How to be Fruitful for the Lord - Carla D Burnette

How can we be fruitful and effective for our Lord? 

Scripture provides an illustration of Jesus as the vine and believers as the branches in John 15:1-6. When we abide in Jesus, we will bear much fruit. The opposite is also true. Apart from Jesus, we are unable to bear fruit. When we are cut off from the vine, we start to wither, becoming useless and ineffective. I don’t think any of us want to be described as useless. Let’s turn to another Scripture passage and continue learning how to be fruitful for the Lord.

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-8 ESV).

In my previous post (Keys to Living a Godly Life), we learned that God has given us everything we need to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3). Because of this, we are to make every effort to supplement our faith with the qualities listed above. By continuing to grow in these characteristics, we become fruitful for the Lord.

Christlike Qualities

Let’s study the meaning of these important qualities.

(NOTE: All definitions are from The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, unless otherwise specified.)

1. Virtue – “living to glorify God”

According to Merriam Webster’s dictionary, virtue means “conformity of one’s life and conduct to moral and ethical principles”. For Christians, the moral and ethical principles we live by are found in God’s Word. Living according to His Word, honors God. 

While Jesus was here on earth, He fully submitted and obeyed the Father (John 6:38; 8:29). He lived to glorify the Father.

Are we imitating Jesus by living to glorify the Father? 

2. Knowledge – “responding to divine revelation”

When God provides understanding through His Word, the Holy Spirit, etc, we act on it. This may include repenting for conviction of sin, praising God for revealing more about Himself and praying how to apply what we learn.

Are we living out the Word and not just hearing it? (James 1:22). 

3. Self-control – “resisting sinful desires”

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

Submitting to the Holy Spirit each day enables us to resist our selfish desires. We take every thought captive and resist what does not line up with God’s Word (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Are we walking by the Spirit or giving in to our selfish desires?

4. Steadfastness – “not quitting until God releases you”

We do not give up no matter what we face until God calls us to our heavenly home. With our eyes fixed on Jesus, we remember the suffering, pain and rejection He experienced for us, so that we won’t grow weary and give up (Hebrews 12:3). When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us, providing comfort and strength during times of hardship (James 4:8a).

What is our attitude during times of hardship? .

5. Godliness – “seeking to please God with your choices”

The Biblical definition of godliness is “devotion to God”. Because we love God, we no longer live for ourselves, but for Him (2 Corinthians 5:16). We desire to please Him in all we do (2 Corinthians 5:9). 

Do we truly love God with all our heart, soul and strength? Are we living each day for Him?

6. Brotherly affection – “caring for the well-being of other members of God’s family”

All those who believe in Jesus Christ have been adopted into God’s family (Ephesians 1:5). Therefore, we are brothers and sisters in Christ. 

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (I Corinthians 12:26).

Do we demonstrate care for fellow believers?

7. Love – “compassionately and righteously seeking the well-being of others, including nonbelievers”

“This agapē [love] might be defined as a deliberate desire for the highest good of the one loved, which shows itself in sacrificial action for that person’s good. That is what God did for us (John 3:16). That is what He wants us to do (1 John 3:16).”

Tyndale New Testament Commentary

Loving others requires putting them above ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4). As we view people through God’s eyes, we value them like He values us.

Do we make sacrifices to demonstrate Christ’s love to others?

Our Commitment

Don’t be overwhelmed by this list of Christlike qualities. We have a lifetime to cultivate them. This requires allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us into the image of Christ and having a willing heart to obey. 

 In the meantime, write these verses down. Place them in your Bible or somewhere to periodically review them and assess your growth.

Let’s commit to put forth every effort to implement these Christlike qualities, so that we will be fruitful for the Lord. 

Father, Thank You that in You we have all we need. We humbly submit our lives to You and desire to glorify Your name. Help us to make every effort to supplement our faith with Christlike character for we want to be like Christ. We desire those around us to see You in us. We love You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Additional Scripture References

John 14:21, “The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love Him and will reveal Myself to him” (CSB).

Romans 6:12-13, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness” (ESV).

I John 4:19-21, “We love because He first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet hates his brother or sister, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother or sister whom he has seen cannot love God whom He has not seen. And we have this command from Him: The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister” (CSB).

Comment below which quality is the most challenging for you.

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