934. That fruits symbolize the good works that a person does out of love or charity is, indeed, something known without confirmation from the Word, for no one who reads the Word interprets fruits to mean anything else.
Fruits symbolize the goods of love or charity because a person is likened to a tree and is also called a tree (nos. 89, 400).
That fruits symbolize the goods of love or charity, which in common speech are called good works, may be seen from the following passages:
...the ax is laid to the root of the tree. Every tree... which does not bear good fruit shall be cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:10, cf. 7:16-20)
Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten; ...a tree is known by its fruit. (Matthew 12:33, cf. Luke 6:43-44)
Every branch... that does not bear fruit (shall be taken away); and every branch that bears fruit (shall be pruned), that it may bear more fruit... He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit... (John 15:2-8).
...bear fruits worthy of repentance... (Matthew 3:8)
He who received seed on the good ground is someone who hears the Word and heeds it (and) bears fruit... (Matthew 13:23)
(Jesus said to His disciples,) ."..I chose you... that you should... bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain... (John 15:16)
A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; he came seeking fruit on it and found none. He said to the keeper of his vineyard, ."..Cut it down; why should it render the ground fruitless?" (Luke 13:6-9)
...a certain householder... leased (his vineyard) to husbandmen..., that (he) might receive its fruit. But the husbandmen (killed) his servants (that he sent to them)..., and last of all... his son... (Therefore he) will lease his vineyard to (others) who will render to him the fruits in their seasons... Therefore... the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it. (Matthew 21:33-35, 37-39, 41, 43)
And so on in many other places.
