God's Work in Us to Produce Lasting Fruit

The concept of God working in believers to produce lasting fruit is deeply rooted in biblical teaching, emphasizing divine enablement for righteous living. This "fruit" refers to good works, spiritual virtues, and the positive outcomes of a life transformed by God's grace ^{[4, 13]}.

The Bible frequently uses agricultural imagery to describe spiritual fruitfulness. Just as the earth yields its produce through divine provision ^{[3, 5]}, believers are expected to bear fruit. This imagery extends to the idea of God giving the increase, as seen in the creation account where God fructifies the earth by His word ^[14]. The term "fruit" in Scripture can denote general produce, whether vegetable or animal, and even offspring ^[7]. Spiritually, it encompasses "fruits meet for repentance" (Matthew 3:8), "fruits of righteousness" (Philippians 1:11), and "works and labours of love" (Hebrews 6:10) ^[4].

A key passage illustrating God's active role is Ephesians 2:10, which states, "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life" ^[2]. This verse highlights that good works are not merely human endeavors but are divinely pre-ordained and enabled. Similarly, Philippians 2:13 affirms, "For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure." This suggests that both the desire and the ability to perform good works originate from God ^[10]. John Calvin, in his commentary on Philippians, notes that such fruits "flow from the grace of Christ," as believers are "ingrafted into Christ, who by his living root makes us fruitbearing" ^[9].

The production of spiritual fruit is not a solitary human effort but a cooperative one with God. Ministers of the Gospel are described as "labourers together with God" ^[11]. This partnership underscores that while human effort is involved, the ultimate power and efficacy come from God. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, explains that the "fruit of the Spirit" arises from "divine influence efficacy, and bounty," rather than from human power or natural principles ^[12]. He further clarifies that the earth bringing forth fruit "of herself" (Mark 4:23) does not imply that humans can produce spiritual fruit independently; rather, it points to the divine influence necessary for growth ^[15].

The nature of this fruit includes various virtues. Patience, for instance, is a fruit that should have its "perfect work" (James 1:4) and is exercised in "bringing forth fruits" (Luke 8:15) ^[6]. Faith itself is described as "fruitful" ^[8]. These fruits are ultimately "by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God" ^{[4, 9]}. The Psalmist prays for God to "establish for us the work of our hands" ^[1], indicating a desire for divine blessing and permanence upon human efforts. This divine establishment ensures that the fruit produced is not fleeting but lasting.

Sources

Psalms “Psalms 90:17 (BSB) — May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands— yes, establish the work of our hands!”
Ephesians “Ephesians 2:10 (BSB) — For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”
Psalms “Psalms 67:6 (LEB) — The earth has yielded its produce. God, our God, will bless us.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Works, Good — Christ, an example of -- Joh 10:32; Ac 10:38. Called Good fruits. -- Jas 3:17. Fruits meet for repentance. -- Mt 3:8. Fruits of righteousness. -- Php 1:11. Works and labours of love. -- Heb 6:10. Are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God -- Php 1:11. They alone, who abide in Christ can perform -- Joh 15:4,5. Wrought by God in us -- Isa 26:12; Php 2:13. The Scripture designed to lead us to -- 2Ti 3:16,17; Jas 1:25. To be performed in Christ's name -- Col 3:17. Heavenly wisdom is full of -- Jas 3:17. Justification unattainable by -- Ro 3:20; Ga 2”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fruits — The produce of corn, & c -- De 22:9; Ps 107:37. The produce of trees -- Ge 1:29; Ec 2:5. Called the Fruit of the ground. -- Ge 4:3; Jer 7:20. Fruit of the earth. -- Isa 4:2. Increase of the land. -- Ps 85:12. Given by God -- Ac 14:17. Preserved to us by God -- Mal 3:11. Require A fruitful land. -- Ps 107:31. Rain from heaven. -- Ps 104:13; Jas 5:18. Influence of the sun and moon. -- De 33:14. Produced in their due seasons -- Mt 21:41. First of, devoted to God -- De 26:2. Divided into Hasty or precocious. -- Isa 28:4. Summer fruits. -- 2Sa 16:1. New and old. ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Patience — God, is the God of -- Ro 15:5. Christ, an example of -- Isa 53:7; Ac 8:32; Mt 27:14. Enjoined -- Tit 2:2; 2Pe 1:6. Should have its perfect work -- Jas 1:4. Trials of saints lead to -- Ro 5:3; Jas 1:3. Produces Experience. -- Ro 5:4. Hope. -- Ro 15:4. Suffering with, for well-doing, is acceptable with God -- 1Pe 2:20. To be exercised Running the race set before us. -- Heb 12:1. Bringing forth fruits. -- Lu 8:15. Well-doing. -- Ro 2:7; Ga 6:9. Waiting for God. -- Ps 37:7; 40:1. Waiting for Christ. -- 1Co 1:7; 2Th 3:5. Waiting for the hope of the gospel. -- R”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Fruit — A word as used in Scripture denoting produce in general, whether vegetable or animal. The Hebrews divided the fruits of the land into three classes:, (1.) The fruit of the field, "corn-fruit" (Heb. dagan); all kinds of grain and pulse. (2.) The fruit of the vine, "vintage-fruit" (Heb. tirosh); grapes, whether moist or dried. (3.) "Orchard-fruits" (Heb. yitshar), as dates, figs, citrons, etc. Injunctions concerning offerings and tithes were expressed by these Hebrew terms alone (Num. 18:12; Deut. 14:23). This word "fruit" is also used of children or offspring ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Faith — Is the substance of things hoped for -- Heb 11:1. Is the evidence of things not seen -- Heb 11:1. Commanded -- Mt 11:22; 1Jo 3:23. The objects of, are God. -- Joh 14:1. Christ. -- Joh 6:29; Ac 20:21. Writings of Moses. -- Joh 5:46; Ac 24:14. Writings of the prophets. -- 2Ch 20:20; Ac 26:27. The gospel. -- Mr 1:15. Promises of God. -- Ro 4:21; Heb 11:13. In Christ is The gift of God. -- Ro 12:3; Eph 2:8; 6:23; Php 1:29. The work of God. -- Ac 11:21; 1Co 2:5. Precious. -- 2Pe 1:1. Most holy. -- Jude 1:20. Fruitful. -- 1Th 1:3. Accompanied by repentance. -- Mr 1”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 5.7: works. Hence he desires that they may be fruitful in good works for the glory of God. Such fruits, he says, are by Christ, because they flow from the grace of Christ. For the beginning of our well-doing is, when we are sanctified by his Spirit, for he rested upon him, that we might all receive of his fullness. ( John 1:16 .) And as Paul here derives a similitude from trees, we are wild olive-trees, ( Romans 11:24 ,) and unproductive, until we are ingrafted into Christ, who by his living root makes us fruitbearing tr”
Philippians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Philippians 2:13: For--encouragement to work: "For it is God who worketh in you," always present with you, though I be absent. It is not said, "Work out your own salvation, though it is God," &c., but, "because it is God who," &c. The will, and the power to work, being first instalments of His grace, encourage us to make full proof of, and carry out to the end, the "salvation" which He has first "worked," and is still "working in" us, enabling us to "work it out." "Our will does nothing thereunto without grace; but grace is inactive without our will" [ST. BERNARD].”
1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 3:9: For we are labourers together with God,.... The ministers of the Gospel are labourers in the Lord's vineyard, and not loiterers; their work is a laborious work, both to body and mind; which lies in close study and meditation, in diligent reading and constant prayer, in frequent ministration of the word, and administration of ordinances; besides reproofs, admonitions, and exhortations, counsels, and instructions, which are often necessary: it is a work, which no man is sufficient for of himself; what requires diligence, industry, and faithfulness; is honourable, ”
Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 5:21: But the fruit of the Spirit,.... Not of nature or man's free will, as corrupted by sin, for no good fruit springs from thence; but either of the internal principle of grace, called the Spirit, Gal 5:17 or rather of the Holy Spirit, as the Ethiopic version reads it; the graces of which are called "fruit", and not "works", as the actions of the flesh are; because they are owing to divine influence efficacy, and bounty, as the fruits of the earth are, to which the allusion is; and not to a man's self, to the power and principles of nature; and because they arise from ”
Philippians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Philippians 1:11: Being filled with the fruits of righteousness,.... Good works. Some think alms deeds, or acts of liberality and bounty, are here particularly intended; and that respect is had to the generosity of these Philippians to the apostle, and others: and true it is, that these are sometimes so called, as in Co2 9:10, but rather good works in general are meant, which are called "fruits", because, like fruits, they spring from a seed, even from the incorruptible seed of grace in the heart, implanted there in regeneration; and because they are owing, as the fruits of the ea”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 5.19: earth bring forth grass Hitherto the earth was naked and barren, now the Lord fructifies it by his word. For though it was already destined to bring forth fruit, yet till new virtue proceeded from the mouth of God, it must remain dry and empty. For neither was it naturally fit to produce anything, nor had it a germinating principle from any other source, till the mouth of the Lord was opened. For what David declares concerning the heavens, ought also to be extended to the earth; that it was ‘made by the word of the Lord, and was a”
Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 4:23: For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself,.... Without any further help, or cultivation from the husbandman; though under the influence of the sun, dews, and showers of rain from heaven: this is said, not to denote that man of himself, upon hearing the word, can bring forth the fruit of grace in himself; he cannot regenerate himself, nor quicken, nor convert himself; he cannot believe in Christ, nor love the Lord of himself; nor repent of his sin, nor begin, or carry on the good work; he can neither sanctify his heart, nor mortify the deeds of the body; or even brin”

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