This morning I read from Matthew 7. This is a section of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount." Here he exposes something we know, but do not often enough encourage or draw to its full conclusion. Jesus speaks of the "fruits" which are produced.
My preoccupation with grace does make it difficult for me to speak as powerfully as I should about "fruits." Not that good fruits are inconsistent with grace, rather talk of fruits is often the end of justification by grace.
But is it absolutely impossible for a person to be overwhelmed by God's grace and for that persons to show no good fruits. In fact, one who realizes their justification has been by grace is more likely to produce good works which are done for the sake of glorifying God rather than out of a misplaced hope of appeasing God.
Jesus' talk of good works should not be avoided; it is to be embraced and encouraged and followed. Not out of some attempt to earn our way into heaven but as our way of showing how grateful we are to God. Grapes are not gathered from a thorn bush.
We should never weary of doing good and encouraging one another to do good. Among us, the fruits should be present and plentiful.
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