Worth Repeating - June 9, 2017

Luke 3: 8 “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”

There is a great deal of sorrow over sin . . . that is not repentance.*

In other translations, this verse tells us to produce fruit worthy of repentance. I believe Jesus is exhorting us to match the fruit with the sin. For instance, if lying is your sin, then you should repent and stop lying; so, what would the fruit of repentance look like? Begin telling the truth. Apologize. Make other restitution as needed. Continue to be honest.

Many a sinner has repented – but not for long enough to bear fruit. (We could argue that it wasn’t true repentance if he turned back to his sin so quickly, but we will leave that determination up to the Lord.)  The verb translated “produce” implies instant effort – as in, “Produce at once.”* or, “Do it now!” Perhaps if we began our fruit production immediately, there would be less inclination to turn back. As someone has said, “The call to repent is a call to action.”*

Repent. Do it now!

If a person’s actions are evil, it’s not enough to change habits; you have to go deeper. You have to go to the heart of the problem, which is the problem of the heart.*