Fruit of Repentance

Luke 3:7a,8 NLT
“When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said…Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.”

No one can believe for us. It was widely taught that Abraham’s merits were plenty for any Jew’s salvation, and that it was impossible for any descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to go to hell.

John reminded them that the essential thing is that our faith is genuine, regardless of what our religious heritage and pedigree might be. We should show the genuineness of our faith in what we do, not in who we claim as our parents or what religious group we claim to be.

We stand on our own merit before God, not who our mom and dad were, not on our brothers or sisters or even our spouse merits, but who we are. David said, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” When we are truly repentant God sees right through to the heart and the Spirit, they cannot hide who we really are.

Prayer:
Father, I will not claim, as some do in our society, that the first time I repented of my sins that was the last time I have to be repentant. I will repent every time I fall and fail You, I will show the fruit of repentance in my heart and Spirit. Then I will rise in grace once again into Your favor.