Is God Pleased with your fruit?
“Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to death in relation to the law through the crucified body of the Messiah, so that you may belong to another — to Him who was raised from the dead — that we may bear fruit for God.”
Therefore
Whenever we see the word “therefore” we must look to the previous verses to find out what is the context of what the author is speaking. In this case, Paul is making the point of the binding covenant of marriage. The husband and wife will be joined to one another as long as both are alive, even through divorce and other man-made separation agreements.
“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”
In light of this Paul is now comparing The Law and our body to marriage.
You also were put to death in relation to the law
There is a new thing happening in us! We are set free from the law of sin and death by another’s death. So that we may live a life under the Law of Love and forgiveness.
“because the Spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
Through the crucified body of the Messiah
Jesus has come to release us from The Law and married us to Him. So as long as we are alive we exist to be the bride of Christ and to respect Him as a wife should her husband.
So that you may belong to another
We have been bought with a price and must glorify Christ in our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:20). We are not on our own to choose what to do, but we must answer to our Lord in the deeds we do, the words we speak, and the places we go every day!
That we may bear fruit for God
The deeds that we accomplish in our lives by our actions produce fruit for our Lord. We can either produce fruit consistent with repentance or contrary to repentance. But either way, our fruit belongs to God and we will be vindicated or judged by our fruit by God and by people. The husband gets to enjoy the fruits of the labor of the wife. Check out Provers 31:22-31
“She makes her own bed coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
She makes and sells linen garments; she delivers belts to the merchants.
Give her the reward of her labor, and let her works praise her at the city gates.”
Proverbs 31:22, 24, 31 HCSB
“Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.”
“Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each one of you according to his ways.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so they will not be a stumbling block that causes your punishment. Throw off all the transgressions you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death.” This is the declaration of the Lord God. “So repent and live!”
Ezekiel 18:30-32 HCSB
“In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.”
Genesis 4:3-5 HCSB
“unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.”
Able brought an offering from The best of his herd. Cain may have brought out the first fruits from his harvest but over time he began to give God the fruit that was beyond eatable. If his fruit was bananas they would not be fit for even banana bread. Will we begin to give God the best in our lives or will we continue to serve God with what we have left over at the end of the day?
Comments
Post a Comment