What Does It Mean to Bear Fruit? 4 Types of Fruit Found in the Bible
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Photo by tetiana padurets
As Christians, we often hear and talk about bearing fruit. But this concept, though lovely, is sometimes a little vague, and you might wonder, What exactly does it mean to bear fruit?
To help answer this question, I'm sharing an article I wrote for iBelieve that goes over four types of fruit found in the Bible and some tangible ways they can be expressed in our lives.
I hope you find it encouraging and informative!
As always, you are in my thoughts and prayers, and I’d love to hear from you! You can contact me here or through the comment section below!
In purpose and faith,
What Does It Mean to Bear Fruit? 4 Types of Fruit Found in the Bible
Many years ago, a church leader asked me to fill out a volunteer appreciation questionnaire, and one of the questions listed was, “What is your favorite Bible verse?”
So, after giving it some thought, I wrote down Jeremiah 17:7-8: “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (NIV).
I just love this picture of a thriving tree deeply rooted in God and producing rich, delicious fruit that nourishes other people. Apparently, God loves this imagery too because the theme of fruitfulness appears throughout Scripture. The New International Translation of the Bible mentions the word fruit 198 times, and Jesus Himself spoke about fruit on multiple occasions. In fact, some of the last words He spoke to His disciples before His death included instructions on how to be fruitful (see John 15:1-17).
Perhaps you too love the fruit-related metaphors found in the Bible and, like me, you long to be a fruitful, flourishing tree. But you might wonder, What does it actually mean to bear fruit? We’re not literal trees, after all. We don’t actually grow apples or cherries or nectarines.
So how can we know if we are living up to this ideal? While the Bible reveals many ways, here are four big ones that stand out to me:
1. The Fruit of the Spirit
Perhaps the best-known Bible verses about fruit are Galatians 5:22-23a, where the apostle Paul tells us that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (NET). Though these kinds of fruit are very real and very valuable, they’re not the sort of things we can necessarily see with our eyes. However, their existence can be revealed through our thoughts, actions, and demeanors.
For example, the fruits of self-control and patience are shown when we resist the urge to spout off a snappy comeback when someone speaks rudely to us. The fruit of joy is displayed when we find happiness in little things—such as the scent of a hyacinth, the cuddles of a furry pet, or the vibrant rays of a sunset—even when we’re going through difficult circumstances. And the fruit of peace is exhibited when we are able to lay aside worries and rest in God’s promise that He is working all things for our good (Romans 8:28).
Of course, most of us have moments when we are definitely not peaceful, joyful, loving, etc., and these moments can make us feel painfully deficient in the fruit of the Spirit. At times, we might wonder whether we’re growing at all. But I find that comparing where I am now to where I was several years ago can help me gain a more accurate perspective on the growth of the fruit of the Spirit in my life. For example, while I may not be as peaceful as I want to be, I worry less and am much more peaceful now than I was five or ten years ago. Recognizing this fact reassures me that as I’ve walked with the Holy Spirit, He has been faithful to produce increasing measures of His fruit in me.
2. The Fruit of Prayer
On the night before He was crucified, Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:7-8, NIV). Here, Jesus links asking and receiving with bearing fruit, and in doing so, He reveals that answered prayer is a form of fruit.
In the Bible, we find many examples of this kind of fruit: Isaac prayed for his wife, Rebecca, who was infertile, and she went on to give birth to twins (Genesis 25:21). Moses prayed for water when he was leading the Israelites through the desert, and God provided fresh drinking water (Exodus 15:22-27). After receiving a message from God that he was being sent to defeat the Midianites, Gideon prayed for confirmation; his prayer was answered, and he went on to rescue the Israelites from their tormentors (Judges 6:36-40). The early church prayed for Peter to be released from prison, and he was miraculously set free (Acts 12:3-16).
Often, persistence is an important ingredient to bearing the fruit of answered prayer. In one of His teachings on prayer, Jesus said, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7, NLT).
So, as you seek to be fruitful in your prayer life, whether you are praying for guidance, healing, or provision, don’t give up! Keep, praying, believing, and abiding in Jesus and trust that He will answer in His perfect time.
3. The Fruit of Good Deeds
A third kind of fruit found in the Bible is the fruit of good deeds. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul tells the Colossian church that “we…have not ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects—bearing fruit in every good deed” (Colossians 1:9-10a, NET).
God has given each of us good work to do (Ephesians 2:10), and when we’re faithful to explore the work God has given us, and when we willingly carry out such work to the best of our abilities, it results in fruitfulness. It’s important to note that your good deeds will likely look different than your friend’s or neighbor’s good deeds. After all, we bear different spiritual gifts that lead us to bear spiritual fruit in a variety of God-orchestrated ways. The Lord might call you to knit a baby blanket for a new mom, cook a meal for a sick coworker, or write an encouraging blog post or email, whereas He might call your friend to teach kindergarteners their ABCs or paint pictures that reveal the beauty of His creation.
While we each produce different kinds of good deeds, let's be cautious of comparison. Regardless of our individual gifts, our good works should have these things in common: They should benefit other people in some way, they should point the recipients to God, and they should be done in love.
4. The Fruit of Praise
A fourth kind of fruit mentioned in the Bible is the fruit of praise. The author of Hebrews says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (Hebrews 13:15, NIV).
Probably the first thing most of us think of when we hear the word “praise” is singing, and that is definitely a huge way we can praise God. I love to put on a worship album or pull up a worship playlist on YouTube and sing praises to God.
But we can also praise Him by simply thanking Him for His goodness as we go about our day. We can praise Him for His creation—for robins and daisies and oceans and cucumbers. We can praise Him for His provision—for our daily supply of food, medical care, clothing, and other resources. We can praise Him for His attributes—His love, His compassion, His wisdom, and His faithfulness. We can praise Him for the salvation He has provided and the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf.
We can praise as we pray, as we talk to friends and family, and even when we face problems and challenges. There is truly no end to the things we can praise Him for, and we can verbalize praise to God no matter our circumstances. You might be thinking, “That’s easier said than done.” This is true. Sometimes, we don’t feel like praising. But look again at the first part of Hebrews 13:15: “Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise” (author’s emphasis).
Notice the word “sacrifice.” A sacrifice is something that costs us something. By definition, it’s not easy to do. Praising when we don’t necessarily feel happy is a sacrifice to God, and it is one that pleases and honors Him. It’s also evidence of our trust in Him. By praising Him even in tough situations, we declare that He is bigger than our circumstances and that we believe He will take care of us.
Abiding in Jesus, Following the Holy Spirit
To this day, the passage in Jeremiah 17 about the well-watered, fruitful tree remains one of my favorite Scriptures because it illustrates one of my deepest longings: To produce tangible evidence that God is working in and through me.
This longing is so great that sometimes I worry that I’m not doing enough to develop the fruit—the joy and peace, the good deeds and answered prayers, the praise and worship—I so earnestly desire. I wrestle with the feeling that I should try harder and push myself farther.
But just as a mango tree doesn’t depend on its muscle mass to produce mangoes, our ability to produce fruit does not depend on our own strength. Instead, it comes very simply: Through abiding in Jesus (John 15:5) and following the leading of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25). Jesus promises that if we do these things, we will bear fruit (John 15:5).
So together, let’s put our roots down deep into the soil of God’s love, water our hearts with His Word, and rest in the truth that He is creating a bountiful harvest in us!
This article was originally published by iBelieve.
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