By their fruits (part4)

Parts 1-3 of this article have established that God expects us to bear fruit, and that he intends for us to “inspect” the fruit of others. But what exactly is the “fruit” that we are to bear as the bride of Christ – his “fruitful vine” – and how can we recognize this fruit in our own lives and in the lives of others? In essence, it is everything that is accomplished by the presence of God’s word and Spirit within us. From the moment God’s Word takes root in our heart, and His Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our lives, He begins to bear fruit in us.

 There are several passages that refer to this fruit of God’s presence in our lives. In Isaiah 61:3 God refers to his people as “Trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.” Just as an apple tree produces apples and a cherry tree produces cherries, a “tree of righteousness” is one that produces righteousness. The fruit of righteousness will be evident in the life of anyone who is born of God’s Spirit, for it is only “When the Spirit is poured out upon us from on High” that “righteousness will dwell.” (Isaiah 32:15-16)

 Being a “tree of righteousness” is not to be confused with trying to do the right thing. This passage is not talking about the result of human effort, but rather the fruit that is born in us by the one referred to in 1^st John 2:1 as “Jesus Christ the righteous.” Philippians 1:11 says that we have been, “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.” As a result of the indwelling presence of the righteous one himself we have become “slaves of righteousness,” (Romans 6:18) because “a good tree cannot bear bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:18)

In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul refers to the fruit of God’s presence in us as “The fruit of the spirit.” According to this passage, this “fruit” includes: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Each of these qualities and characteristics will be evident and increasing in the life of anyone who is truly born of God, because they are all aspects of God’s own “divine nature” which all Christians have “become partakers of.” (2 Peter 1:4) As we continue to “abide in him,” the life of God’s Holy Spirit continues to abide in us, bringing for the fruit of His holy nature in our thoughts, desires, words and actions.

In Ephesians 5:9 Paul referred to the fruit of God’s presence in us as “The fruit of light.” According to 1^st John 1:4, God is Light, so in essence the phrase “the fruit of light” is really just another way of saying “the fruit of God.” Paul goes on to define this “fruit” broadly by saying that it consists of all “goodness, righteousness and truth.” Goodness, righteousness and truth will all be evident in the life of anyone who is truly born of God. This only makes sense, since God is light, and we are now “sons of light.” (Luke 12:36, 1 Thessalonians 5:5)

The clear message of all these passages is that God desires to bear His fruit in our lives through the presence of His Word and Spirit within us. This type of fruit is primarily internal in the form of the changes that take place within us as God replaces the “old man” we once were with the “new man” we now are in Christ. (Colossians 3:10) Through the power of His word and spirit within us, God transforms us into the image and likeness of Jesus, thereby causing his kingdom to come and his will to be done within us.

But God desires not only to see his kingdom come and his will done in us, but also through us in the lives of others. At some point, the fruit that is born in us needs to become fruit that is born through us. For example, at some point the fruit of love will be expressed, through our words or actions, to someone else. This same thing is true of patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and righteousness. Ultimately, the fruit that is born inside of us must come out in the form of words and actions. We’ll look at this fruit more in part 5.