TOPIC: BEAR FRUITS WORTHY OF REPENTANCE
There is an indication of authentic Christianity.
Once a person hears the gospel and is convicted that his way of life is wrong, he must alter his present behavior and bear fruit.
v Matt 3:8(NKJV)Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance”
To bear fruits worthy of repentance means that our lives and actions reflect and show that we are new creations in Christ. 2 Cor 5:17-18(NKJV)17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Anyone who sees us will march our positive confession with our righteous grown life.
The fruits of repentance are visible actions that show that a person has indeed changed.
This is an indication that the Holy Spirit – transformation has taken place in our lives.
Luke 19:1-10(NLT) Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 5:27-32(NLT)27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.29 Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30 But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”31 Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32 I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
Paul after repentance preached Christ – Acts 9:17-23(NLT)17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
1 Tim 1:11-16(KJV)11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
You know them by the fruit they bear – Matt 3:7-9 (TLB)7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he denounced them.”You sons of snakes!” he warned. “Who said that you could escape the coming wrath of God? 8 Before being baptized, prove that you have turned from sin by doing worthy deeds. 9 Don’t try to get by as you are, thinking, ‘We are safe for we are Jews-descendants of Abraham.’ That proves nothing.
The evidence of Christ life should be clear, except if one has a reprobate mind (morally corrupt, depraved, willingly and knowingly engage in things they know they ought not to do)
Rom 1:28-32(KJV)28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Change of character and desire is a must.
Put on Christ in all you do – Rom 13:13-14(KJV)13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Cast away filthiness – James 1:21-25 (KJV)21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
1 Cor 9:27(KJV) But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Yield your members to God – Rom 6:13-14(KJV)13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Everyone produces fruit of its kind. If you are in Christ, you produce fruit of your kind, if your heart is full of sin, you produce evil – Luke 6:43-49 (TLB)43 “A tree from good stock doesn’t produce scrub fruit nor do trees from poor stock produce choice fruit. 44 A tree is identified by the kind of fruit it produces. Figs never grow on thorns, or grapes on bramble bushes. 45 A good man produces good deeds from a good heart. And an evil man produces evil deeds from his hidden wickedness. Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech. 46 “So why do you call me ‘Lord’ when you won’t obey me? 47-48 But all those who come and listen and obey me are like a man who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm, for it is strongly built. 49 “But those who listen and don’t obey are like a man who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it crumbles into a heap of ruins.”
No matter how long you claim you are a Christian, if there is no fruit of righteousness in you, you will end up in hell.
Jesus said ‘you are of the devil, who started sinning from the beginning. – 1 John 3:8(NLT)8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning.
Are you an evil man?
Out of the evil stored up, you act. Things don’t come by accident, they come from the storage. Col 3:2-3(TLB) Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here. 3 You should have as little desire for this world as a dead person does. Your real life is in heaven with Christ and God..
The heart is deceitful – Jer 17:9-10(TLB)9 “The heart is the most deceitful thing there is and desperately wicked. No one can really know how bad it is! 10 Only the Lord knows! He searches all hearts and examines deepest motives so he can give to each person his right reward, according to his deeds-how he has lived.
You must be a child of God. Your food is the word of God, read your Bible, dwell in the word for your heart to change. Prayer is what you cannot do without. Obey the commands of Christ such as – love your neighbor, forgive your neighbor, confess your sins.
v Rom 12:2(NIV)Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
v The natural man does not understand the things of God, he dwells in carnality – 1 Cor 2:14-15(KJV)14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
There is no relationship between the world and the child of God, an old man and a new man. There thinking, desire, appetite etc are not the same.
To be a child of God is a total turning away from sin and the world .
You must not act or reason like the world.
2 Cor 6:17(KJV)17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
2 Cor 3:18(KJV)18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Matt 5:16(KJV)16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Ask yourself , do I bear fruits meet for repentance?
In what ways do I improve myself.
Examine yourself – 2 Cor 13:5(KJV)5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Search me O Lord – Ps 139:23-24(KJV)23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
How can I bear fruit worthy of repentance?
Does my life and actions contradict my profession?
In what ways have I grown?
Is there any fruit in my given, sacrifices? Do I have fruits in the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
