In Matthew 21:43-46, Jesus told the chief priests and Pharisees that the Kingdom of God would be taken away from them and given to a people “who will produce its fruit”. The Kingdom of God and its people were always meant to produce a certain fruit. That fruit is to show forth the nature of God in our daily lives. Things like faith, life, good works, mercy, forgiveness and grace, things that show that we have been favored by Divine grace. That divine grace changed us when we turned to Jesus. It is not just that my ideas about God changed, it is that He changed me, He dwells inside of me. I live differently now and long to be like Him and by His Spirit He helps me. That is what He desires!
The fruit that the world produces are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. God forewarned us that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
By His divine grace towards us, we are a people “who will produce the fruit” of the Kingdom of God. That fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Reference Galatians 5:16-24
Let us continue to ask for more of God’s divine grace upon our lives!
Encouraging AND thought provoking.
Yes, He has given us His Spirit! If we walk by the Spirit we will not carry out the deeds of the flesh!