What Does “Fruitful” Mean In The Bible?
The concept of being “fruitful” comes up often in the Bible. In a nutshell, it refers to living a spiritually prosperous life marked by good works and spreading God’s teachings.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: In the Bible, “fruitful” means to live a spiritually prosperous life full of good works and with a focus on spreading God’s teachings to others.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the biblical meaning of fruitfulness in depth. We’ll cover what it means to bear good fruit, explain important related concepts like spiritual gifts and talents, look at biblical stories and passages about fruitfulness, and more.
The Basic Meaning of Fruitfulness in Scripture
Bearing Good Fruit
In the Bible, the concept of “bearing fruit” often refers to living a righteous life that glorifies God. Just as an apple tree produces apples, Christians are exhorted to produce spiritual fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
This fruit is cultivated through abiding in Christ, allowing his Spirit to transform our hearts and minds. As Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Using God-Given Gifts and Talents
The Bible also speaks of being fruitful in terms of using the unique gifts and talents God has given each person for the benefit of others. For example, Jesus told the parable of the talents, commending those servants who invested the money their master had entrusted to them and gained more, while rebuking the servant who simply buried his talent and produced nothing with it (Matthew 25:14-30).
We glorify God by stewarding well the gifts and resources he has placed in our hands, whether our talents lie in hospitality, encouragement, leadership, teaching, serving, giving, administration or any number of other areas (see Romans 12:6-8).
Spreading the Gospel
Additionally, bearing fruit in Scripture refers to spreading the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, that others may come to repentance and eternal life. Paul described converts as the “fruit” of evangelistic labors (1 Corinthians 16:15).
Jesus promised that those who abide in him will “bear much fruit” as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be his witnesses (John 15:5, 8; Acts 1:8). So bearing fruit involves both godly living and gospel proclamation through word and deed.
Key Bible Verses and Stories About Being Fruitful
The Parable of the Sower
In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23), Jesus likens the Word of God to seeds being sown on different types of soil. The seeds that fall on good soil produce a fruitful crop, illustrating how the Gospel bears fruit in those who hear it and understand it.
This parable encourages believers to sow the seed of God’s Word abundantly, knowing that it will bear much fruit in receptive hearts.
John 15 and Bearing Fruit as Disciples
In John 15:1-8, Jesus describes Himself as the true vine and His followers as the branches. He makes it clear that the branches must remain in Him in order to bear fruit: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
As believers abide in Christ, the Holy Spirit works through them to produce spiritual fruit such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Bearing fruit brings glory to God the Father and demonstrates true discipleship.
Genesis 1:28 – “Be Fruitful and Multiply”
In Genesis 1:28, God blesses the first man and woman, commanding them to “be fruitful and multiply.” This is often seen as a biblical mandate for procreation. However, it can also refer to being productive and making a meaningful impact in other areas of life.
As God’s representatives on earth, humans are called to steward their capacities and resources in a fruitful way, whether through bearing children, creative pursuits, acts of service, or other vocations.
The Parable of the Talents
In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), a master entrusts three servants with money (talents) while he is away. Two servants invest and double the money, but the third buries his share. The master is pleased with the productivity of the first two servants, but condemns the third for failing to be fruitful.
This parable teaches that believers have a responsibility to use their gifts and abilities for God’s glory. We should not “bury” what we’ve been given, but leverage it to bear fruit.
What Happens When We Are Unfruitful?
Being unfruitful as a Christian can lead to spiritual stagnation, lack of spiritual growth, and missing out on God’s blessings. Here are some things that can happen when we are not spiritually fruitful:
We Become Complacent
When we are unfruitful, it’s easy to become complacent and comfortable in our faith. We get used to just going through the motions without truly growing. Complacency leads to apathy, lack of passion, and spiritual lethargy. The joy can get sucked right out of our walk with God.
We Stop Growing
To be fruitful means to be constantly maturing in faith and Christlike character. When we aren’t fruitful, our spiritual growth gets stunted. We stop deepening our relationship with God and we miss out on the benefits of being molded more into the image of Christ.
We Live Self-Centered Lives
Bearing spiritual fruit gets our eyes off ourselves and onto God and others. But without fruit, it’s easy to live selfishly and only think about our own needs and desires. We become barren branches only taking in without giving out.
We Lose Opportunities to Bless Others
When we bear fruit, we are able to be a blessing to those around us. But without spiritual fruit, we lack the motivation, zeal, and compassion to serve and care for others. We miss chances to demonstrate the light of Christ through good deeds.
We Distance Ourselves from God
Fruitfulness fosters closeness to God. But when unfruitful, we can start to drift away from Him. Unfruitfulness breeds spiritual apathy. And apathy leads to a declining relationship with God marked by less meaningful time in prayer, Scripture, and worship.
We Miss Out on Eternal Rewards
When we stand before God one day, He will evaluate our lives – including our spiritual fruitfulness. Living unfruitfully can mean we miss out on heavenly rewards we could have gained. As Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV) says, we are to “lay up treasures in heaven” not on earth.
The good news is unfruitfulness doesn’t have to be permanent. We can turn it around by repenting, restoring our relationship with God, and seeking out ways to abide in Christ more consistently. He is gracious and will help fruitful living blossom in us again!
How to Lead a Fruitful Christian Life
Develop Your Spiritual Gifts
As Christians, we each have unique spiritual gifts that God has blessed us with. Spending time in prayer and reflection to understand your spiritual gifts is the first step to using them fruitfully. Are you gifted at teaching? Share biblical truths with others. Do you have a gift of service?
Look for ways to help those in need. Experiment with different ways to develop your gifts, like volunteering at church, joining a small group bible study, or mentoring a younger Christian. As we nurture the gifts God gave us, we’ll bear good fruit for His kingdom.
Serve Others
What does it mean to live a fruitful Christian life? An important part is selflessly serving others. As Jesus said, “I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). There are countless ways we can serve. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Mow an elderly neighbor’s lawn.
Babysit for a single mom so she can have a break. Donate goods to people in need. Serve in your local church. No act of service is too small in God’s eyes. Serving reflects Christ’s love and helps meet real needs. It allows us to share His light with others through our actions.
Spread the Gospel
As Christians, we’re called to spread the life-changing message of the gospel. This is an essential part of living a fruitful Christian life. We can share the gospel by how we live – modeling Jesus’ teachings in our actions. We can also spread the Word directly by telling others about Christ.
Look for opportunities to have spiritual conversations. Share your personal story of how Jesus transformed your life. Invite friends to church or Bible study. Distribute gospel tracts. Use social media to share biblical truths. Support missionaries who teach the gospel abroad.
Ask God to show you how He wants you to share the free gift of salvation with others.
Rely on God
We can’t live a truly fruitful Christian life in our own power – we need to rely on God. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Make prayer, Scripture reading and worship essential daily habits. Seek God’s direction for every decision and ask Him to empower you.
Trust that He is working through you. Remember that the Holy Spirit produces His fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). Remain close to God and open to His leading. Relying on His strength allows our lives to be fruitful for eternity.
As Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Stay rooted in Him.
Conclusion
In conclusion, being “fruitful” in the Bible is about living out God’s purpose for your life through good works, utilizing your talents, and spreading the saving knowledge of the Gospel to others.
It’s a concept that comes up over and over again across both the Old and New Testaments. While we cannot earn salvation through works, our fruitfulness provides evidence that our faith is real and it brings glory to God.
Our unfruitfulness, on the other hand, indicates areas we need to repent of and turn more fully to Christ.
As Christians, we are called to abide in Christ as a branch abides in the vine. When we do, we will bear good fruit naturally as the Holy Spirit works within us. This fruit then overflows into the lives of others, so that more people come to be adopted into God’s family.
