The Good Fruit
Outward actions are not good fruit. We can follow the religion of Christianity without following Jesus. Following Jesus produces the fruit God wants to use to impact others.
For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.
Luke 6:43-44
I have friends who speak of the hurt churches and Christians caused in their past.
And they speak of the love and grace showed to her by those not following Jesus.
Church attendance is not fruit.
Reading the Bible is not fruit.
Praying is not fruit.
Fruit is the beatitudes.
Fruit is peace and patience and love.
Fruit is being more like Jesus.
There is a religion of Christianity. This is not Hearing & Following Jesus. The religion of Christianity is thinking you are good with God because you go to church, pray, read the Bible, tithe, follow the rules.
But treat people however you want to treat them.
Parents and leaders, don’t settle for the religion of Christianity.
Hunger and thirst for Jesus. Hear & Follow him in a way that oozes his image out of you.
The Bible
Prayer
Community
Are the 3 Tools God gives us to be able to Hear & Follow Jesus. In your hunger for Jesus, you will use these Tools because God gave them.
But they are not the evidence of your fruit.
You have people looking to you to see what a Hear & Follow life looks like. Pretending to be like Jesus is not the goal. The goal is to let Jesus grow you into his image so you can grow others to be like Jesus.