For the Multiplication of Goodness, Rghteousness and Truth

“The love-apples give a scent, and over our doors are all pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for You, O my Beloved.” (Song of Solomen 7:13)

The bride has protected and stored up fruit to present to her bridegroom. Keeping in mind that when we look at Solomon’s romantic poem of the love between a bride and bridegroom, it describes prophetically the love of the church and Jesus her Bridegroom as depicted in many Scriptures.

Naturally, fruit is the result of well-watered and healthy plants and trees. The fruit bears seed which when planted produce more plants and trees that bear more fruit and seeds. This fulfills God purpose for the earth, to replenish the earth, a mandate He gave Adam and Eve. The definition of replenish means to restore to a former level or condition. This opens up a slew of questions, opinions and theories. But we won’t go into that, only to mention that to replenish the earth was a mandate for Adam and Eve to multiply but also was God’s purpose in calling forth all manner of plants. Their sole purpose on earth is to multiply. He created in them through the fruit they bear the potential to multiply when they are healthy plants and trees.

With the understanding of what we know about plants and trees, we quickly realize we’re to multiply and replenish what was to be before the fall of man. That is our purpose. That is our mandate. “And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply and fill the earth, and subdue it...” (Genesis 1:28) Adam and Eve were to multiply themselves and replenish the earth with people.

It’s no coincidence that Jesus stipulated that we bear fruit. What did Jesus mean? Do you get the sense that we are to bear fruit with the seed that we have and multiply it? But what fruit was Jesus talking about? By the time Jesus walked the earth, there were plenty of people multiplying. He was not repeating God’s mandate from Genesis.

Let’s begin with what Jesus said about the fruit that we are to bear, keeping in mind that we have that potential in us. “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruits, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you shall know them.” (Matthew 7:15-20) Jesus made it very clear that we can know a person through their fruit. We think of good works, character, service and sacrifice indicating the fruit by which we judge whether a person is bearing good fruit. But John records a better explanation from Jesus. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to you. In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you shall be My disciples.” (John 15:4-8)

Jesus made some clarifications on the fruit we are to produce. First, we can’t bear fruit without Jesus. This fruit glorifies the Father. And by bearing fruit we will be His disciples. This is a little different than what we thought the fruit is because one can on his own effort, do good works, have a good character, do service and sacrifice.  There are many who are not in Jesus which fit this description. There are many good works, services and sacrifices that we can do without Jesus. Paul gives us a clue in his writing to the Ephesians. “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), proving what is acceptable to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8-10) When we are in the Lord, there is a fruit of the Spirit which is “...all goodness, righteousness and truth.” It is the only kind of fruit that is acceptable to the Lord. Makes us think twice about all the good works, services and sacrifices we did because of the flesh and because we wanted to do them instead of being in Jesus and allowing the Spirit to direct our works, services and sacrifices. Were they all goodness, all righteousness and truth? Only God inspired, God directed, and God led works, services and sacrifices are good, righteous and coming from Truth. Man’s righteousness is unclean like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) Filthy rags were the discarded menstrual rags. That’s how filthy our man inspired, man directed, and man led works look to the Lord.

Paul gives us a glance at the supernatural fruit we are to bear in Galatians. “But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) They are supernatural because they are foreign to man. Yes, we may love, but it’s far from the agape love God can develop in us. We lose our joy quickly in certain tough circumstances. And etc... We cannot produce this fruit without having Jesus in our hearts and the Holy Spirit indwelling. If we belong to Jesus, abide in Him and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, we will produce this fruit. I think the American church is far from this.

Summarizing, the church which is the bride of Jesus produces this fruit. We can present this fruit to our bridegroom, Jesus, much like Solomon’s bride presented her fruit to her bridegroom. It’s our bridal gift to the Lord. But we can’t produce it by our own effort. It’s a product of our life walking in the Spirit when we are in Jesus. This is acceptable to the Lord. This is supernatural fruit. This is fruit that is a sweet scent to the Lord.

Let us pray:

Father God, everything in Your purposes is for multiplication of goodness, righteousness and Truth. Help me to line up to Your purpose by being in Jesus, remaining in Him, in obedience to Your Word, walking in the Spirit and producing the fruit of the Spirit. I know bearing fruit is the outcome of life in You and walking in the Spirit. I know it’s a work of the Holy Spirit in me and that I cannot produce it without You and without walking in the Spirit. I yield to You Jesus. I yield to the Holy Spirit. I know that my fruit is barely budding my Lord, but I know that yielding to You and the Holy Spirit will mature the fruit. I thank You Lord that this is not done as a solitary work, but as a work within the church. I know that as Your children we are all in that process of producing fruit as a church to offer it to You, our bridegroom.  Lord, Your Word says iron sharpen iron. In unison with the brethren help us to learn to yield to a walk in the Spirit that bears sweet and mature fruit. Teach Your church Lord and lead us to that walk and in that walk. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.