The Lord’s Most Heartfelt Plea – Luke 13:6-9

This passage contains a brief but powerful parable—a heartfelt and earnest plea from the Lord for us to bear the fruit of repentance. Through this parable, Jesus is urging us to take heed of His message. He has already warned us that unless we repent, we will all perish. But repentance isn’t just about feeling sorry—it’s about change, a transformation that produces visible fruit. This is the final, serious warning.

To illustrate this, think of the warning issued by the United States to the people of Japan during World War II. They were told of the impending nuclear bomb and urged to evacuate. It was a matter of life and death, and many perished because they didn’t heed the warning. In contrast, the people of Nineveh listened to Jonah’s warning and repented, sparing their lives (Jonah 3:4-5).

Luke 13:6-9 presents a parable with two applications: one for the nation of Israel and one for the individual. The fig tree, common in Israel, symbolizes Israel itself, with the vineyard representing the nation. In the Old Testament, God judges Israel for failing to bear fruit due to sin and idolatry (Isaiah 5:2-3, Hosea 2:12). On an individual level, each sinner is like a fig tree, needing genuine repentance that bears fruit. Repentance without fruit is not true repentance.

Why must repentance bear fruit? Because God has the right to fruit.

God has the right because everything belongs to God. Everything we have is borrowed from Him, and we are entirely dependent on His provision. Nothing is truly ours, and we cannot act outside of His authority “The earth is Yahweh’s, and everything in it.”(Psalm 24:1-2) Even our very breath belongs to God. “We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out.” (1 Timothy 6:7) We are stewards, not owners. God owns us and created us with a purpose: to repent and bear fruit. As our Creator, He has the right to call us to this purpose. His desire is for all people to be saved, and the means He has set for salvation is through repentance.

God has the right because it’s His moral expectation. “He came seeking fruit on it and did not find any” God planted fig trees so He could have figs. He did not want apples or oranges but figs. From the beginning, bearing fruit was the original plan for Adam and Eve and all mankind (Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:7). God is the faithful vineyard owner that took great care of the fig trees. This is why he expected to see fruit. Whether little or big, there was an expectation of fruit.

Therefore, bearing fruit is the sign we are in alignment with God and our obedience to Him (Matthew 7:16) It is the evidence of our inner nature. Before conversion we can only bear the fruit of wickedness but after we repent and are converted then we live life according to God’s will even in the face of great adversity and suffering. (Acts 20:23-24) It is what you are on the inside that produces what you have on the outside. A good tree bears good fruit. You cannot lie to your heart. Regarding the necessity to bear fruit, R. C. Sproul said, “We are justified by faith alone but not by a faith that is alone. True faith always manifests itself in the fruits of repentance and good works. Good works don’t justify us but if they’re not there, that’s evidence that there is no real faith.” This is God’s expectation of the trees He plants and cultivates.

To bear fruit, we must repent. However not all repentance is genuine. Here are some signs of fake repentance:

Faith without obedience – A faith that does not obey is not true faith. Eventually, it reveals itself as false. Like Esau, false repentance desires God’s blessings but does not seek true transformation through repentance (Hebrews 12:16-17).
Seeking Blessings, Not God – Fake repentance is self-centered. It desires God’s favor but not God Himself. It is driven by personal gain rather than a love for God.
Habitual or Deliberate Sin – Continuing in deliberate sin without genuine remorse is a sign of an unrepentant heart. True repentance results in a transformed life.
Fear in Crisis, But No Lasting Change – Some only “repent” out of fear during a crisis. Like Ahab, who tore his clothes and mourned when God pronounced judgment, but his repentance was shallow and temporary (1 Kings 22:8).
Mere Conviction Without Change – Repentance is more than feeling guilty or saying “I’m sorry.” It is not just avoiding a few major sins but a complete turning away from sin and self.

A. W. Pink describes true repentance as a total surrender to God: “In saving repentance, the whole soul turns to Him and says: ‘I have been a disloyal and rebellious creature. I have scorned Thy high authority and most rightful law. I will live no longer thus. I now desire and determine with all my might to serve and obey Thee as my only Lord. I subject myself unto Thee, to submit to Thy will…’”

True repentance:

Surrendering Everything to God – Repentance is giving up all that you are and have and accepting what God offers and God is now the central figure in your life. It is turning away from self and turning into God. As a result, every action and circumstance is an opportunity to glorify God.
Poor in spirit – Matthew 5:3 says the poor in spirit is true repentance. It is acknowledging there is nothing good in me but completely relying on God
A Change in Attitude Towards Sin – True repentance shifts from tolerating sin to hating it because sin offends God. Loving God’s Word and hating sin gives glory to Him (Psalm 119:104).
Does not compromise – It is not just being a Christian on Sundays but living for Christ every day, in every area of life.
Pursuing Sanctification – The more we realize how terrible sin is, the more we desire a pure heart (Psalm 51:10). True repentance leads to a pursuit of holiness.
Continual – We cannot repent or live perfectly, so true repentance is ongoing. It is a daily turning to God, recognizing our constant need for His grace.

Lastly, God has the right to punish those who do not bear fruit. “For three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down!“ (Luke 13:7) For three years He has given perfect and complete care, waiting patiently for fruit, yet there is none. God asks, “Why does it even use up the ground?” Not only is the unfruitful fig tree useless but they are harmful. They must be cut down because they use the ground that others could use. Bearing fruit is not neutral but detrimental to others. For example, there are those who are churched but not true Christians. Eventually, when they face correction or don’t get what they want, they turn against the church, causing disunity and attacking others. A lack of fruit will eventually reveal itself as a lack of true repentance. This is God’s final warning that He will eventually punish those who do not bear fruit.

Remember repentance is a gift of God. It is God’s litmus test to those who are truly saved or not. True repentance bears fruit. It is God’s right to expect the fruit of repentance. He has the right because we belong to Him. It is also God’s right to expect the fruit of repentance. He has the right to punish when there is no fruit as He intended and desired. This is Jesus’ earnest plea to us in order to avoid God’s righteous judgement and receive His mercy. Repent.

February 16, 2025 0

Back to Basics: God’s Word – Psalm 119:105

A new year is an opportunity to start some things over again. People set goals for the coming year by making New Year’s resolutions. The most common resolutions are related to health and being healthy. Ultimately the goal of resolutions is to live a happy life. One question we must ask for the coming year is “How to be driven by the Lord this year?” As the Word of God leads us we will give God glory and gain happiness.

Based on Psalm 119:105, God’s word, the Bible, is the ultimate spiritual guide. The word of God is essential to guide us through this dark and wicked world.

“Your word” This is not man’s word but Yahweh’s word (Psalm 119:57). God’s word is unshakeable and stands strong in heaven (Psalm 119:89).

”Your” refers to Yahweh. Who is Yahweh? He is God, the one true and living Creator of all things. He is not merely cosmic energy or a source of positive vibes, but a real, personal God who desires to communicate with His people. Unlike Allah or the concept of karma, Yahweh embodies both mercy and justice. He alone has Jesus, the Son, through whom He offers us mercy we do not deserve while addressing the punishment we do deserve. Forgiveness is found only through Jesus Christ, as Yahweh is the only true God. His righteous and holy nature makes Him completely trustworthy, and we can have full confidence in what He says.

Five reasons God’s Word is a lamp

The Bible is inspired by God or God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). This means when Scripture speaks God speaks. The Bible was written by men but God is the author. Over 40 authors over hundreds of years, God used men as they were, with their style and in their context to produce divinely authoritative and inerrant writings. Today, we have the complete Bible, the divine revelation of God, which is a great privilege and blessing to us. The doctrine of inspiration results in the following:

God’s word is authoritative because God is God who dwells in heaven and has all authority (Isaiah 1:2). Example: God said, “Let there be light” and there was light (Gen 1:3). God’s word has authority over all circumstances and is relevant in every part of our lives (Luke 5:5).
God’s word is sufficient. It is enough to save us from hell and all other situations (2 Tim 3:15). There is deliverance in God’s word. Not just for salvation but it is all we need for growth and sanctification.
God’s word is inerrant. There is no wrong in any part of the Bible in its original form. “Inerrancy signifies the quality of being free from all falsehood or mistakes and so safeguards the truth that Holy Scripture is entirely true and trustworthy in all its assertions.“ – Chicago Statement. The Bible is not a scientific book or philosophy book but whenever it does speak on those subjects it is accurate. God never lies, therefor the Bible as God’s word never lies
God’s word is infallible. This means there are no mistakes or flaws in the Bible. It is without error and will not lead you to any error. Psalm 119:7 explains “The Law of Yahweh is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of Yahweh is sure, making wise the simple.“
God’s word is effective. Effective means having the power to cause or produce. God’s word bears fruit. This is because God’s word is alive and active accomplishing its purpose in the hearts of men (Hebrews 4:12). The Gospel of Jesus is not just words but the power of God to transform the dead to life (1 Thess 1:5).

If God’s word is the above things to you, and you hold onto the Word of God, then you will be able to navigate the unknowns of the upcoming year.

“Lamp to my feet and light to my path”

One of the aspects of modern society, since the invention of electricity, is that we have lights everywhere, inside and out. It’s never really dark. King David wrote this psalm in ancient times, long before electricity, when there were no lights in the fields where he shepherded or in the caves he hid while running away from King Saul. In those dark moments, the Word of God is our light. Try driving your car on a dark road without headlights. It is terrifying. Light is so important to see at night. The Word of God shows us the way. When we are anxious or worried, we can find the light of God in His word and trust in Him (Psalm 42:5). God’s word provides hope and strength.

This world is completely lost in darkness. Jesus is the light but the world did not know Him (John 1:9). The light had come but they couldn’t recognize who Jesus is because they were blind. So they hated the light and eventually murdered Jesus. God’s word is the light that shines on our path. We all walk a different path with different circumstances. Our paths are full of danger, especially since we have chosen to enter through the narrow gate. There are many falsehoods and temptations we encounter every day. So we must rely on God’s word as our light to deal with all the things we face.

We follow Jesus and His word. The Word of God illuminates us and helps us understand (Psalm 1:1-3). We understand that as we avoid the way of the wicked and pursue God’s word, then we will be joyful, content, and strong in God.

Therefore, we must read. Make this your New Year’s resolution. To know and understand God’s word, first, we must read.

Happy is the man who possesses a Bible. Happier still is he who reads it! Happiest of all is he who not only reads it but obeys it and makes it the rule of his faith and practice. – J. C. Ryle

If you do not read, then you do not love God. Read the Bible to know God and obey it to love Him. Understand that the Bible will be God’s judgment, and it is dangerous to ignore what it says. So read to know who He is and how to walk the righteous path. The Word of God is free to all and inexhaustible. It has a word for everyone, young and old. I pray we may all read the Bible daily, diligently, and faithfully.

January 5, 2025 0

Biblical View of God – Luke 12:13-31

We are looking at the topic of greed. It is easy to talk about greed as a moral issue. Lots of religions warn against greed. The Catholics include greed in the seven deadly sins that can’t be forgiven. This is wrong. Greed is a serious sin and Jesus talks about the serious consequences of greed, it is a matter of the soul, but we must have a biblical view of greed. It is not merely a moral issue but has to do with our salvation. Christians should learn about and deal with greed from the beginning when they are saved. We exchange our earthly treasures for the riches of salvation in Jesus Christ. Every Christian is not just a receiver but also a giver, which means we are rich and able to give. Greed is one of the accusations against capitalism, that capitalism advocates for greed which is why socialism is gaining popularity in our society today. Socialism is foolish and just another form of greed. We should learn what our Lord has to say about greed. What is greed, how does greed work, and the solution to not being greedy?

Jesus is finishing his teaching on the damning issue of hypocrisy. A man in the crowd comes to Jesus with a family financial issue. Seems strange to ask Jesus to deal with this sort of matter. However, this is a matter of Jewish law (Numbers 27:6-7) and Jesus is “Rabbi”. Jesus responds with a disapproving question, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?”. Jesus’ purpose was to redeem people from their sins, not to settle petty disputes. Sometimes we treat God in the same way, like a vending machine for our needs. This is what the prosperity gospel does. Some people love God’s gift more than God himself.

While this question has nothing to do with Jesus’ purpose, Jesus continues to answer. Jesus sees this situation as more than just an argument between brothers. The deeper issue that applies to everyone is greed. Greed has many forms. Jesus says “Be on your guard against every form of greed”. Greed is covetousness, a desire to have more. Greed is desire more and more and never being satisfied, an insatiable desire. Greed is very toxic and you must watch out for all forms. Greed is more about wanting money but can include power, sex, relationships, family, the internet, games, entertainment, knowledge, or whatever. It’s when you obsess over anything, and try to get as much as you can.

Jesus says an important and clarifying point about greed. “for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” There’s no true life in possessions. True life is the gift of God. Your life is not generated by what you have. Life is what God offers you through forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Only God can give you life and life is faithful to God. When Job lost everything, he understood that his life was from God and for God (Job 1:21-22). When losing everything, real life stands out. With greed, real life is dead. When you have real life, then you won’t be obsessed with your own life but will be sensitive to others and will help others in need (Mark 8:12). Jesus has given so much to you, provides what you need, shows you compassion so there is no reason for the Christian to be greedy. Those who have real life are satisfied with God alone (Matthew 4:4). If you are not satisfied with God then you are greedy. They doubt God and His word. They want something more outside of God. Instead, God should be our most precious and wonderful possession. We worship God instead of worshipping possessions.

Jesus begins a parable about a rich man. Being rich is not a sin. There are many rich and faithful people in the Bible. That’s because being rich comes from God. This man became rich because the land was very productive. This implies that his riches came from God because God made the land productive. That leads to the first problem, which is that the man was not thankful to God. God is the cause of this man’s wealth, yet the man did not give thanks to God. So we should learn to be thankful to God in all circumstances.

Secondly, this man is full of self. This man asked himself, “What should I do?”. He is only concerned about himself, his problem, and his plans. Jesus on the other hand, as he got closer to the cross, was more and more concerned about his disciples and showed His love for them to the end. For the rich there was no room or concern for others but only for himself. Jesus says we should deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. So this man makes a plan. Plans are not bad, they are wise. But plans made without God are foolish and will not stand. You must realize that your life is part of a larger story of God’s plan. Plans are God, but make plans by God, with God, to God, and for God.

Self also builds a false sense of security. The man says to himself, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” This security is built on sand. It is not real and does not last. “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days happen and the years draw near in which you will say, “I have no delight in them”;”(Ecclesiastes 12:1) So remember the Lord Jesus Christ and put your trust in Him and not your possessions.

“But God said to him, ‘You fool….”. God seemed distant to this man but was actually always there. He rebukes this man and calls him a fool. A fool is an unbeliever. The fool is wicked and says in his heart there is no God. “What fools are they who, for a drop of pleasure, drink a sea of wrath.” – Thomas Watson. The rich man is a fool to think he will enjoy all his riches and live out the rest of his days being merry. He was greedy and acted with God. The greedy forget and deny God and His generosity. God is the most generous, even giving His only Son, loving and saving the sinner. The greedy fool rejects God’s love and chooses to perish.

“Now who will own what you prepared?” This is the judgment against the greedy. What you have will be given to others. So do not store up treasures for yourself but be rich towards God(Luke 12:21). The treasures you store up will not last (Matthew 6:19-20). Think about what you store for yourself, whether it is money or time. Do you spend your time and effort on the Lord or on yourself? So be rich towards God, serve God as your master, and live as a pilgrim on this earth (Matthew 6:24). Remember that what we have we do not own, but we are stewards. Also giving is better than receiving. Jesus gave to us even unto death. We give up everything because it is all rubbish but we gain Christ (Philippians 3:8). We give, not because we have an abundance, but because we know God provides what we need (Philippians 4:19). Christians are givers. We should not be greedy but always be giving. “Giving is true having. We are receiving from the Lord through our blessed giving.” – Charles Spurgeon

September 22, 2024 0