The phrase “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” comes from Matthew 3:8, where John the Baptist is preaching to the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to see him. It’s an important verse that sheds light on what true repentance looks like according to the Bible.
To understand this verse fully, it’s helpful to look at the broader context. In Matthew 3, John the Baptist is preaching in the wilderness of Judea, calling people to repent and prepare for the coming of the Messiah. Many people came out to see John and be baptized by him as they confessed their sins (Matthew 3:5-6).
But when the Pharisees and Sadducees arrived, John rebuked them sharply, calling them a “brood of vipers” and questioning their sincerity (Matthew 3:7). Though they were religious leaders, their hearts were far from God. John knew their outward religious acts were hollow if they didn’t have inward repentance and obedience.
This is when John told them to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). The Greek word for “fruit” is karpos, meaning results or evidence. John was saying their repentance needed to be more than just empty words – it needed to result in a changed life bearing good fruit.
So what does it mean to produce fruit in keeping with repentance? Here are a few key points:
1. True repentance involves a change of heart and mind.
Repentance (metanoia in Greek) means more than just feeling sorry or regretful. It refers to a fundamental change of heart and mind toward God and sin that results in a change of behavior and lifestyle.
Repentance begins by agreeing with what God says about our sin (Psalm 51:3-4). But it must move beyond confession to a transformed way of thinking that aligns with God’s truth and hates what He hates. As 2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.”
2. True repentance bears fruit through turning from sin.
A changed heart will result in a changed life. There will be external evidence that internal repentance has occurred. As 1 Thessalonians 1:9 says, “You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” Turning from idols is the fruit of repentance.
In Luke 3:10-14 when people asked John what fruit was fitting for repentance, he told them to share clothes and food with those in need. Tax collectors were told to stop collecting extra money. Soldiers were told be content with their pay and not extort money. Bearing fruit involved both turning from sin and doing right.
3. True repentance will produce fruit of obedience and good works.
Flowing from repentance is not only the renouncing of sin but also the pursuit of obedience. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” A desire to obey God’s Word is evidence that repentance is genuine.
Paul described the “fruit of the Spirit” as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). This spiritual fruit nourishes others and glorifies God. The Psalmist tied practicing justice and righteousness to having a repentant spirit (Psalm 51:10, 14-15).
4. True repentance perseveres over the long term.
Repentance is not a one-time event but an ongoing lifestyle. There needs to be perseverance in obeying God long-term. Paul spoke of the “work produced by faith” and the “labor prompted by love” among the Thessalonian believers (1 Thessalonians 1:3). Continually laboring for Christ demonstrates repentance.
Sadly, the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to see John persisted in their hypocrisy and were described by Jesus as a “wicked and adulterous generation” (Matthew 16:4). They did not bear long-term fruit in keeping with repentance.
Therefore, producing fruit in keeping with repentance means having a changed heart that turns from sin and pursues obedience to God over the long haul. As James 2:14-26 emphasizes, saving faith is always accompanied by good works.
5. True repentance happens with God’s grace and Spirit.
Finally, bearing fruit that aligns with repentance is not something we can do in our own strength. It requires God’s grace and Spirit at work within us.
Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Our fruit comes through our connection to Christ.
The Holy Spirit produces godly fruit in us as we submit to Him: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Therefore, producing fruit in keeping with repentance requires total dependence on God’s power and Spirit to change our hearts, minds, and lives. Our response is to walk in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25).
In summary, producing fruit in keeping with repentance requires a changed heart that turns from sin and pursues obedience. This happens by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, as we completely surrender our wills to Christ on an ongoing basis.
The outward evidence of inward repentance is a life characterized by the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. When our lives display these godly qualities, we show that our repentance is genuine before God.
May we all seek to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, for God’s glory and our ultimate good.
