Being Fruit Inspectors
People have many opinions about what it takes to be a Christian. If we just go by our feelings or what we think is right, we could miss being saved, while we are thinking we are saved from our sins. Jesus warned about that situation in the Sermon on the Mount. He told us that people would stand before the Lord and speak of the good works they have done, but He will tell them to depart from Him, because He had never known them. We do not want that to happen to us or anyone else. So how can we be sure that we are saved? Jesus said that we need to be fruit inspectors. The fruit of a person's life never lies. Good trees bring forth good fruit, but bad trees only bring forth bad fruit. Therefore, by our fruit we can know our relationship with Jesus. (Matthew 7:17,20) Let's consider why this is true.
Good works are things that people can do without any help from the Lord. Yes, people can do good things, but they are not fruit. They are simply religious exercises by which they hope to get God's favor. Fruit is totally different. Fruit is when we have something in our lives or we are able to do something that is only possible because God does it in us by the Holy Spirit. Look at Galatians 5:22,23. The fruit of the Spirit will be evident in the life of any believer. I am not just talking about one of the nine things listed, either. It is the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruits of the Spirit. If we have these things in our lives, and they are increasing, we can be assured God is working in us. When we are able to witness to others and see them saved, that is fruit, too. Only God can save, but He can work through us to see the miracle of salvation happen. Then, at other times we can see the gifts of the Spirit in operation in our life. That shows we have the Spirit, too. Therefore, we need to be fruit inspectors, and if there is not any of these types of good fruit, we need to go to the Lord in repentance and trust Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.
#NHBaptistdotorg
Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 8-10.
Good works are things that people can do without any help from the Lord. Yes, people can do good things, but they are not fruit. They are simply religious exercises by which they hope to get God's favor. Fruit is totally different. Fruit is when we have something in our lives or we are able to do something that is only possible because God does it in us by the Holy Spirit. Look at Galatians 5:22,23. The fruit of the Spirit will be evident in the life of any believer. I am not just talking about one of the nine things listed, either. It is the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruits of the Spirit. If we have these things in our lives, and they are increasing, we can be assured God is working in us. When we are able to witness to others and see them saved, that is fruit, too. Only God can save, but He can work through us to see the miracle of salvation happen. Then, at other times we can see the gifts of the Spirit in operation in our life. That shows we have the Spirit, too. Therefore, we need to be fruit inspectors, and if there is not any of these types of good fruit, we need to go to the Lord in repentance and trust Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.
#NHBaptistdotorg
Tomorrow, I intend to read Matthew 8-10.