When John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ appeared on earth, Godβs people had been under the law of Moses for fifteen hundred years. Little wonder John and his Master looked for fruit among them.
When the hypocritical religious leaders came to join Johnβs growing audience and asked to be baptized, John called them a βgeneration of vipersβ and bade them βbring forthβ¦ fruits meet for repentanceβ (Matt. 3:7,8). True repentance, with fruit to prove it, was the basic requirement of the kingdom John proclaimed. This is evident from his declaration:
βAnd now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fireβ (Matt. 3:10).
Our Lord appeared, proclaiming the same message as John, and also sought for fruit among His people (Matt. 7: 16-20; 21:33-43). We know, however, that John the Baptist was beheaded and Christ crucified. The fruit produced under the Law was meager indeed. Even after the resurrection of Christ the majority of His people refused to repent and failed to bring forth the required fruit.
But what the Law requires grace provides. It was at this time that God raised up the Apostle Paul, whose βpreaching of the crossβ showed that Christ had not died an untimely death, but in infinite love had come into the world to die for sinners so that they might be saved by grace, through faith (Eph. 2:8,9). Paulβs message was called βthe gospel [good news] of the grace of Godβ (Acts 20:24), and where the Law had failed to bring forth fruit, grace brought it forth abundantly.
Godβs grace in Christ, when accepted in true faith, always brings forth good fruit. Accept Godβs message of grace, trust in Christ as your Savior and He will help you to produce the fruit. source
[β¦] youβre thankful it appearedΒ to you, why not thank God for His saving grace, and then tell someone about it. Youβll both be eternally glad you did. [β¦]
[β¦] to those who believe they are the final authority as to how the Christian life should be lived. Grace teaches us how to live; it is patient, understanding, tolerant, always leaves room for differences, and never judgmental [β¦]
[β¦] those who trust in Christ, who died for our sins, are justified without a cause, by Godβs grace, through the redemption that is in Christ [β¦]