Flourishing in Fruit: Our Conduct is Our Fruit (Part 1)

    While our hearts and minds are where the buds originate, and where they can be allowed to blossom, it is the next step of development that makes our fruit obvious to others: our conduct; the end result of our thoughts and intentions is the fruit we produce.

Fruit Worthy of Repentance  

    John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1) prepared the way for Jesus’ ministry, telling people, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). He told the Pharisees and Sadducees that they needed to prepare themselves and “bear fruit worthy of repentance” (Matthew 3:8, Luke 3:8).

    Repentance is acknowledging your sin and being abhorred by it, not wanting to return to it, and it embraces a new daily determination to follow a better course and to make better choices. Think about the second half of Romans 12:9 as an easy to remember definition of repentance: “Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”

    True repentance isn’t just saying ‘sorry’ for sinning and then going on with life without a new direction, determination, or purpose – consider Matthew 12:43-45 – the old ways (that led us into sin) must be removed and replaced with new ways – God’s ways! Please read and meditate on Ephesians 2:1-10 and Titus 3:8, 14.

    In 2 Corinthians 7:8-11, Paul rejoiced that the brethren in Corinth heard his rebuke (against their sin), were made sorry by it, and that their sorrow led to repentance. They were made sorry in a “godly manner.” Consider what he says to them:

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produces in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” (2 Corinthians 7:10-11 NKJV)

    The Corinthians did not regret giving up the sin that separated them from God, they sorrowed for having committed it, and because they wanted to be free from it they became diligent to clear themselves of it (turned wholly from it, with absolute determination never to return to it, Romans 13:14); they were angry with themselves for committing this sin against God, and their proper fear of Him increased and motivated them to quickly make it right. They proved themselves to be repentant by their vehement desire and zeal to do what was needed and right in God’s sight (consider 2 Peter 3:9) – they truly bore the fruit of repentance!

    What you do is your fruit. What are you doing?  

    If you have sinned, upon realizing your sin, do you immediately begin to produce the fruit of repentance by following the example given of the Corinthians’ godly sorrow? Do you think on your wholesome fear of God, turn from your sin and the path that led you there, ask God for forgiveness, and give renewed focus and effort to getting back to following Jesus’ footsteps? Are you showing God, and others, that you are willing to make changes and sacrifices for good? Do you bear the fruit of repentance?

You can do it! So can I!!