EVIDENCE OF RIGHTEOUS FRUIT
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” —Luke 3:8-9
A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth. Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves. —Proverbs 11:6-17
Are you a child of Abraham “who also follows in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham” had? If so, then as “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” so also—
“The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. —Romans 4:23-25
And so, we are to be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:11). We are told that “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives” (Proverbs 11:30).
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” —Ephesians 5:8-13
Yes, as John the Baptist said—
“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Righteous and unrighteous fruit can be identified as “A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth. Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.” The fruit of one’s life is evidence that a person has truly turned to our Lord in repentance (Galatians 5:19-14). Do our lives give evidence of the fruit of repentance— a turning to God and His ways and a turning away from the world and its ways as it is enslaved by Satan? May it be so!
Dear Father, my desire is to honor You and be faithful to what You have called me to in Jesus. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLDEt9KP2O0&list=RDBLDEt9KP2O0&start_radio=1