by Rehema Jonathan | 18 December 2020 08:46 pm12
Understanding Spiritual Fruitfulness through Scripture
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today, we reflect on a powerful spiritual truth: not all Christians are the same. Just as there are different types of fruit trees, there are also different kinds of believers. Jesus and the prophets used such imagery to help us understand how God views our spiritual growth and the condition of our hearts.
According to Scripture, Christians generally fall into three categories:
Christians who bear good fruit
Christians who bear no fruit
Christians who bear wild (bad) fruit
Let’s look at each of these groups in detail, grounded in Scripture.
These are true, mature believers. Jesus describes them in the Parable of the Sower, where seeds fell on good soil, symbolizing hearts that receive the Word, obey it, and bear fruit.
Matthew 13:8 (NIV):
“Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Luke 8:15 (ESV):
“As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.”
These Christians endure trials, remain faithful, and actively participate in God’s mission. They grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18), are led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14), and produce the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). Though few in number, they bring glory to God and are continually pruned by Him to bear even more fruit.
John 15:2 (NIV):
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
This group includes believers who have accepted Christ but have become spiritually stagnant. They may attend church and listen to sermons, but they show little or no growth, commitment, or spiritual impact.
Jesus illustrated this condition in the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree:
Luke 13:6–9 (NIV):
“A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any… ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down!’”
These Christians are like the Laodicean church in Revelation lukewarm and inactive.
Revelation 3:15–16 (ESV):
“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm… I will spit you out of my mouth.”
God is patient and merciful, giving time for repentance and transformation. However, if there is no response, spiritual judgment follows (Hebrews 10:26–27).
These believers need to awaken spiritually (Romans 13:11) and begin to live out their faith through prayer, service, and discipleship (James 2:17).
This is the most serious and dangerous category. These are individuals who identify as Christians but live in open contradiction to biblical values. They may have once believed or even been active in the church, but now their lives reflect ungodliness.
God spoke of such a group through the prophet Isaiah:
Isaiah 5:2, 4 (KJV):
“And he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes… What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?”
They may speak of salvation but live lives full of sin sexual immorality, lying, cheating, gossip, or hypocrisy. They bear the fruit of the flesh, not of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:19–21 (NIV):
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity… envy, drunkenness… and the like. I warn you… that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Jesus warned that such people may profess faith outwardly but are known by their fruit:
Matthew 7:16–19 (ESV):
“You will recognize them by their fruits… Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
It’s dangerous to remain in this condition. God removes His protection from such people if they refuse to repent (John 15:6).
Scripture calls us to test and examine ourselves to see whether we are truly in the faith:
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV):
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.”
Are you bearing fruit for God? Are you growing spiritually, serving others, and living a life that reflects Christ? Or are you spiritually stagnant or worse, living in sin while claiming to follow Jesus?
God will one day inspect every life. He expects us to be fruitful and faithful during our time on Earth.
If you find that your life has become unfruitful or corrupted, there is still hope. God calls you to repentance and renewal through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Acts 3:19 (NIV):
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
Make a firm decision to follow Christ wholeheartedly. Commit to reading His Word, spending time in prayer, and actively participating in His work. Then, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will begin to bear fruit that glorifies God and blesses others.
May the Lord bless you and strengthen you to live a fruitful life in Christ. Amen.
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