Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Being filled means living a sincere and blameless life that pleases God and is full of righteous fruit in character and good works. That fruit comes only through Jesus Christ, by a vital living union with Him as branches abide in the Vine and receive life and power from Him. Its end is the glory and praise of God alone, for the Father is glorified when believers bear much fruit and let their light shine before men in good works. It is prayed for as part of love abounding still more in knowledge and judgment, so that believers approve excellent things and remain sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. This filling is gained by earnest prayer and constant growth in knowing Christ, using every means of grace and every God-given power in His service, and it is shown daily in Christlike love, gentleness, kindness, patience, truthful speech, and self-sacrificing service to others.
Prayer Context in Philippians
The verse belongs to a prayer that affection may keep increasing in understanding and complete discernment, so that what is excellent may be recognized and chosen, and believers may stay genuine and free from stumbling until the day of Christ. Christ Himself supplies peace and joy and His own love to those who seek Him with the whole heart, and this prayer urges heeding the light already given and being a faithful doer of the Word. The fruitful condition described comes through Jesus Christ and results in glory and praise to God, forming part of a life marked by sincere faith, spiritual discernment, and Christlike virtues displayed in life and good work. Growth in love for the Saviour goes together with perceiving what is excellent and being filled in this way.
The same prayer teaches that correction must be joined with encouraging words, offered cheerfully yet without levity and trifling, with faithfulness and prayer for discernment and a wholesome Christlike spirit. Sincerity means loyalty to one's brother, never wronging him nor allowing him to be unfaithful in duty, doing no careless work but carrying Christ's spirit into every dealing, keeping rooms and workplaces in a healthful condition God can approve, and giving youth wise, sincere Christian counsel and oversight rather than severity and harshness. Its wider setting joins grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ with thanks to God upon every remembrance, joyful intercession for fellowship in the gospel from the first day onward, confidence that God who started a good work will finish it until the day of Jesus Christ, and deep longing for fellow sharers in grace both in bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
The passage from verse 6 to 11 stands connected with Christ's equality with God, His becoming human and humbling Himself in obedience even to death, and His exaltation as Lord bringing glory to God the Father. It is addressed to saints in Christ Jesus, who are subjects and citizens of the heavenly kingdom, to whom grace and peace come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Their love is to abound still more in knowledge and all judgment so they approve excellent things and remain sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, and their conduct is to be approved by the gospel of Christ while they bear fruits of righteousness through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
That blameless life belongs to growing love, knowledge, sound judgment, sincerity, and freedom from offense until the day of Christ. It is connected with being wholly sanctified and preserved in spirit, soul, and body until the Lord's coming.
Meaning of Filled Fruits
To be filled is to live a sincere and blameless life made pleasing to God and full of righteous fruit produced through Jesus Christ to His glory and praise. That fullness includes Christlike virtues expressed in the life and in good work, with growing love for the Saviour and discernment of what is excellent. It belongs with increasing love, knowledge, discernment, and sincere blameless conduct until the day of Christ, as part of the light the church is to shine.
Being filled means constant, intelligent advancement in the knowledge of Christ as a higher standard to reach. It is the duty and privilege of Christians to keep advancing toward that standard by using God-given talents in His service and by caring more for eternal things than for temporal wants. It presents a high standard God sets before His church, which believers should earnestly seek through prayer and expect to receive. That standard is attainable, for God does not require what His people cannot do, but provides power to pursue the full stature of Christian maturity, and the appeal applies to all the churches as they grow up into Christ their living Head.
This fruit-bearing is a positive necessity, proving discipleship, approving things that are excellent, and remaining sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Genuine truth received produces these fruits in the life and character, and righteousness bears fruit in a Christian life marked by righteousness. Those fruits include gentleness, kindness, patience, truthfulness, forbearance, and a Christlike spirit, and truth rooted in the heart is conveyed in words and actions that reflect the Master in truth and holiness. Even the way truth is defended must show such fruit.
Through Jesus Christ Alone
The fruits of righteousness come through Jesus Christ and bring glory and praise to God, belonging to a prayer for growing love, discernment, approval of what is excellent, and blameless sincerity until the day of Christ. A life united with Christ as the True Vine bears much fruit and bears witness to the truth, following surrender to God and the removal of selfishness and worldliness. Those who follow Christ are to be filled with these fruits and thereby reveal God's power in their lives, as part of a life marked by sincere faith and spiritual discernment. This united life expresses itself in holy joy and in a life that refreshes and brightens others, requiring Christian devotion, personal piety, and growth in knowing Christ rather than spiritual laziness as the higher standard believers are to reach.
Being filled comes only through a vital, living connection with Christ as branches abide in the Vine, absorbing sap and nourishment from Him in order to bear like fruit. It comes only by union with Christ and having the Spirit of Christ, by beholding Christ with a life changed into obedience including loving and courteous speech, and by seeking the light, embracing the promises by faith, and becoming channels of light. This fruit-bearing is a positive necessity that proves discipleship, approves excellent things, and keeps believers sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, so that the Father is glorified when they bear much fruit and let their light shine before men in good works. Walking in that light glorifies the heavenly Father by blessing and saving others rather than seeking own pleasure, ease, honor or glory, requiring earnest watching for souls for whom Christ gave His life and fruitfulness in all good works, condemning easy, hesitating ways and sickly piety.
In the apostasy man alienated himself from God in a wide and fearful separation, but Christ made provision to connect fallen humanity with Himself again. The power of evil is so identified with human nature that no one can overcome it except by that union, and through it moral and spiritual power is received, and this holds true for all Christ's followers, with the fruit then brought forth honoring and blessing other people and glorifying God. Such growth toward approving what is excellent and being increasingly filled depends on a living connection with God and is shown in Christlike character that others can see. Half-hearted service does not produce these fruits; God's grace, given for Christ's sake to believers, brings them forth to save people and reveal to the universe the perfection of Christ's character.
The fruits appear after humbling confession of sin that is deeply humiliating to the soul yet essential for the fruit to appear. Bearing fruit to God's glory requires workers to have the defects in their own lives removed, with those who minister first cleansed before they can bear that fruit.
Unto God's Glory Alone
The fruits of righteousness are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God, and the life God desires is a life pleasing to Him and filled with that righteous fruit. This fullness belongs with love abounding still more in knowledge and all judgment, with discerning and approving what is excellent, and with remaining sincere and without offense and blameless until the day of Christ. It comes only through a vital, living connection with Christ, as branches abide in the Vine and prove discipleship by bearing much fruit. Its end is that the Father is glorified when believers bear much fruit and let their light shine before men in good works, revealing God's power in their lives in words and conduct marked by love, courtesy, and Christian politeness.
The fruit thus brought forth honors and blesses other people and glorifies God. In whatever circumstances the Christian is placed, by finding His grace sufficient, by fulfilling every responsibility and meeting obstacles and difficulties with courage, with the eye single to the glory of God, love abounds more and more, excellent things are approved, and life is filled with righteous fruit produced by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God so that growth and spiritual progress appear to all. This holds true for all Christ's followers, for in the apostasy man alienated himself from God in a wide and fearful separation, but Christ made provision to connect fallen humanity with Himself again, and through union with Him and having His Spirit moral and spiritual power is received to overcome evil identified with human nature. Unless growth continues the experience retrogrades and becomes sickly and fruitless, for the Father is glorified in much fruit-bearing.
Being filled requires sanctifying grace, a higher standard, a living connection with God, and a constant supply of His grace unto the glory and praise of God. It means being an ever-growing Christian with strong faith, complete consecration, perfect love, ardent zeal, patience, longsuffering, kindness and compassion, and steady advancement in the knowledge and love of Christ, serving as a guide and example and exercising spiritual discernment. It requires keeping the eye single to the glory of God, avoiding too many worrying burdens, grasping the promises of God, pressing close to Jesus, encouraging tenderness and compassion, and improving every means of grace so that love abounds more and more and gives wisdom from above to approve excellent things, on which present and future usefulness depends. Each believer must test this in himself by examining whether he is in the faith and proving his own self, employing every means to maintain the warmth and purity of Christian love.
It means having Jesus working upon the life at all times and in all places, with a course in harmony with the Spirit of Christ. The fruits are works wrought in God, proving that the Spirit of God has controlling power to subdue and sanctify the nature and place Christ's mold upon the character, and that the powers God gives are used unselfishly to glorify Him. When a selfish spirit prevails and the blessings God gives are perverted to selfish purposes, the fruits borne declare that Christ is not working and the Spirit is not controlling.
Growth Toward Blameless Maturity
Being filled is Christian growth producing righteous fruit through Jesus Christ to God's glory and praise, as part of a life that grows in love, discerns what is excellent, and remains sincere and without offense until the day of Christ. Bearing that fruit requires Christian devotion, personal piety, and growth in knowing Christ rather than spiritual laziness, with pure Christlike love toward God and all associates and ceasing to be self-centered. Neglecting spiritual growth leaves a person fruitless, while growing in grace and abounding in love bears much fruit that glorifies the Father.
It is gained by using every means of grace so that love keeps growing, heavenly wisdom is received, and what is excellent is chosen and approved. This means employing every means to maintain the warmth and purity of Christian love, letting love abound yet more and more. Such a course prepares a person for any difficult or dangerous work in Christ's line, makes spiritual progress and profiting plain to all, and reshapes the Christian life into a different mold without which the kingdom of heaven will not be seen. For one placed as guide and example, steady advancement in the knowledge and love of Christ with spiritual discernment and the eye single to God's glory multiplies right fruit among those under his charge.
It requires self-examination in the light of Scripture to see motives, thoughts, words and deeds, becoming meek as a little child and laying human wisdom in the dust. Each believer must test himself by examining whether he is in the faith and proving his own self. The ever-growing Christian lives in strong faith, complete consecration, perfect love, ardent zeal, patience, longsuffering, kindness and compassion, serving as a guide and example. That life depends on sanctifying grace, a living connection with God, a constant supply of His grace, grasping God's promises, pressing close to Jesus, avoiding too many worrying burdens, and improving every means of grace so love abounds and gives wisdom from above to approve excellent things, on which present and future usefulness depends.
The fruits provide evidence of whether a person is in the faith. Examining the past year means judging thoughts, temper, purposes, words, and actions by the Bible's standard and asking whether these fruits have testified for or against one's faith and whether the Christian life meets that standard. God has provided what is needed for growth toward the full stature of Christ, so each year should bring greater purity and perfection of character. Unovercome defects in character will separate a person from God and bar entry to heaven.
Being filled means revealing righteousness in the life through true conversion. After conviction, repentance, faith in Christ, and pardon for sin, the person ceases to do evil and learns to do well, and grows in grace and in the knowledge of God. He sacrifices to separate from the world, fights against natural inclinations and selfish desires, brings the will into subjection to the will of Christ, and daily seeks grace to obey. In humble, grateful dependence on Christ's help with a new heart, self-love is dethroned, God reigns supreme, the sins once loved are hated, and the path of holiness is followed firmly and resolutely.
Unless growth continues the experience retrogrades and becomes sickly and fruitless, for the Father is glorified in much fruit-bearing by fulfilling every responsibility and meeting obstacles and difficulties with courage, finding His grace sufficient with the eye single to God's glory. God intended His church, which He carefully planted and nurtured, to bear fruits of righteousness. Instead it turned toward earthly and human supports and produced the corrupt fruit of a degenerate vine, contrary to His expectation. So Israel, having received God's gifts to bless the world, was sought by Jesus for self-sacrifice, compassion, zeal for God, and concern for others' salvation in unselfish service after the pattern of Christ's work, but by refusing to share its blessings it became barren, and the withered fig tree showed the ruin that comes when God's grace is removed and people refuse to impart blessing.
Fruit Seen in Daily Life
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness means genuine truth received produces gentleness, kindness, patience, truthfulness, forbearance, and a Christlike spirit in life and character, and the very way truth is defended must show the same spirit. It means a heart shaped by gratitude and praise that recognizes God as the giver of blessings, living near to God through Jesus Christ to His glory and praise. It means Christlike sympathy, kindly concern and kindly interest for fellow workers, and readiness to help and rejoice in helping them, an influence that shines to others and brings sanctifying benefit to the church. A teaching that produces a hostile, unchristlike spirit gives evidence that truth has not sanctified the heart and does not bear these fruits.
The fruit is expressed in words and conduct marked by love, courtesy, Christian politeness, self-control, well-ordered conduct, godly speech, and Christlike behavior, to be evident in all who follow Christ and to bring praise and glory to God. It appears when Christ is formed within through a transformed character, and when truth rooted in the heart bears fruit in words and actions that convey truth and holiness, reflect the Master, and reflect the character of Christ. Such words and actions edify others and exert a saving influence, strengthening the church, showing Christ's character to the world, and preparing the person to hear the Lord's commendation and enter His joy. A life wholly consecrated to God becomes fruitful in good in this way.
Righteousness bears fruit in conduct where words bless and encourage, while cruel speech and unkind thoughts do not bear it. Seeking honor rightly means obeying truth and honoring Christ rather than striving for position or recognition. The fruits appear when those who know the truth work together with God, revealed through self-sacrificing missionary service and the love of God shown in ministry to others. Denying self and sacrificing for the good of others, following Christ's example of living to bless others, overcomes selfishness so believers can work with Christ, makes truth attractive and displays its value to unbelievers, awakens people to sin, selfishness and sinfulness, turns them from sin to righteousness, and leads them to believe God's Word.
When believers are wholly consecrated to God their lives produce much good and persuade people to turn from sin, seen in Christlike character, unselfish love, harmony with fellow believers, and willingness to sacrifice for others. Righteousness bears fruit in unselfish service doing the work Christ did in self-sacrifice, compassion, zeal for God, and concern for others' salvation, for Israel had received God's gifts to bless the world and keeping God's law would have led to that unselfish work. Refusing to share blessings makes barren, as shown when Israel became barren like the withered fig tree revealing ruin when grace is removed and blessing is refused to be imparted. Training children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord likewise yields fruit unto eternal righteousness through God's work in people and prepares them for eternal life.
Being filled means reproof is bound up with words of encouragement, given with cheerfulness without lightness and trifling, with faithfulness and prayer for discernment and a wholesome Christlike spirit. Sincerity means being true to one's brother, never doing him wrong or suffering him to be unfaithful in duty, doing no haphazard work but carrying Christ's spirit in all dealings. It means keeping rooms and workplaces in healthful condition that God can approve, and giving youth wise, sincere Christian counsel and oversight instead of severity and harshness. The call is to bring forth fruits unto righteousness such as have not yet been brought forth, by stopping to consider, giving oneself unreservedly to God's work instead of pleasing self, and working by Christ's standard instead of the world's. God waits to see whether this fruit will appear, its absence fashions others to spiritual injury, and its presence requires entire change from vanity, pride, love of dress and self-will to the meek and quiet spirit precious in God's sight.
Walking in the light to glorify the Father in blessing and saving others rather than seeking own pleasure, ease, honor or glory, with earnest watching for souls for whom Christ gave His life and fruitfulness in all good works, condemns easy-going, hesitating ways and sickly piety that God does not approve. Righteousness bears good fruit, but reformation alone cannot produce it unless joined with the Spirit's revival of spiritual life; revival and reformation must work together for good fruit to appear. God as responsible, reasoning beings expects people to bear this fruit after accepting the gospel and believing His Word, and rest in Jesus comes from willingly yoking to Christ.
Being filled means living a sincere and blameless life that pleases God and is full of righteous fruit in character and good works. That fruit comes only through Jesus Christ, by a vital living union with Him as branches abide in the Vine and receive life and power from Him. Its end is the glory and praise of God alone, for the Father is glorified when believers bear much fruit and let their light shine before men in good works. It is prayed for as part of love abounding still more in knowledge and judgment, so that believers approve excellent things and remain sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. This filling is gained by earnest prayer and constant growth in knowing Christ, using every means of grace and every God-given power in His service, and it is shown daily in Christlike love, gentleness, kindness, patience, truthful speech, and self-sacrificing service to others.
Prayer Context in Philippians
The verse belongs to a prayer that affection may keep increasing in understanding and complete discernment, so that what is excellent may be recognized and chosen, and believers may stay genuine and free from stumbling until the day of Christ. Christ Himself supplies peace and joy and His own love to those who seek Him with the whole heart, and this prayer urges heeding the light already given and being a faithful doer of the Word. The fruitful condition described comes through Jesus Christ and results in glory and praise to God, forming part of a life marked by sincere faith, spiritual discernment, and Christlike virtues displayed in life and good work. Growth in love for the Saviour goes together with perceiving what is excellent and being filled in this way.
The same prayer teaches that correction must be joined with encouraging words, offered cheerfully yet without levity and trifling, with faithfulness and prayer for discernment and a wholesome Christlike spirit. Sincerity means loyalty to one's brother, never wronging him nor allowing him to be unfaithful in duty, doing no careless work but carrying Christ's spirit into every dealing, keeping rooms and workplaces in a healthful condition God can approve, and giving youth wise, sincere Christian counsel and oversight rather than severity and harshness. Its wider setting joins grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ with thanks to God upon every remembrance, joyful intercession for fellowship in the gospel from the first day onward, confidence that God who started a good work will finish it until the day of Jesus Christ, and deep longing for fellow sharers in grace both in bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
The passage from verse 6 to 11 stands connected with Christ's equality with God, His becoming human and humbling Himself in obedience even to death, and His exaltation as Lord bringing glory to God the Father. It is addressed to saints in Christ Jesus, who are subjects and citizens of the heavenly kingdom, to whom grace and peace come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Their love is to abound still more in knowledge and all judgment so they approve excellent things and remain sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, and their conduct is to be approved by the gospel of Christ while they bear fruits of righteousness through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.
That blameless life belongs to growing love, knowledge, sound judgment, sincerity, and freedom from offense until the day of Christ. It is connected with being wholly sanctified and preserved in spirit, soul, and body until the Lord's coming.
Meaning of Filled Fruits
To be filled is to live a sincere and blameless life made pleasing to God and full of righteous fruit produced through Jesus Christ to His glory and praise. That fullness includes Christlike virtues expressed in the life and in good work, with growing love for the Saviour and discernment of what is excellent. It belongs with increasing love, knowledge, discernment, and sincere blameless conduct until the day of Christ, as part of the light the church is to shine.
Being filled means constant, intelligent advancement in the knowledge of Christ as a higher standard to reach. It is the duty and privilege of Christians to keep advancing toward that standard by using God-given talents in His service and by caring more for eternal things than for temporal wants. It presents a high standard God sets before His church, which believers should earnestly seek through prayer and expect to receive. That standard is attainable, for God does not require what His people cannot do, but provides power to pursue the full stature of Christian maturity, and the appeal applies to all the churches as they grow up into Christ their living Head.
This fruit-bearing is a positive necessity, proving discipleship, approving things that are excellent, and remaining sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Genuine truth received produces these fruits in the life and character, and righteousness bears fruit in a Christian life marked by righteousness. Those fruits include gentleness, kindness, patience, truthfulness, forbearance, and a Christlike spirit, and truth rooted in the heart is conveyed in words and actions that reflect the Master in truth and holiness. Even the way truth is defended must show such fruit.
Through Jesus Christ Alone
The fruits of righteousness come through Jesus Christ and bring glory and praise to God, belonging to a prayer for growing love, discernment, approval of what is excellent, and blameless sincerity until the day of Christ. A life united with Christ as the True Vine bears much fruit and bears witness to the truth, following surrender to God and the removal of selfishness and worldliness. Those who follow Christ are to be filled with these fruits and thereby reveal God's power in their lives, as part of a life marked by sincere faith and spiritual discernment. This united life expresses itself in holy joy and in a life that refreshes and brightens others, requiring Christian devotion, personal piety, and growth in knowing Christ rather than spiritual laziness as the higher standard believers are to reach.
Being filled comes only through a vital, living connection with Christ as branches abide in the Vine, absorbing sap and nourishment from Him in order to bear like fruit. It comes only by union with Christ and having the Spirit of Christ, by beholding Christ with a life changed into obedience including loving and courteous speech, and by seeking the light, embracing the promises by faith, and becoming channels of light. This fruit-bearing is a positive necessity that proves discipleship, approves excellent things, and keeps believers sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, so that the Father is glorified when they bear much fruit and let their light shine before men in good works. Walking in that light glorifies the heavenly Father by blessing and saving others rather than seeking own pleasure, ease, honor or glory, requiring earnest watching for souls for whom Christ gave His life and fruitfulness in all good works, condemning easy, hesitating ways and sickly piety.
In the apostasy man alienated himself from God in a wide and fearful separation, but Christ made provision to connect fallen humanity with Himself again. The power of evil is so identified with human nature that no one can overcome it except by that union, and through it moral and spiritual power is received, and this holds true for all Christ's followers, with the fruit then brought forth honoring and blessing other people and glorifying God. Such growth toward approving what is excellent and being increasingly filled depends on a living connection with God and is shown in Christlike character that others can see. Half-hearted service does not produce these fruits; God's grace, given for Christ's sake to believers, brings them forth to save people and reveal to the universe the perfection of Christ's character.
The fruits appear after humbling confession of sin that is deeply humiliating to the soul yet essential for the fruit to appear. Bearing fruit to God's glory requires workers to have the defects in their own lives removed, with those who minister first cleansed before they can bear that fruit.
Unto God's Glory Alone
The fruits of righteousness are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God, and the life God desires is a life pleasing to Him and filled with that righteous fruit. This fullness belongs with love abounding still more in knowledge and all judgment, with discerning and approving what is excellent, and with remaining sincere and without offense and blameless until the day of Christ. It comes only through a vital, living connection with Christ, as branches abide in the Vine and prove discipleship by bearing much fruit. Its end is that the Father is glorified when believers bear much fruit and let their light shine before men in good works, revealing God's power in their lives in words and conduct marked by love, courtesy, and Christian politeness.
The fruit thus brought forth honors and blesses other people and glorifies God. In whatever circumstances the Christian is placed, by finding His grace sufficient, by fulfilling every responsibility and meeting obstacles and difficulties with courage, with the eye single to the glory of God, love abounds more and more, excellent things are approved, and life is filled with righteous fruit produced by Christ Jesus to the glory and praise of God so that growth and spiritual progress appear to all. This holds true for all Christ's followers, for in the apostasy man alienated himself from God in a wide and fearful separation, but Christ made provision to connect fallen humanity with Himself again, and through union with Him and having His Spirit moral and spiritual power is received to overcome evil identified with human nature. Unless growth continues the experience retrogrades and becomes sickly and fruitless, for the Father is glorified in much fruit-bearing.
Being filled requires sanctifying grace, a higher standard, a living connection with God, and a constant supply of His grace unto the glory and praise of God. It means being an ever-growing Christian with strong faith, complete consecration, perfect love, ardent zeal, patience, longsuffering, kindness and compassion, and steady advancement in the knowledge and love of Christ, serving as a guide and example and exercising spiritual discernment. It requires keeping the eye single to the glory of God, avoiding too many worrying burdens, grasping the promises of God, pressing close to Jesus, encouraging tenderness and compassion, and improving every means of grace so that love abounds more and more and gives wisdom from above to approve excellent things, on which present and future usefulness depends. Each believer must test this in himself by examining whether he is in the faith and proving his own self, employing every means to maintain the warmth and purity of Christian love.
It means having Jesus working upon the life at all times and in all places, with a course in harmony with the Spirit of Christ. The fruits are works wrought in God, proving that the Spirit of God has controlling power to subdue and sanctify the nature and place Christ's mold upon the character, and that the powers God gives are used unselfishly to glorify Him. When a selfish spirit prevails and the blessings God gives are perverted to selfish purposes, the fruits borne declare that Christ is not working and the Spirit is not controlling.
Growth Toward Blameless Maturity
Being filled is Christian growth producing righteous fruit through Jesus Christ to God's glory and praise, as part of a life that grows in love, discerns what is excellent, and remains sincere and without offense until the day of Christ. Bearing that fruit requires Christian devotion, personal piety, and growth in knowing Christ rather than spiritual laziness, with pure Christlike love toward God and all associates and ceasing to be self-centered. Neglecting spiritual growth leaves a person fruitless, while growing in grace and abounding in love bears much fruit that glorifies the Father.
It is gained by using every means of grace so that love keeps growing, heavenly wisdom is received, and what is excellent is chosen and approved. This means employing every means to maintain the warmth and purity of Christian love, letting love abound yet more and more. Such a course prepares a person for any difficult or dangerous work in Christ's line, makes spiritual progress and profiting plain to all, and reshapes the Christian life into a different mold without which the kingdom of heaven will not be seen. For one placed as guide and example, steady advancement in the knowledge and love of Christ with spiritual discernment and the eye single to God's glory multiplies right fruit among those under his charge.
It requires self-examination in the light of Scripture to see motives, thoughts, words and deeds, becoming meek as a little child and laying human wisdom in the dust. Each believer must test himself by examining whether he is in the faith and proving his own self. The ever-growing Christian lives in strong faith, complete consecration, perfect love, ardent zeal, patience, longsuffering, kindness and compassion, serving as a guide and example. That life depends on sanctifying grace, a living connection with God, a constant supply of His grace, grasping God's promises, pressing close to Jesus, avoiding too many worrying burdens, and improving every means of grace so love abounds and gives wisdom from above to approve excellent things, on which present and future usefulness depends.
The fruits provide evidence of whether a person is in the faith. Examining the past year means judging thoughts, temper, purposes, words, and actions by the Bible's standard and asking whether these fruits have testified for or against one's faith and whether the Christian life meets that standard. God has provided what is needed for growth toward the full stature of Christ, so each year should bring greater purity and perfection of character. Unovercome defects in character will separate a person from God and bar entry to heaven.
Being filled means revealing righteousness in the life through true conversion. After conviction, repentance, faith in Christ, and pardon for sin, the person ceases to do evil and learns to do well, and grows in grace and in the knowledge of God. He sacrifices to separate from the world, fights against natural inclinations and selfish desires, brings the will into subjection to the will of Christ, and daily seeks grace to obey. In humble, grateful dependence on Christ's help with a new heart, self-love is dethroned, God reigns supreme, the sins once loved are hated, and the path of holiness is followed firmly and resolutely.
Unless growth continues the experience retrogrades and becomes sickly and fruitless, for the Father is glorified in much fruit-bearing by fulfilling every responsibility and meeting obstacles and difficulties with courage, finding His grace sufficient with the eye single to God's glory. God intended His church, which He carefully planted and nurtured, to bear fruits of righteousness. Instead it turned toward earthly and human supports and produced the corrupt fruit of a degenerate vine, contrary to His expectation. So Israel, having received God's gifts to bless the world, was sought by Jesus for self-sacrifice, compassion, zeal for God, and concern for others' salvation in unselfish service after the pattern of Christ's work, but by refusing to share its blessings it became barren, and the withered fig tree showed the ruin that comes when God's grace is removed and people refuse to impart blessing.
Fruit Seen in Daily Life
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness means genuine truth received produces gentleness, kindness, patience, truthfulness, forbearance, and a Christlike spirit in life and character, and the very way truth is defended must show the same spirit. It means a heart shaped by gratitude and praise that recognizes God as the giver of blessings, living near to God through Jesus Christ to His glory and praise. It means Christlike sympathy, kindly concern and kindly interest for fellow workers, and readiness to help and rejoice in helping them, an influence that shines to others and brings sanctifying benefit to the church. A teaching that produces a hostile, unchristlike spirit gives evidence that truth has not sanctified the heart and does not bear these fruits.
The fruit is expressed in words and conduct marked by love, courtesy, Christian politeness, self-control, well-ordered conduct, godly speech, and Christlike behavior, to be evident in all who follow Christ and to bring praise and glory to God. It appears when Christ is formed within through a transformed character, and when truth rooted in the heart bears fruit in words and actions that convey truth and holiness, reflect the Master, and reflect the character of Christ. Such words and actions edify others and exert a saving influence, strengthening the church, showing Christ's character to the world, and preparing the person to hear the Lord's commendation and enter His joy. A life wholly consecrated to God becomes fruitful in good in this way.
Righteousness bears fruit in conduct where words bless and encourage, while cruel speech and unkind thoughts do not bear it. Seeking honor rightly means obeying truth and honoring Christ rather than striving for position or recognition. The fruits appear when those who know the truth work together with God, revealed through self-sacrificing missionary service and the love of God shown in ministry to others. Denying self and sacrificing for the good of others, following Christ's example of living to bless others, overcomes selfishness so believers can work with Christ, makes truth attractive and displays its value to unbelievers, awakens people to sin, selfishness and sinfulness, turns them from sin to righteousness, and leads them to believe God's Word.
When believers are wholly consecrated to God their lives produce much good and persuade people to turn from sin, seen in Christlike character, unselfish love, harmony with fellow believers, and willingness to sacrifice for others. Righteousness bears fruit in unselfish service doing the work Christ did in self-sacrifice, compassion, zeal for God, and concern for others' salvation, for Israel had received God's gifts to bless the world and keeping God's law would have led to that unselfish work. Refusing to share blessings makes barren, as shown when Israel became barren like the withered fig tree revealing ruin when grace is removed and blessing is refused to be imparted. Training children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord likewise yields fruit unto eternal righteousness through God's work in people and prepares them for eternal life.
Being filled means reproof is bound up with words of encouragement, given with cheerfulness without lightness and trifling, with faithfulness and prayer for discernment and a wholesome Christlike spirit. Sincerity means being true to one's brother, never doing him wrong or suffering him to be unfaithful in duty, doing no haphazard work but carrying Christ's spirit in all dealings. It means keeping rooms and workplaces in healthful condition that God can approve, and giving youth wise, sincere Christian counsel and oversight instead of severity and harshness. The call is to bring forth fruits unto righteousness such as have not yet been brought forth, by stopping to consider, giving oneself unreservedly to God's work instead of pleasing self, and working by Christ's standard instead of the world's. God waits to see whether this fruit will appear, its absence fashions others to spiritual injury, and its presence requires entire change from vanity, pride, love of dress and self-will to the meek and quiet spirit precious in God's sight.
Walking in the light to glorify the Father in blessing and saving others rather than seeking own pleasure, ease, honor or glory, with earnest watching for souls for whom Christ gave His life and fruitfulness in all good works, condemns easy-going, hesitating ways and sickly piety that God does not approve. Righteousness bears good fruit, but reformation alone cannot produce it unless joined with the Spirit's revival of spiritual life; revival and reformation must work together for good fruit to appear. God as responsible, reasoning beings expects people to bear this fruit after accepting the gospel and believing His Word, and rest in Jesus comes from willingly yoking to Christ.