Third, Matthew 3[:8]: “Bear fruits worthy of repentance.”
Third, Matthew 3[:8]: “Bear fruits worthy of repentance.”
(III) Matt. 3:8: “ ‘Bear fruits worthy of repentance.’ This requires not only newness of life but also that we do such works as are able to wipe away sins, that we punish evildoing with laborious works, and that we redeem crimes with good works.”
We respond. It is obvious that John the Baptist is speaking about the newness of life which he prescribes to those who have turned toward the Lord, not that they may thereby make satisfaction for sins committed earlier but that they may show themselves as pleasing to God and be careful not to backslide. Therefore he adds: “The ax is laid to the root of the tree; every tree that does not bear good fruits is cut down” (v. 10). Here is set forth the reason why they ought to bear fruits worthy of repentance. What the Baptist meant by the “fruits worthy of repentance” is declared in Luke 3:11 specifically. To the crowd which was asking Him what they should do, He answered: “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” To the publicans who asked Him what they should do, He responded: “Collect no more than is appointed to you” (v. 13). To the soldiers who asked what they should do, He responded: “Do violence to no one, nor falsely accuse anyone, but be content with your pay” (v. 14). By no appearance of truth can anyone deny that all these pertain to newness of life. The Baptist names this with the expression used often in Scripture: “fruits worthy of repentance.” Good works are called “fruits of the Spirit” (Eph. 5:9; Gal. 5:22); “fruits of the spiritual vine” (Matt. 13:8); “fruits of the branch grafted into Christ, the true vine” (John 15:2); “the fruits of righteousness” (Phil. 1:11); “fruits of the wisdom from above” (James 3:17); etc. We also compare it with the place where the apostle bears witness (Acts 26:20) that he “declared to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God and perform deeds worthy of repentance.” But now, it cannot be proved from the account of the apostle’s preaching that Paul imposed satisfactory works upon the converted; rather, in many places he places the fruits and works worthy of repentance within the renewal of life. But he teaches that the gracious remission of sins must be sought by faith in Christ alone, just as John the Baptist also revealed to the repentant “the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).
Chrysostom (commentary on this passage): “If you are sorry to appear this way, then live in such a way that you appear to have come to your senses and are wholeheartedly bound to repentance for your former life.”
Therefore good works are called the fruits of repentance; that is, they are worthy of those who have come to their senses, just as the reborn are commanded with the same phrase to walk “worthily of the Gospel” (Phil. 1:27), “worthily of their calling” (Eph. 4:1), “worthily of God” (Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:12), that is, as befits those who have turned to God through the preaching of the Gospel.