When students understand the implications of the truth they’re learning to their lives and put it into practice, they grow and spiritually mature and soon begin to bear spiritual fruit.
If students aren’t moving from application to “bearing fruit in every good work”, they are likely just going through the motions. Truth hasn’t truly taken root.
To Move from Application to Bearing Fruit Requires That the Word Has Taken Root
Jesus spoke a parable about different kinds of soil on which the seed of God’s Word falls (Matt. 13:1-23). Only good soil will produce a crop. Consequently, Bible teachers who want to see students move from application to bearing fruit must understand, to the best of their ability, the condition of their students’ hearts in order to properly cultivate it.
Hardened soil would need to be broken up and softened. While both rocky and thorny soil would need to be cleaned of its debris, removing rocks versus thorny weeds takes different approaches. From this teachers can see that a “one size fits all” approach is not the best way to fruitful results.
Fruitfulness Takes Cultivation But Ultimately God Brings the Growth
Cultivating soil may require tilling, fertilizing, and watering for planted seed to take root, grow, and ultimately bear fruit. God, in His grace, allows us as teachers to be co-workers with Him in this process (1 Cor. 3:7-9). We must always remember, however, that ultimately God is the One who brings the growth.
So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (1 Cor. 3:7)
Consequently, when students bear fruit as a result of our teaching, let’s thank God for the privilege of being a part of their journey but ultimately give God the glory. God could have done it without us but chose to use us in the process.
And, let’s guard against making students feel dependent on us to learn and grow. Let’s teach them how to cultivate and nurture their hearts on their own. Remember that Jesus said, “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.” (Jn. 15:5) — Here are some tools to help students learn to do that: