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“Bear fruits in keeping with repentance…” Luke 3:8

The first of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses* goes like this:

“Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, in saying, "Repent ye, etc.," intended that the whole life of his believers on earth should be a constant [repentance].” —Martin Luther

Luther captured a proper understanding of the Christian life. Repentance is not merely a moment but something that defines the Christian. Just as a solar panel turns to the sun, so the Christian is to LIVE a life that is constantly turned to the Son, Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist nailed this when he commanded God’s people to not merely “repent!” John actually called them to, “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance…” (Luke 3:8). John reminds us that our repentance is to invade every area of our lives. We are to live a life of constant turning to God.

Martin Luther began his Ninety-Five Theses with a call to constant repentance to address some serious error in the church. There were some who believed at the time that one could simply purchase God’s favor with money. 

As for John’s day, he called for living repentance, because some of God’s people thought their pedigree could earn them God’s kindness. “We have Abraham as our father!” (Luke 3:8)! They thought there was something in them that earned their acceptance before God.

Still today, this call to constant repentance rings out. We are called to bear fruits in keeping with repentance. The Apostle Paul affirms this for all believers in Jesus that we, “...should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with [our] repentance” (Acts 26:20).

So, may we live with our hearts turned Godward, like solar panels to the Son.

 

*Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses were a document that helped to spark the Protestant Reformation. You can read a translation of them here.