By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you will be My disciples.
John 15:8 NKJV
As Christians, we mark our journey by bearing spiritual fruit—the visible evidence of God’s work in our lives. The Bible emphasises that believers are to glorify God through bearing spiritual fruit. This shows transformation in all aspects of life, including our character, actions, and relationships. By abiding in Christ, we remain connected to the true vine. So, this enables us to grow and consistently bear spiritual fruit that glorifies God.
From the beginning, God’s intention was for His people to be fruitful in all areas of life. This is evident in His commandment during creation: “Be fruitful and multiply.” Fruitfulness precedes multiplication. In John 15:1-5, Jesus teaches that He is the true vine, the Father is the gardener, and we, the believers, are the branches. When we bear fruit, the Father prunes us so we can produce even more. This process extends to all areas of life—physical, spiritual, financial, academic, and more—rather than being limited to just one aspect.
Bearing much fruit is a sign of God’s transformative power at work in us. When we live in a way that reflects spiritual growth and godly character, we glorify God. Being a Christian by name is not enough; we must show evidence of our faith through the fruit we bear. Jesus emphasises this truth in Matthew 7:16-17: “You will know them by their fruits. Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” True followers of Christ, who abide in Him—will naturally produce good fruit, just as healthy trees bear good fruit. Claiming to follow Jesus without showing spiritual growth is like a tree that bears no fruit.
A powerful example of bearing fruit can be seen in the early church, as recorded in the book of Acts. In Acts 2:42-47, the early disciples devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. They shared their possessions, helped the poor, and lived out the teachings of Jesus. As a result, “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Their unity, love, and evangelism demonstrated the early church’s fruit, glorifying God and drawing many to Him.
Additionally, people in Antioch called the first disciples “Christians” (Acts 11:26), reflecting how their lives mirrored the character of Jesus. They didn’t name themselves this; it was the community around them that identified them as followers of Christ. And that is because of their Christ-like actions, words, and attitudes. This is a profound lesson for us today: our lives should reflect Christ that others can see Him through us.
God desires that our daily lives bear fruit that mirrors His character. Our attitudes and behaviours should reflect the qualities of Jesus, who perfectly embodied love, compassion, forgiveness, humility, and obedience to God. The Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are specific examples of the traits that should be evident in our lives as we walk with God.
In summary, Jesus teaches that God is glorified when His disciples bear much fruit, which is a sign of true discipleship. This fruit is the visible evidence of spiritual growth, godly character, and good works, all of which flow from abiding in Christ. Likewise, scripture emphasises the importance of fruit-bearing as a key marker of a genuine relationship with God, from Matthew 7 to Galatians 5 and Philippians 1. When we live out this truth, we not only grow in our walk with the Lord, but we also influence those around us for His glory.
