Fruits Worthy of Repentance

Fruitfulness and Repentance. In John 15:5, Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” The great prophet John, son of Zacharias, was sent to ‘prepare the way of the Lord’ by preaching a baptism of repentance (Luke 3:3ff). In Luke 3:8 he tells the multitudes “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” 2 Cor. 7:10 “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” Repentance is more than just sorrow for sin, it’s an action of rejecting sinful patterns, attitudes, actions, etc. (2 Cor. 7:11) Fruitfulness is a work of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) in the hearts of those who have faith in Jesus Christ (John 15:5). They believe God enough to act on His word, repenting of the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21) and walking in the Spirit. (Gal. 5:25) Let us walk in the Spirit and so abide in Christ. Gal. 6:7-8 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”