This passage contains a brief but powerful parable—a heartfelt and earnest plea from the Lord for us to bear the fruit of repentance. Through this parable, Jesus is urging us to take heed of His message. He has already warned us that unless we repent, we will all perish. But repentance isn’t just about feeling sorry—it’s about change, a transformation that produces visible fruit. This is the final, serious warning.

To illustrate this, think of the warning issued by the United States to the people of Japan during World War II. They were told of the impending nuclear bomb and urged to evacuate. It was a matter of life and death, and many perished because they didn’t heed the warning. In contrast, the people of Nineveh listened to Jonah’s warning and repented, sparing their lives (Jonah 3:4-5).

Luke 13:6-9 presents a parable with two applications: one for the nation of Israel and one for the individual. The fig tree, common in Israel, symbolizes Israel itself, with the vineyard representing the nation. In the Old Testament, God judges Israel for failing to bear fruit due to sin and idolatry (Isaiah 5:2-3, Hosea 2:12). On an individual level, each sinner is like a fig tree, needing genuine repentance that bears fruit. Repentance without fruit is not true repentance.

Why must repentance bear fruit? Because God has the right to fruit. 

God has the right because everything belongs to God. Everything we have is borrowed from Him, and we are entirely dependent on His provision. Nothing is truly ours, and we cannot act outside of His authority “The earth is Yahweh’s, and everything in it.”(Psalm 24:1-2) Even our very breath belongs to God. “We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out.” (1 Timothy 6:7) We are stewards, not owners. God owns us and created us with a purpose: to repent and bear fruit. As our Creator, He has the right to call us to this purpose. His desire is for all people to be saved, and the means He has set for salvation is through repentance.

God has the right because it’s His moral expectation. “He came seeking fruit on it and did not find any” God planted fig trees so He could have figs. He did not want apples or oranges but figs. From the beginning, bearing fruit was the original plan for Adam and Eve and all mankind (Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:7). God is the faithful vineyard owner that took great care of the fig trees. This is why he expected to see fruit. Whether little or big, there was an expectation of fruit.

Therefore, bearing fruit is the sign we are in alignment with God and our obedience to Him (Matthew 7:16) It is the evidence of our inner nature. Before conversion we can only bear the fruit of wickedness but after we repent and are converted then we live life according to God’s will even in the face of great adversity and suffering. (Acts 20:23-24) It is what you are on the inside that produces what you have on the outside. A good tree bears good fruit. You cannot lie to your heart. Regarding the necessity to bear fruit, R. C. Sproul said, “We are justified by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone. True faith always manifests itself in the fruits of repentance and good works. Good works don’t justify us but if they’re not there, that’s evidence that there is no real faith.” This is God’s expectation of the trees He plants and cultivates.

To bear fruit, we must repent. However not all repentance is genuine. Here are some signs of fake repentance:

• Faith without obedience – A faith that does not obey is not true faith. Eventually, it reveals itself as false. Like Esau, false repentance desires God’s blessings but does not seek true transformation through repentance (Hebrews 12:16-17).
• Seeking Blessings, Not God – Fake repentance is self-centered. It desires God’s favor but not God Himself. It is driven by personal gain rather than a love for God.
• Habitual or Deliberate Sin – Continuing in deliberate sin without genuine remorse is a sign of an unrepentant heart. True repentance results in a transformed life.
• Fear in Crisis, But No Lasting Change – Some only “repent” out of fear during a crisis. Like Ahab, who tore his clothes and mourned when God pronounced judgment, but his repentance was shallow and temporary (1 Kings 22:8).
• Mere Conviction Without Change – Repentance is more than feeling guilty or saying “I’m sorry.” It is not just avoiding a few major sins but a complete turning away from sin and self.

A. W. Pink describes true repentance as a total surrender to God: “In saving repentance, the whole soul turns to Him and says: ‘I have been a disloyal and rebellious creature. I have scorned Thy high authority and most rightful law. I will live no longer thus. I now desire and determine with all my might to serve and obey Thee as my only Lord. I subject myself unto Thee, to submit to Thy will…’”

True repentance:

• Surrendering Everything to God – Repentance is giving up all that you are and have and accepting what God offers and God is now the central figure in your life. It is turning away from self and turning into God. As a result, every action and circumstance is an opportunity to glorify God.
• Poor in spirit – Matthew 5:3 says the poor in spirit is true repentance. It is acknowledging there is nothing good in me but completely relying on God
• A Change in Attitude Towards Sin – True repentance shifts from tolerating sin to hating it because sin offends God. Loving God’s Word and hating sin gives glory to Him (Psalm 119:104).
• Does not compromise – It is not just being a Christian on Sundays but living for Christ every day, in every area of life.
• Pursuing Sanctification – The more we realize how terrible sin is, the more we desire a pure heart (Psalm 51:10). True repentance leads to a pursuit of holiness.
• Continual – We cannot repent or live perfectly, so true repentance is ongoing. It is a daily turning to God, recognizing our constant need for His grace.

Lastly, God has the right to punish those who do not bear fruit. “For three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down!“ (Luke 13:7) For three years He has given perfect and complete care, waiting patiently for fruit, yet there is none. God asks, “Why does it even use up the ground?” Not only is the unfruitful fig tree useless but they are harmful. They must be cut down because they use the ground that others could use. Bearing fruit is not neutral but detrimental to others. For example, there are those who are churched but not true Christians. Eventually, when they face correction or don’t get what they want, they turn against the church, causing disunity and attacking others. A lack of fruit will eventually reveal itself as a lack of true repentance. This is God’s final warning that He will eventually punish those who do not bear fruit.

Remember repentance is a gift of God. It is God’s litmus test to those who are truly saved or not. True repentance bears fruit.  It is God’s right to expect the fruit of repentance. He has the right because we belong to Him. It is also God’s right to expect the fruit of repentance. He has the right to punish when there is no fruit as He intended and desired. This is Jesus’ earnest plea to us in order to avoid God’s righteous judgement and receive His mercy. Repent.