Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
The apostle Paul makes the distinction between a sincere follower of Jesus Christ who has been born of The Spirit and is bearing fruits of repentance and is working out their salvation with fear and trembling, and those whose “faith in Jesus” is nothing more than an empty verbal profession of faith that lacks the evidence of repentance and regeneration.
Every epistle seems to indicate the fact that every congregation consists of a mixed multitude of wheat and tares, both possessors and professors of faith in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 13:1-6 Paul addresses his concern for those whose lifestyle does not match their alleged testimony of having experienced the regeneration power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He does not want them basing the assurance of their salvation on a false profession of faith.
It is abundantly clear that our assurance of salvation does not lie in any work that we do, but by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The veil has been torn. We can only draw near to God because of Who Jesus is and what He did for us. But, it is equally clear that when we trust in Him, we can see the evidence of God’s Spirit bearing fruit in our lives. Jesus said that you can tell a tree by its fruit (Matthew 12:33).
Reader, is your life bearing the fruit of regeneration by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ?
