The Fruit of Salvation

By Brother R. Michel Lankford

As the Messiah has said, and as it is written:

Matthew 7:15-23 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:15–23, NKJV)

A few months ago a brother wrote to me and asked a question. I will not restate the entire question verbatim because it runs many paragraphs in length. An excerpt portion of his question is as follows:
“Do you believe if a person truly accepts Christ as Lord and savior and confesses Him with their own tongue and is baptized as Jesus commanded, that this same person can damn their own soul to hell by sinning in any way other than knowing God and willingly turning from Him, walking away from Their faith?
I'm answering this question in an open letter as a blog, because I am certain that if this brother has had the question, then the odds are that other people have also had the same question.
In the interest of being fair and balanced, I must point out that the person who asked me this question and myself are at diametrically opposite ends of the theological spectrum. That is to say that this neighbor, while possibly being well-intentioned is ardently anti-Hebrew roots, and is passionately against Whole Testament theology. He strongly supports the traditional Babylonian Christianity which is so common throughout all of modern Christendom today. For example, he believes that the so-called Old Testament Laws of Almighty God were abolished at the cross, and therefore are no longer applicable to the Christian believer today. From all appearances, he believes that it is perfectly acceptable to mix traditional idolatrous and pagan worship traditions with the worship of Almighty God and honoring His Son Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah). He believes that this is perfectly fine as long as you are ‘focusing on Jesus in your heart’ while you are honoring the pagan idolatrous traditions, as long as you do so, "In Jesus' name." He is an ardent defender of this particular point of view. I am equally ardent and passionate defender of the opposite point of view. So that is what led to this precious soul’s question
For the record, contrary to this person's point of view, I am a passionate believer and defender of Hebrew roots, Whole Testament, Biblical Christianity of the first century. Based on the Scripture, I believe that the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation is God's written Word, and it is profitable to teach us how to live in a manner that is pleasing and acceptable to Yahweh Almighty God (Romans 15:4). I believe that ALL of Scripture is God breathed and anointed by the Holy Spirit for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, so that the people of God will be furnished and thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). I believe that all of the Laws, Commandments, and Instructions of God from Genesis to Revelation are completely valid and binding on those who would be successful followers of Yahweh Almighty God and Yeshua the Messiah (Matthew 5:17-20). Those laws which we cannot rightly fulfill, we should still learn from and honor the principles behind them. Those Laws and Commandments which we can rightly fulfill, those we are still obligated to honor and practice as best we can, as a matter of discipleship AFTER salvation has truly occurred. We do not obey God's Commandments to gain salvation, but we do receive salvation as a free gift through Jesus Christ; so that we can be set free from breaking God's commandments (which is sin), so that we can successfully obey the Commandments after we become God's children. Obeying God's Commandments is not the cause of salvation, but it is the primary fruit and the evidence that salvation has in fact truly taken place (see Ezekiel: 36:25-27 cf. Philippians 2:13).
Moreover, based on the Scriptures, I passionately believe that it is a SIN to mix, to blend and to incorporate idolatrous, pagan and demonic worship traditions together with the worship of Yahweh Almighty God and honoring the Messiah. In other words, one cannot biblically bring in Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, Wiccan or satanic traditions, prayers and practices, then tack on the words, "In Jesus Name" at the end, and have such prayers and practices and cause them to become acceptable to Yahweh Almighty God and the Messiah. Likewise, we must not bring in Babylonian, Greco-Roman and druid prayer and worship practices while we are trying to worship Almighty God and honor the Messiah. Both the first and second writings of the Whole Testament of Scripture expressly forbid operating in such a manner. Based on the clear writings of Scripture, it is sinful to do such things. These are the key differences in our belief system which has provoked the brother's question. Let's review a critical part of this brother's question:
“Do you believe if a person truly accepts Christ as Lord and savior and confesses Him with their own tongue and is baptized as Jesus commanded…?” The entire question hinges around what it means to, "Truly accept Christ," and how that functions in real-life terms from a biblical perspective. I underlined the two key components of the brother's question. Without realizing it, the brother answers his own question. According to his very own words, even this brother acknowledges that part of having TRULY accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, means that we must live and act according to what Jesus Commanded. Instinctively, whether he wants to fully acknowledge it or not, even this brother understands on some level that if you do not develop a lifestyle of living and acting according to what Jesus Christ commanded, then in such a case, a person would be showing that they have not truly accepted Christ, and Jesus is not being their Lord. That is the whole point. Just as it is written:

1 John 2:1–6 “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:1–6, NKJV)

1. It’s God's desire that we do not sin, it's God's desire that we would not transgress or violate His Laws, which is what sin is (1 John 3:4). However, when we do sin and transgress God's Laws and Commandments, we have an advocate with the Father through Jesus Christ Who is the atonement for our sins.
2. BY THIS we know that we have come to know Him. What's the proof that I truly know Him? IF we keep His Commandments. Keeping the Commandments of God and Jesus Christ is the deciding factor between those who truly know God, those who truly know Jesus Christ, and those who in reality do not know Him.
3. The one who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His Commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. Now we know that Yeshua the Messiah, a.k.a. Jesus Christ, IS the Way, the Truth, and the Life, (John 14:6). We just read that if we claim to know Him, but we do not keep His Commandments, then this would make us a liar, and in such a case, the truth (who is Yeshua), would not be living in us.
4. Now, according to the so-called New Testament, where do liars go? Exactly where will those who fail to overcome the sin of lying among other sins, end up spending eternity according to God's Word? (See Revelation 21:7-8). Folks, these are not just my own ideas. It's God's written Word. I just happen to believe and teach what it truly says. Beloved, it is not as much fun, it is not as comfortable or popular to teach that people MUST overcome, but it is the truth. And if you truly love Jesus, WHO IS THE TRUTH, then you cannot rightly deny it.
5. According to the Scriptures we have just read, the ultimate way we know that we are truly in Him, the way we truly Know that we are, "In Jesus Christ,” is that we walk before God just as Jesus walked. If we are not willing to progressively learn how to live and walk in the same manner that Jesus walked before God, then according to Scripture, we are proving by that choice that we are not truly IN HIM. It's that simple (John 8:31-32; John 15:1-11).
Question: Did Jesus Christ Yeshua the Messiah honor and keep the seventh day biblical Sabbath of Yahweh Almighty God, for example? Is that one of the ways that Jesus Christ walked before God when He was here? Obviously He did. It's the fourth Commandment. Obviously, Jesus did not break it. He was falsely accused of breaking it, but He never broke it, (Hebrews 4:15). If Jesus had violated the fourth Commandment of God, then by definition, He would Not have been the unblemished spotless Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world. Since one of the ways that Jesus Christ walked before God was to honor and keep the seventh day biblical Sabbath of Yahweh Almighty God, then according to 1 John 2:6, if I am truly abiding in Jesus Christ, then I should learn to walk in the exact same manner. That's why I'm committed to learning to keep the seventh day biblical Sabbath of Yahweh, for example; because that is how Jesus walked, and I need to learn to walk the same way, if I claim to abide in Him. The same principle holds true with any other instruction of Scripture.
Question: Did Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah teach people to obey the Commandments of Yahweh Almighty God the Father? You better believe it! (E.g. Matthew 5:17-20; Luke 18:18-27; John 8:50). Jesus Christ the Messiah taught people to regard and keep the Commandments of God, and since I am abiding in Jesus Christ according to 1 John 2:6, then I had better be teaching people the same thing, just like Jesus did (John 14:21; John 15:10; John 15:14).
Question: Did Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah teach people to turn away from human religious traditions of men, and did He instead teach that people should obey God's written Word, and not follow human traditions when it violates the Commandments of God? Beloved that is exactly what Jesus did and what Jesus taught (Matthew 5:17-20; Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:1-13), and if I'm claiming to abide in Jesus according to 1 John 2:6, then I had better learn to teach and to walk before God in the exact same manner.

Question: Did Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah carefully avoid mixing, blending and incorporating various idolatrous, pagan and demonic Babylonian Greco-Roman and Druid god prayers and worship traditions, and blending those things together with His worship of Yahweh Almighty God? Was Jesus careful to avoid doing such things? Yes, Jesus carefully avoided doing that, because the Commandments of His Father absolutely required Him to avoid doing such things (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:1-4,8,29-32; Jeremiah 10:1-2). Once again since Jesus Christ was extremely careful not to incorporate various idolatrous, pagan and demonic prayer and worship traditions into His worship of Yahweh Almighty God, then if I am truly abiding in Jesus, according to 1 John 2:6, then I must learn to walk in the exact same manner that Jesus walked before Almighty God. The so-called New Testament teaches the Christian to abstain from doing such things as well:
God said we are not to think like pagans (Romans 12:1-2; 8:5-8; cf. Isaiah 55:6-9).
Jesus said that we were not to pray in the same manner that the pagans pray (Matthew 6:7-15).
Jesus said we are not to worry or chase after or pursue the things that the pagans pursue (Matthew 6:25-33).
After Christ's resurrection, the apostles confirmed that we are not to join ourselves with or be friends with the Sinful world (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).

 

The Under-taught Aspect of the Prodigal Son Parable

Most of us absolutely love Messiah's teaching parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). If you have not reviewed in a while, it's worth a careful review periodically. We love this parable because in this parable Messiah paints a vivid word picture of God the Father's Love Forgiveness and Restoration toward His wayward disobedient children when they return home. We need the picture, because we often wonder off from obeying God our father, and we often choose to go our own way, only to realize later that we need help, healing and restoration. Speaking for myself, I am utterly grateful that Messiah's teaching and example is in Scripture, because I need it.
While we often concentrate on the loving and forgiving restoring character of the father in the parable, there is one aspect of the parable that we often neglect:

THE SON REPENTED!

1. He realized and acknowledged the dire and desperate situation in which he truly found himself. He realized that if his circumstances did not change he would starve and perish (Luke 15:14-17).
2. He made the willful decision to humble himself before his father and to repent (Luke 15:18-19).
3. He acted consistently with his decision to repent, and he persevered until he reached home, although his father met him along the way (Luke 15:20). The point is that the son was actively physically heading toward home, and made some distance in the father's direction before the father met up with him. So he acted consistently with his choice to repent.
Now, please use your Holy Spirit driven imagination for a moment. Imagine for a moment that the son had not taken the three critical steps of repentance, would he then have been restored?
Imagine for a moment that the son decided to come home, but instead of repenting as he did, he came home with an attitude such as, 'Father, I am starving and would like to come home. I would like you to feed me, house me, love and protect me, and at the same time I would like you to change all your rules and standards so that it will be easier for me to desire to stay, and I will be happier to stay and live under your roof, while you pay all of the bills since I'm now destitute. Moreover, I would like to redecorate my room in your house so that it matches the pigsty I just left. In addition, I would like to maintain the same self-indulgent attitudes, desires behaviors and lifestyle that I regularly practiced when I first left home.’
Beloved, I beseech you to please think biblically. Is there any part in the Testament of Scripture that realistically suggests that the father would have accepted life with his son under such conditions?

 

The Bottom Line

1. It is absolutely possible for us to claim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and for Him not to claim us at the end. According to the teachings of the Messiah Himself, the surest way to guarantee that we will enter the kingdom of God. The surest way that Messiah will lead us as His own is to become DOERS of God's will (Matthew 7:21).
2. It is entirely possible to start out in God's household, but for us not to be allowed to remain there (John 15:1-8). By definition, sin is the transgression of God's Law (1 John 3:4; Daniel 9:11; Hosea 8:1). If we do not learn to overcome what causes us to transgress and violate God's Laws, if we remain in our sins then we are a slave to sin. According to Messiah Himself, if we do not repent and turn away from sin, then we are slaves to sin. If we remain in slavery to our sin, then according to Messiah, in such a case we do not have a permanent place in God's household. Folks, those are Messiah's own words, Not mine (John 8:34-35). So how do I know when I am truly free from the sin of coveting for example? Simple, I will know that I'm free from the sin of coveting, when I can freely obey God in that area and I no longer covet. I am truly set free from any given sin when I can readily turn away from it, and I can freely obey what God requires and desires instead.
3. The bottom line is that the ultimate proof, the ultimate evidence that I'm truly born-again and changed by God from the inside is that I will ever progressively and increasingly be able to desire to choose and to do what God says He desires and requires (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Philippians 2:13). Learning to overcome is not option, it's imperative. It's life and death (Revelation 21:7-8).
Brother R. Michel Lankford