Fruit
“‘Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’’’”
Today’s Text: Matthew 7:13-29 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
A disciple of Jesus is recognized by the fruit of obedience, especially the fruit of loving one another (John 13:34-35). “Spirituality” is not the definitive mark of a disciple of Jesus. And yet, outward “spirituality” is what many Christians look at when judging a person’s spiritual maturity.
Outward “spirituality” refers to the outward forms of our devotion to Christ—worship, prayer, Bible study, evangelism, service, fellowship, etc. Obviously, whatever we do to exercise our devotion to Christ is good. But without obedience, especially the obedience of loving one another, those outward forms can turn “evil,” because they then become a terrible witness of our Lord Jesus.
In fact, the more a church passionately seeks outward “spirituality” without conscientiously loving one another, the more that church serves the purposes of the devil rather than the purposes of Christ.
Passionate “spirituality” is not the fruit. Conscientiously loving one another is the fruit.
And so we can never remind ourselves enough that “loving one another” does not mean loving people we already like, but committing and learning to love those we do not like.
Sometimes, us Christians can act as if we will never come across our EGRs (extra grace required people) when we go to heaven. Or if we do, then THEY will first be transformed into someone I can love. When I think of heaven, I imagine myself as rooming with those people who have been most difficult to get along with in my life. I also imagine that none of us will be robots. In other words, we will all have free will, even in heaven.
That is to say, what we experience here in the church is in some way a training ground for teaching us how to love one another in heaven. If we refuse to do that here on earth, why would Jesus allow us into heaven?
Of course, our free will in heaven will be guided by the tangible reality of being in God’s direct presence. But we should actively think of ourselves as being in God’s direct presence even now.
Father, You are love. And I believe that You desire passionate spirituality from me. But let my spirituality be real because I obey Your command to love others. Lord, it is difficult because of my sin and theirs. But give me more of Your heavenly perspective, so that my fruit may bring You glory. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
