Raised From the Dead to Bear Fruit

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God." (Romans 7: 4)

Trees do not bear fruit by striving in their own effort.

They bear fruit because they are sprouted from the tree, or the vine:

"1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 1-5)

Notice that Jesus did not say "try to be a branch." There can be no branch without the vine.

"Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also." (John 14: 19)

Jesus did not come to make us better people. He came to give us life, to give us Himself:

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10: 10)

and then

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14: 6)

We have died with Christ, and now we live because of Him, too:

"20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2: 20-21)

and also

"3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3: 3-4)

We have this life because of His righteousness:

"That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romamns 5: 21)

This righteousness enables us to bear fruit:

"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 11Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1: 9-11)

Peter writes about our transfer from death to life, and the fruit that we bear because of it:

We receive the life of Christ because we have received His righteousness, no longer dead in our trespasses, but alive and seated in heavenly places with Him (Ephesians 2: 1-6)

Raised form the dead, we bear the fruit of the Spirit who lives and dwells in us today (Galatians 5: 22-23)