicity for the sake of the young, that it may penetrate their minds. For since we are preaching to children, we must also prattle with them. Thus we have prevented the abuse and have taught the right use of the divine name, which should consist not only in words, but also in practise and life, so that we may know that God is well pleased with this, and will as richly reward it as He will terribly punish the abuse." Second Commandment
The reference here to bear fruit is the only use of this term in the entire Large Catechism. And so, it would seem, we must not take the Lord’s name in vain in order that the proper orientation to allow good things to be planted in us and, thus, bearing fruit through us can occur. In this point we find a fundamental orientation – humility before God. In so finding this orientation one finds the point of departure for bearing fruit.
How do we arrive at humility before God?
Some will say, in response to this question that it is implicit to be humble before the Creator of the universe and actually, it is an impertinent question. Others will say they are always humble before God simply because He is God and Creator of the universe. Still others will say that God the Almighty does not need of our humility.
God says: "He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way." Psalm 25:9 (NASB)
God says: "(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)" Num 12:3 (NASB)
God says: "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matt 18:4 (NASB)
It is quite obvious that God is very interested in our humility. Giving that some thought, one could arrive at the following set of ideas among many:
- God speaks through His Most Holy Word. In this Word we hear what has happened to us.
- Our hearts hear His Word and we are convicted by His Law in the sins of our lives. We rebel against God and against any entity or force that would withhold the fruits of our evil deeds – deeds which satisfy all manner of our lust, greed and covetousness and other acts coming from the imprisonment of our flesh to sin.
- We humble ourselves and confess our sins, recognizing what we have become and how very different we are from God. God is forgiving of them and we receive the Holy Spirit who bears with us in all things, teaches us all things and sanctifies us. We hear the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ through His life, His suffering and His death on the cross.
- We repent of our sins and that which has been created in us through the Holy Spirit begins God’s gracious good work in us. We are cleansed of our unrighteousness in the blood of Christ.
- Because God is working in us through His Holy Spirit, we bear fruit. God’s word has not returned empty. The good work He has begun in us will achieve its produce. We literally cannot help ourselves as we joyfully fulfill the purpose for which we have been created ‐‐‐ to glorify God.
- The fruit of this indwelling of the Holy Spirit is that which was mentioned earlier from Galatians ‐ ‐ love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Through these attributes growing in us, being exercised through His strength in us, we come to know Him so much more intimately and receive life fully as was meant to happen in our creation.
In the second letter of Peter it is also said:
"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self‐control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2Pet 1:5-8 NASB
This is not to say that the above set of ideas is the best or the only way to express what has happened to us. It is simply my way of trying to explain some part of what it means to bear fruit.
We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit Who works in and through God’s Holy Word to move our ego out of the way so that God’s light can shine through us to everyone with whom we come in contact. We are bearing the fruit of righteousness through Christ for He tells us:
I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NASB
David Schwarz
Confessional Lutherans for Christ's Commission
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