Unfruitfulness

A lack of fruitfulness, whether material or spiritual, which is often seen as a sign of God's disfavour or anger.

Unfruitfulness as a moral or spiritual condition

Matthew 21:19 parallel Mark 11:14 See also Job 15:32–33; Ezekiel 17:9, Ezekiel 19:10–12; Matthew 21:43; Hebrews 6:7–8

Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.

Reasons for unfruitfulness

Disobedience

Leviticus 26:18–20 See also Deuteronomy 11:17, Deuteronomy 28:15–16; Psalm 78:46, Psalm 107:33–34; Isaiah 5:10, Isaiah 32:10; Hosea 8:7; Haggai 2:19

And if after all this you will not obey Me, I will proceed to punish you sevenfold for your sins. I will break down your stubborn pride and make your sky like iron and your land like bronze, and your strength will be spent in vain. For your land will not yield its produce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit.

A continuing preoccupation with the world

Matthew 13:22 parallels Mark 4:19, Luke 8:14

The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

A broken relationship with Jesus Christ

John 15:4 See also John 15:6

Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.

Some results of unfruitfulness

Unfruitfulness condemned

Isaiah 5:1–7

Unfruitfulness leads to rejection

Matthew 3:8–10 parallel Luke 3:9; Matthew 7:19

Unfruitfulness retrieved

Luke 13:6–9 The parable holds out the possibility of restoration.

Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine. But if not, you can cut it down.’”

Discipline with a view to renewed fruitfulness

John 15:2

He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.