Fruit of Repentance and Faith

Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. ESV

Serving of the neighbour. This is what the Christian is to be about in his or her daily rounds. We go worship our Lord to receive his gifts of the forgiveness of sin in both word and in his body and blood. From that we are to go out with thanksgiving to serve others. This can take many forms many of which are included in our daily walk. The many and various duties each has connected to our vocations as parents, children, employers, employees, citizens of society and many other duties. All these contribute to serving the neighbour.

A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one.

Martin Luther was never at a loss for words. The above quote has been taken from his On the Freedom of the Christian. (1520). We are set free from the law in order to do it. We need not spend time in concern over how much we are motivated by love for the Lord and neghbour and how much is self motivated. It matters not because we are declared holy and justified in Jesus and being indwelt by the Holy Spirit we are producing fruit which is all that God can admire. It would be a waste to try to figure what percentage is which and we could never come to the conclusion of that investigation.

1 Corinthians 9: 19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. ESV

And in thanksgiving to God we also bring the Gospel to our neighbour in service. Through conversation the Lord sees fit to create faith in others. What a wonderful gift to be involved in God's work in this way.

Thanks be to God. †