Devotion: Matthew 3:8

Matthew 3:8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 

The words of today’s verse were spoken by John the Baptist. They came right after he called the religious leaders a brood of vipers. His ministry was always focused on true repentance from people as he prepared the way for Jesus. But the religious leaders relied on their heritage rather than heart change. And John called them out for it.

John’s instructions were simple – product fruit while being repentant. But what exactly does this mean?

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to the river not to confess and be changed, but to see what was going on and possibly to pass judgement. They were not there for any reason other than curiosity. They assumed that the fact they were descended from Abraham granted them favor before God. And John was actively preaching that people needed to turn back to God as the kingdom of heaven approached. Salvation was not inherited from their ancestors or lineage.

Real inner repentance will produce evidence that others can see. Someone who is living a life of sin will have a visible change in their life when they repent and turn to God. You will see drug addicts seek help to get clean, alcoholics seek help with addiction, promiscuous people stopping the sexual behaviors, liars confessing and making amends, and so on. People they hung out with before changing complain that they are not who they used to be, that they are “Jesus freaks” or religious nuts because they don’t like the changes they see in them. There is evidence that their lives have changed and they are living for God.

John continued with his warning after this verse. He went on to say that trees that do not produce good fruit get cut down and thrown into the fire. Empty religious titles and positions mean nothing. They do not guarantee anything. There is no value in them.

Genuine transformation only comes when a person repents and turns back to God. Repentance is a complete turn around, a u-turn. It is only when we come to Him broken and humbled that we find grace and mercy.

Prayer: Lord, Help me to produce fruit that is good. Let my fruit be the evidence of the change in my heart. Let me be transformed, made new, changed from the inside out as I serve You. Amen

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