Christian maturity — including obedience and loyalty to God — includes being fruitful. However, not everyone who names the name of Christ is fruitful.

Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8:14-15

You probably recognize those verses from Jesus explaining the parable of the sower to His disciples. What we see here is about people who hear the Word of God (“The seed is the word of God.” v 11) and “go out,” but their lives are “choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life.” What about their maturity? They “bring no fruit to maturity.” 

Out of the four types of people who hear the Gospel, only one group hears the word “with a noble and good heart” and “keep it and bear fruit with patience.” Jesus called that the “good ground.”

Being “fruitful” is key to Christian maturity. Mature Christians will “bear fruit.” It’s as simple as that.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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