…and unproductive…
Summary: Productivity is not really a biblical concept, but fruitfulness is. Peter is helping us understand the kind of person Jesus wants us to be.
The full sentence we are looking at reads, “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Peter suggests that not having these qualities he has listed means we are unproductive. Is that a bad thing? Looking at the Greek, we find that the word used for “unproductive” is akarpos which also means “unfruitful.” In fact, the NIV is in the minority on this particular translation. A majority of English translations use the word “unfruitful” instead of “unproductive.”
Does that make a difference?
The word “fruit” comes up in the Bible quite often. The NIV Bible never uses the word “productive,” so it is difficult to see the relationship. Yet in the Greek, “karpos,” meaning fruit, is often used and, “akarpos” means without-fruit or unfruitful, so there is an obvious connection.
Let us take a look at that connection. In John 15: 1-8 Jesus tells us:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
We show ourselves to be Jesus’ disciples by bearing fruit. Are there consequences for not bearing fruit?
This is a difficult thing to understand. I firmly believe that our Lord Jesus is a kind and generous God. In John 3, he tells Nicodemus, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:14-15)
The standard for salvation here is simply belief in Jesus. So then the question becomes, can a person believe and not bear fruit? I think that the answer is no. My personal opinion is that belief in Jesus changes us. This is why it is so dangerous for us mere humans to play God and judge people’s fitness for heaven by human standards. Humans can be fooled, but not God.
Your belief is a very personal issue between you and God. Are you fruitful? Peter has given us a simple list of things to do to strengthen our faith and become fruitful. Are you trying to be good? Do you want to know more about Jesus? Can you feel yourself making an effort at self-control? These are signs that your belief is real.
It is not for me or anyone else to judge how well you are doing. That is between you and Jesus. Remember that. Jesus loves you more than anything. He let himself be tortured and killed to buy your soul back from hell. Do not let anyone pass judgment on your fitness for heaven. Only our Lord can do that. On the other hand, never take the love of our Lord for granted.
John 3 continues with this quote from our Lord: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:18)
The words Peter has written in his letter are not just happy talk. He is not telling us how to keep busy while we wait for our appointment with death. This stuff is about life after death, or, in the case of being unfruitful, eternal death.
Application: Take Peter’s advice and avoid being unfruitful.
Food for Thought: How does being fruitful in the ways that Peter has outlined affect the body of Christ?
How does being fruitful in the ways that Peter has outlined affect the body of Christ?
Jesus said in Mark 3: 24-25 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” If we as the body of Christ are divided against ourselves we (collectively) and we (individually) will be unfruitful. However if we truly allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and we bear the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, forbearance,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) we truly have a capability and capacity to be fruitful and be a witness of God’s love and power.
Chris,
Thank you! Having a witness as a body of Christ is many times more powerful than an individual’s witness.
It affects the body of Christ because these characteristics build up and edify the body of Christ.
There are many benefits to being fruitful. The passage states that it allows us to grow in knowing Jesus. That is extremely valuable. Fruitfulness also produces characteristics that help others and build up the body of Christ. To know Christ and build up His body is produce worth pursuing.
Rich,
Building others up is an important topic for study. I think of Matthew 7: 1-5 and the importance of self-examination. Then I think of Hebrews 3:13 and the importance of encouraging each other.
Being fruitful in the church body can open up opportunities for others in the church body to use their spiritual gifts
Great thought, Rob!
That is true. Being connected to Christ nurtures other’s connection to Christ as well.
I have had a hard time understanding just what fruitful means,..
Growing up,..being a fruit meant that person was gay,..
Fruit is sweet to eat,..and I love some good fresh fruit,..no doubt about that,..it’s not like I can produce something delicious from my fingertips. But as I grew and then reading the Bible I found out the fruitfulness is kinda like the good things we do are multiplied because others will see and want to do,..
What strikes me is when Jesus was walking out of town and cursed the fig tree for it to never bear fruit again,..and it withered,..talk about the power His word has,..and to think that He gave us that same power,..I would much rather speak life into others than to curse them and have them whither,..the verse Ephesians 4:29 comes to mind,..
Encouraging others is important to produce growth to experience fruitfulness,..and that affects others and when it shows,..it’s time for the harvest
Thank you, John.
You offer us a wonderful illustration of biblical fruitfulness: Sharing the good that Jesus has done for us by doing good for others. Then getting to see that good multiplied when others do the same.