Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, Matthew 3:8
Every type of plant has some very specific type of fruit that it bears. As long as the plant is watered and fed correctly, it will always bear that specific fruit. When it changes what type of fruit it bears, it shows that there is a problem with the nutrition it is receiving or that something else has infiltrated it and taken it over
Matthew records John the Baptist telling the Pharisees and Sadducees to bear fruits worthy of repentance.
Every day there are men and women who commit all different types of crimes or harm to others. Some of the things done can be tried in a court of law with severe punishment, while other things are harmful, but not bad enough to be tried.
Many people have been caught doing wrong and are tried in court. As they stand before the judge, they request leniency and repent for what they did wrong. The judge then lets them go free. Shortly afterward, they go back out and commit the crime again. There is no fruit with their repentance.
In the church, there are many who have gone before God and repented of some specific sins. God, in His great love and mercy, forgives them and does not punish them. However, instead of changing and bearing the fruit of God, they claim His grace and go back to their sin and bear the fruit of sin.
Believers are to be changed into a new creation with a renewing of their minds when they repent of their sins. Repentance is to cause one to choose to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit and flee all sin, rather than going back to it. They are living a new life that Christ has given them by love and mercy.
It may be easy for you to cry out to God for mercy upon your life and to request forgiveness of your sins. God is ready to forgive all sin. As you repent and seek forgiveness, you must also examine your life.
Once you are forgiven, are you changing your habits and fleeing all sin? This is bearing the fruit worthy of repentance. It is not claiming God’s grace without being changed by His love and mercy upon your life and going back into a life of sin.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will repent of all sins before God; that you will not abuse God’s grace upon your life; and that you will bear fruit worthy of your repentance before God.
Purchase Tom’s New Daily Devotional Here!
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Insights from Tom
Comments are closed.