Fruit Inspectors

You know, it seems as if Jesus was really concerned about fruit. Why would I say that? Well, in the Gospels Jesus speaks of fruit 34 times. Not a small number. He tells us that we will know the wolves among the sheep by their fruits (Matt 7:16, 20). He goes on to assure us that good trees bear good fruit (Matt 7:17). You know the sort of "tree" it is by the fruit it bears (Matt 12:33). He cursed the tree for failing to produce fruit (Matt 21:19). In the parable of the sower, you recognized the good soil by the distinction that it bore fruit (Luke 8:14-15). Then there was His whole "I am the vine and you are the branches" lesson (John 15:1-8). In fact, Jesus told His disciples that they were appointed to go and bear fruit (John 15:16). That was their purpose. God is glorified in it (John 15:8).

What is this thing called "fruit"? First, we have to see that there is "good fruit" and "bad fruit." That's a clue. Clearly then, given Jesus's "good trees bear good fruit" concept, fruit would be the natural expression of the kind of "tree" we are. In line with this, we are told to "bear fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matt 3:8). Our actions ought to show that we have repented -- changed directions. Paul wrote, "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death" (Rom 7:4-5). Given the "fruit" from being in the flesh -- sinful passions -- apparently the fruit of having died with Christ is not sinful passions. Instead "we serve in newness of the Spirit" (Rom 7:6). Ah! So this fruit would include serving. And, of course, who can forget the obvious? The deeds of the flesh are evident (Gal 5:19-21), "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Gal 5:22-23).

And there it is. The explicit fruit we who are connected to the Vine should bear would be actions and attitudes that reflect those traits. Nine simple things. Is that you? Does your everyday existence reflect love? Would you classify yourself as "at peace" or "joyful"? Do people see you as patient and kind? Are you faithful? Gentle? Good? Oh, how about "self-control"? Jesus said we can tell the kind of "tree" we are by the fruit we bear. Bearing the right fruit is our purpose and glorifies God. Jesus gave no room "fruitless trees." As we can tell others by their fruit, are we examining our own? Jesus seemed to think it was important (Matt 7:19; John 15:6).