Fruit of repentance



 

『O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 』 (Galatians 3: 1-2)
 

The Apostle Paul told the people of the Church of Galatia about Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul met Jesus Christ at Damascus. On the way to Damascus, the Apostle Paul saw a flashing light in heaven, and he heard Jesus' voice. Jesus said, "Saul, why do you persecute me?" Paul asked: "Who are you?" Jesus replied: I died and resurrected in three days. "Paul suddenly became blind after hearing the voice. For three days, he could not eat or see anything. But the Holy Spirit went to Ananias, who lived in Damascus. "Go to Paul and baptize Paul." And Paul was baptized by Ananias. And Paul could see ahead.

 

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
This is a famous word. But there is someone who can call on the name of the Lord. No one can call on the name of the Lord. Only those who repent and become children of God call God Father. God's name is Jehovah. So God's children call the Father Jehovah God.


The Apostle Paul, lying for three days, repented of God. He persecuted Christians. But Paul did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus accepted Saul who had repented and changed his name. Jesus called him "Paul." Before that his name was Saul. Salvation is given to those who repent. Repentance is turning away from previous life.Paul preached to people about repentance to God and the faith of Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21)

 

Everyone does not know God. People do not have a relationship with God because they do not know God. God says to all people, "Come back." Everyone must return to the kingdom of God. In order to return to the kingdom of God, we must enter into Jesus Christ. Jesus died as a son of God for sinners. Thus one who becomes one with Jesus who died on the cross can enter the kingdom of God. However, to enter the kingdom of God, we must wear the body of the spirit. This is the resurrection. Only those who die with Jesus are resurrected in the spirit body. So when we live in this world, we experience the kingdom of God. Repentance is death with Jesus Christ. It is a change from previous life to "one with Jesus."

 

The repentance in the Bible is as follows: not "believe in God" but "return to the kingdom of God." To believe in God is to know who God is. But though he believes in God, he who does not repent cannot return to the kingdom of God. Believing in God and returning to the kingdom of God are inconsistent. How can they know if people have repented? Repentance is a fruit. In Luke (3: 7-8), John the Baptist told the people:

『Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.』

 

If a man does not repent, his spiritual father is the devil. Good fruit is not good works but man's repentance to God. Repentance is to deny yourself. People think about the consequences of their sins. But the first thing to do is to turn to God. If you do not get rid of greed in your heart, no matter how much you reflect on sin, you will sin again next time. So you must first remove greed. The way to remove greed is to die on the cross with Jesus. Only those who find greed in their hearts can die with Jesus. This is repentance. Thus he who repents has no greed for the material things of the world. The Bible says in 1 John (2:15).『Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 』

 

In Luke 3:10 people speak to John the Baptist. "What shall we do then?" Repentance is not a confession of sin, but a change of way of life. John the Baptist spoke of riches. John the Baptist said, "Distribute riches for the poor." Riches cause greed of the heart. So riches become idols. Riches are becoming like God. It is not that good works are saved, but that those who repent will do good works. Faith is a gift from God to those who repent. So those who have faith in God do not have greed.

 

『And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 』 (Matthew 25: 32-37)

 

The righteous do not remember that they did what was right. But God also speaks to the wicked in verse 25: 41-44:『Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 』

 

People claim that they have done a lot of good things, but that means they get into hellfire. The Bible says why in 25: 45-46:

『Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. 』

 

This Scripture expresses that "you cannot serve God and riches at the same time." Money can be an idol. When people greed for money, it becomes an idol.

 

 

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