My grandparents who lived on the right side of us grew fruit trees, and we were able to enjoy the ‘fruits’ of their labour. One year my mom decided to try and grow a couple of fruit trees. (We’ll say they were nectarines because I can’t really remember.) As a child I was excited that we’d be able to enjoy this awesome fruit, but very disappointed to find out the tree wouldn’t be mature enough to provide fruit the very first year.
We watched the tree grow that first year, and the next year I was ready for that juicy fruit to arrive… but it didn’t. By the next year, we knew something was wrong and we wouldn’t be getting any fruit, but my parents didn’t know why. Were the trees bad to start with? Had we done something wrong? No one figured it out, and eventually, when the trees stopped growing well, so we cut them down.
The Bible says a lot about fruit, likening it to characteristics such as “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal ). In my opinion, the reason we prefer this verse on fruit is because most of us can say we already have many of these traits in some portion, so it doesn’t hold us as accountable as other verses do:
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Mt. 3:8
Bring forth fruit that is consistent with repentance [let your lives prove your change of heart] Mt. 3:8 Amp
(believers)…that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. Acts 26:20
My family learned that good trees produce good fruit. If a fruit tree cannot bear fruit, it isn’t useful for its intended purpose. So, in our lives, changed hearts should produce changed lives. Fruit is the evidence/ result of what the tree is, it does not strain to produce, but it naturally occurs. Works of repentance do not save, but they are the evidence of a change of heart/ inner change. As believers, the fruit should be a natural outcome of our new status in Christ Jesus. If it is a strain for us to produce fruit, perhaps we should question whether or not a real change has occurred. In other words, our change should naturally produce holy lives/ living:
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. Rom.
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Eph. 5:9
For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 1Th. 4:7
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2Cor. 7:1
Holiness is not a topic we hear about so much anymore. Is it because holiness convicts us of the lifestyles that we live? Are we living good, righteous and honest lives? Are we watching and listening only to things that are good, righteous and honest? Are we speaking only things that ate good, righteous and honest? If not, then how can we say we are bearing fruit? God says, “…be ye holy; for I am holy” (1Pt. ). He didn’t say- only in the ways you wanna be!
These days we replace holiness with serving: visiting nursing homes, missions trips to build homes in needy countries, and other charity work. Holiness is also replaced by: retreats on how to be better Christians (are they working?), parents or spouses, activities in team building and co-operation, and our one hour and fifteen minute Sunday services. We even practice our fruit of the Spirit at church baseball games, multi-denominational fellowships and such… but still, no mention of holiness and the fruits of a truly repentant heart (one that turns away from a life of sin). Jesus returns for His church soon. Will we be ready?
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph. 5:26,27