HOW SHOULD WE REGARD A REPENTANCE THAT LACKS EVIDENCE OF REPENTANCE?

Jesus had just taught that repentance was necessary lest they “perish.” Well, how long should the Church wait for someone to repent and show forth the fruit of repentance? Jesus addresses this question in the following verses:

• And he spake this parable; “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. And he said unto the vinedresser, ‘Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?’ And he answering saith unto him, ‘Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well; but if not, thou shalt cut it down.’” (Luke 13:6-9 ASV)

Through this parable, Jesus argued that time and care should be allowed to bring about repentance, and repentance would be assessed by virtue of its fruit. After a year - no fruit, then no evidence of repentance; no repentance, then the tree is to be removed from its place, and the unrepentant removed from the church.

This is love - to prevent the leaven of sin to corrupt the entire church (Galatians 5:9).

However, this isn’t the end of the story. The entire Bible testifies to the fact that whenever we are truly repentant, our Savior receives us back as we also must. However, our lives, not only our words, must attest to the genuineness of our repentance, as Paul had explained:

• “Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judæa, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.” (Acts 26:19-20)

If we do not perform “works worthy of repentance,” faith and repentance are not genuine. Instead, they must be validated by their fruit.

Besides, Christians who reject the teaching of the need for a true repentance are extending a false hope.