BEARING FRUIT FOR GOD
Romans 7:4b (CSB), “You belong to him who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.”
Those of us who are in Christ are called to bear fruit for God (see also Matthew 3:8, Luke 3:8, John 15:16, Ephesians 2:10, James 1:22).
What is fruit? Fruit is what we produce, our yield—an outward evidence of what is within us. Fruit is the product, output, outcome, or result of our way of life (Romans 6:21-22). Bearing fruit is what we do while we are living, so now is the time to bear fruit! People can bear fruit for God, or fruit that leads to death (Matthew 21:43, Luke 13:6-9, Romans 6:21, Romans 7:5, Galatians 5:19-21). We can know people by their fruit (Matthew 7:16-20, Luke 6:43-44, Matthew 12:33).
What is fruit not? Bearing fruit is not works that we do to earn salvation, but rather the outcome that comes from being in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-10).
How to bear fruit for God: Jesus is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5). When we abide and remain in Jesus, He nourishes us so that we bear fruit (Psalm 1:3, Hosea 14:8, John 15:4-5). We need to hear the Word and do it (Matthew 7:21, James 1:22). This includes what we do for the least (Matthew 25:31-46). We have died to the sin that held us so that we may serve in the newness of the Spirit (Romans 7:6, Galatians 5:16-18). Bearing fruit for God is life-giving for us and those around us (Psalm 92:14, Proverbs 12:14, Isaiah 3:10)!
What does fruit for God look like? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), truth and righteousness (Ephesians 5:8-10, Philippians 1:11, Hebrews 12:11, James 3:17-18), praise from our lips (Hebrews 13:15), and good works (Colossians 1:10). Bearing fruit for God is one of the ways that the Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16).
Warning: Avoid bearing bad fruit or no fruit (Proverbs 1:31, Jeremiah 6:19, Matthew 3:10, Luke 3:9, James 2:14-20). Believers are not called to any form of nominal Christianity!
Challenge: Do our lives display fruit that bears testimony of our salvation (Matthew 13:23, Mark 4:20, Luke 8:15)? Or has our fruit been choked out by the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth (Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:19, Luke 8:14)? Or do we display fruit that leads to death?
Those of us who are in Christ are called to bear fruit for God (see also Matthew 3:8, Luke 3:8, John 15:16, Ephesians 2:10, James 1:22).
What is fruit? Fruit is what we produce, our yield—an outward evidence of what is within us. Fruit is the product, output, outcome, or result of our way of life (Romans 6:21-22). Bearing fruit is what we do while we are living, so now is the time to bear fruit! People can bear fruit for God, or fruit that leads to death (Matthew 21:43, Luke 13:6-9, Romans 6:21, Romans 7:5, Galatians 5:19-21). We can know people by their fruit (Matthew 7:16-20, Luke 6:43-44, Matthew 12:33).
What is fruit not? Bearing fruit is not works that we do to earn salvation, but rather the outcome that comes from being in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-10).
How to bear fruit for God: Jesus is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5). When we abide and remain in Jesus, He nourishes us so that we bear fruit (Psalm 1:3, Hosea 14:8, John 15:4-5). We need to hear the Word and do it (Matthew 7:21, James 1:22). This includes what we do for the least (Matthew 25:31-46). We have died to the sin that held us so that we may serve in the newness of the Spirit (Romans 7:6, Galatians 5:16-18). Bearing fruit for God is life-giving for us and those around us (Psalm 92:14, Proverbs 12:14, Isaiah 3:10)!
What does fruit for God look like? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), truth and righteousness (Ephesians 5:8-10, Philippians 1:11, Hebrews 12:11, James 3:17-18), praise from our lips (Hebrews 13:15), and good works (Colossians 1:10). Bearing fruit for God is one of the ways that the Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16).
Warning: Avoid bearing bad fruit or no fruit (Proverbs 1:31, Jeremiah 6:19, Matthew 3:10, Luke 3:9, James 2:14-20). Believers are not called to any form of nominal Christianity!
Challenge: Do our lives display fruit that bears testimony of our salvation (Matthew 13:23, Mark 4:20, Luke 8:15)? Or has our fruit been choked out by the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth (Matthew 13:22, Mark 4:19, Luke 8:14)? Or do we display fruit that leads to death?
by Jonathan Ott, Elder
Posted in Read Through the Bible
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