WHAT ARE THE FRUITS OF GENUINE REPENTANCE?

LUKE 3:6-14; 19:1-10

Key verses: "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance,...and Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, ..."

In light of the increase in the number of many false possessors of a new life in Christ in our world today, those who have identified with Christ must examine their lives and be sure they exhibit the marks of true conversion as stipulated in the word of God. When sinners repent from sin and believe in the atoning blood of Christ for the salvation of their souls, they obtain God’s forgiveness. The Spirit of God comes into their hearts bearing witness to their acceptance and adoption into the family of God (Romans 8:16). From that moment, a new life begins; the new believer becomes a new creature; “old things are passed away, and all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Of a necessity, there would be the need for a saved soul to separate from old sinful friends and identify with a Bible-believing fellowship where they can be helped to grow spiritually (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). To grow, they must study the scriptures daily (John 5: 39; Acts 17:11), make new friends among God’s children and be totally devoted to God (Galatians 2: 20). The scriptures teach that genuine salvation must be accompanied by definite evidence (Matthew 3:8). Even though salvation is primarily a matter of a new heart (Romans 12: 1-2), the attendant fruits must be evident in the believer’s consequent conversation and a new way of life (Matthew 7: 16).

The internal evidence manifests in the hearts of saved souls with the assurance that the Spirit of God bearing witness that they are now children of God (Romans 8:16). Every true believer “feels” the presence and leading of God (Romans 8:14), experiences a positive disposition and affection towards God, His words, and people. Again, a true child of God has inner peace within him/her with God and longs after a godly relationship with God’s people. They feel a belonging to the family of God, and an inner “joy of salvation” (Psalm 51:12) springs up within them. The Bible becomes a new, sacred book, a source of food for the sustenance and growth of their new precious life (Deuteronomy 8.3; 1 Peter 2:2). The instinct to pray becomes natural and as they become disciples of Christ (Luke 11:1).

Being confident in heart, truly saved Christians launch out to share their faith with neighbours and friends (Romans 1: 16). Like the saved Samaritan woman in John 4, they gladly tell others of Christ, the Son of God the Messiah (Acts 9:20), who saved them from their old ways of life. True believers are gentle with all men (Luke 3:13-14), willing to love and care for the needy, especially those of the ‘household of faith” (Luke 3:11; Galatians 6: 10). They are honest, truthful as well as faithful over what is entrusted into their care, be it money or materials (Luke 3:12).

Having made peace with God, they go ahead to make peace with offended friends, apologizing for wrongs done to others in the past (as much as necessary or possible), restoring an ill-gotten property to the rightful owners (Luke 19:8-9). The Holy Spirit will caution a genuine believer to be careful with friends that could have bad/negative influences on them. They abstain from all appearances of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), sever all immoral relationships (2 Corinthians 5:17), work diligently and honestly, depending on God for success, and gladly face all persecutions and ridicule, consequent upon their new faith knowing that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Discussion

1. What does genuine repentance mean to you?
2. What are the fruits of genuine repentance in a believer’s life from the following references?
   • Romans 8:16
   • 2 Corinthians 5:17
   • 1 Peter 2:2
   • Ephesians 4:17-20
   • 1 Peter 1:14-16
3. Mention ways in which believers can keep their salvation experience.