What Does Bearing Fruit Mean in the Bible?
Bearing fruit is the fruit that we bear in accordance with our repentance, obedience and good deeds. The bible explains that the heavenly Father forgives us our trespasses if we bear fruit that is consistent with these things. We can also find this in Matthew 6:14.
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance
When John the Baptist preached to Jewish religious leaders, he told them to “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” Repentance is a key aspect of Christian life, because it proves your salvation. But these religious leaders did not see themselves as sinners; they thought their own righteousness had saved them. Repentance required them to change their hearts and admit that they were lost.
The process of repentance is not a one-day affair. It takes time to change the way you live, and it takes time to be fruitful. A tree doesn’t produce fruit overnight, and neither does a Christian. Repentance is a lifelong process of adjusting and growing as a Christian. The more consistently we practice repentance, the more fruit we will produce.
The fruits of repentance are good deeds, changed behaviors, and spiritual growth. James 2:14-26 teaches us about faith, but if we don’t do good deeds, our faith is useless. Faith without good deeds is just like a tree without fruit.
Produce fruit in keeping with obedience
Obeying God is the first fruit of obedience, but there are other fruits that follow obedience. One of these fruits is discipline, which gives our lives order. It allows us to choose the things that are of greater importance. It also allows us to use our agency properly. The backbone of a noble character is righteous discipline. Developing self-discipline is a key part of producing fruit in keeping with obedience.
Produce fruit in keeping with good deeds
Jesus emphasized that the fruit of the Spirit must be produced in keeping with repentance in order to gain eternal life. Without this fruit, we are destined to die. Unless we recognize that we are sinners and that God will judge us, we will continue to live in death. But the Messiah is coming, and with him comes the Holy Spirit. This Spirit is the Lord of life.