Produce Fruit Consistent With Repentance
Text: Luke 3:7-9
John the Baptist went into all the vicinity of the Jordan, preparing the way for the Lord and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As many came to be baptized by him, he indicated that more was involved in serving God than just being descendants of Abraham and being baptized by him. Instead, they had to produce spiritual fruit in their lives consistent with their repentance. That is, they had to produce fruits of change – a life that demonstrated different priorities and truly righteous living. This would even include how they would treat other people.
Serving Jesus involves much more than just calling ourselves “Christians.” Instead, those who come to Him must genuinely repent of their sins and live differently! Repentance involves hating the past sin you have committed and determining to live differently (i.e. to live according to the Lord’s instructions) in the future. The result of true repentance will be a sincerely changed life – one that stops the sinful things that had been done prior and actually accomplishes faithful service to God in the future. For, if we do not produce spiritual fruit that pleases God, we will be eternally punished in Hell!
Today’s response to hearing God’s word is this: Produce fruit consistent with repentance. Evaluate the areas of your life in which you needed to repent. Then, get to work making the changes in those areas that result in God being honored. Do not allow yourself to call yourself a “Christian” and then continue to live in the same wicked ways. Instead, take your faith and commitment to Christ so serious that you will not settle for an empty form of religion. Rather, root out the evils in your life that separate you from God and let God’s word work powerfully to produce the fruit of a Christ-like life in you!
