THE NECESSITY OF BEARING GOOD FRUIT

Jesus emphasized repeatedly in the New Testament the necessity of bearing fruit if we are going to claim to be His followers. He shows us that every person is like a fruit-bearing tree, and the fruit they produce reveals their true nature.

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.” — Matthew 12:33 (KJV)

Those who are bad cannot help but bear bad fruit. Those who are good—transformed by the Spirit—will naturally bear good fruit. Since we belong to the Lord, if we have been born again by His Spirit, and since He Himself is good, we are called to walk in His footsteps:

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.” — Ephesians 5:1 (NIV)

There is an inescapable truth: if you truly belong to Christ, you must bear good fruit.

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” — Matthew 3:10 (KJV)

“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” — John 15:2 (KJV)

So we cannot escape this reality. We must continue in Christ, as He works in us, so that our lives clearly show—by our actions—that we belong to Jesus. Just as true faith is not empty but is made evident by the works it produces, so also is a true profession of faith in Christ.

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” — James 2:17 (KJV)

A life in Christ bears fruit. And that fruit is the evidence that we are His.