Bear Much Fruit?

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

John 15:8 kjv

So here is the question, how do we grow this fruit and what is it?

The word that is used here for fruit and in 65 other places in the New Testament is Karpos pronounced Kar-po's one of its meanings is that which originates or comes from something, an effect, result. The other is for a physical fruit so I think this is a good guess to what Jesus is talking about.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

(Galatians 5:22-23 KJV)

Love

This fruit is not just the existence of love, but a willing and excessive act of giving it out to others (including God). The word used here is agapē and as in other places in the Bible it is a love that God has given to use as a free gift.

For more look into this resource.

Joy

This one is a fruit that is for you as a result of the love you give out. Chara the word used here is not only the ability to have joy, but it also allows a person to get joy from anywhere. Remember that it is said around Christmas “It is better to give than receive”. (Joy to the World) So have fun giving out your love as you will get back this fruit right away if it is done in the right mindset.

Peace

This next one is a fruit that is misleading as one of its meanings is a state of national tranquility, exemption from the rage and havoc of war. But this word eirēnē also means the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is. The knowledge of nothing bad coming from God should put any mind at ease in this world of chaos as there is one person we can turn to.

Longsuffering

This one, makrothymia by name, is focused of the consistency of what you are doing and how you act when thing happen good or bad in your life.

Gentleness

This one is chrēstotēs the moral goodness or integrity of your very livelihood.

Goodness

This one is a way of living in this world apart from just going with the flow. Agathōsynē is in the state of your heart and the hearts of those you are responsible for.

Faith

Faith or pistis is a two way street. When you are giving it the meaning is a strong and welcome conviction or belief and in this case that belief is that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God. When you bear this fruit you are showing that the character of one who can be relied on is in you for others. This is another use of the word, but people keep wanting to put full on the end when you don’t need to be full of it to use this fruit.

This is something that will help you understand this faith.

Meekness

This one is the ability to put another’s wellbeing before your own, especially if you are already producing the fruit for your Lord Jesus Christ. The word used here is praotēs.

Temperance

Egkrateia or self-control is the ability to use the desires of one’s own heart to their advantage and not fall prey to them.

If you want help this may do it.

In the next post we will dive into how the fruit is grown. Here is a sneak peek.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 15:5 kjv

The two links that fallow this are for those that want something to work with to remember what they learned here.

Fruit of the Spirit Glass Stones

Galatians 5:22, Vinyl Wall Art