Stand Tall: Reach the High Fruit

And now you're a Christian! The angels sing!

Luke 15:10 "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."  2 Corinthians 7:10a "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation..."

I would assume that angels were singing for joy since they are noted for their singing! Likewise, it appears that their joy is because the repentant person repented unto salvation. That's worth singing about!

Romans 3:25a "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past..."

The propitiation of God's own blood was for all sins ever committed or to ever be committed. Further sacrifice is no longer required! However, when a person is saved they are forgiven for their past sins. That rightfully implies that each time even a Christian sins forgiveness must still be sought.

 1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

Forgiveness is had for the asking!  But look for whom this is written: those who "walk in the light". That's "salvation" and the phrase used to describe it according to this anonymous writer of John's First Epistle. In short: Christians still sin! If we deny that we do, we're liars. (I think of Joel Osteen with this passage. In an interview with Larry King he said that he doesn't sin and Victoria said that she sometimes eats a piece of pie when she's tempted! They're fooling themselves if not lying.)

Here's where the Christian stands: sorrow, repentance, forgiveness for past sins, salvation, then more sin. There's two more steps which the sinful Christian must take: sorrow and repentance and as long as one lives that has to happen! Of course we can just be happy with the "fire insurance" we have with only our past sins forgiven, but we are to stand tall! Babes in Christ stand short if they can stand at all! Mature Christians are to reach for the high fruit. Remembering that the twelve fruits of the spirit are believed to be: hope, love, faith, gentleness, temperance, truth, joy, meekness, long-suffering, peace, goodness, and modesty; those are the fruits we're to pick.

Which are low fruit and which are higher on the tree? For me hope, truth, and faith are low-hanging fruit. Maybe temperance is too!  I believed the truth and had faith at an early age, even before I asked for salvation! They were easy for me because of my Christian family and my church and friends. Likewise, temperance was easier than some of the others because I was around those with a temperate spirit. It was easy for me to quit using bad language, to not consume excessive alcohol (none for me!), and to do things Christians do! So far that made me a Pharisee! I was great at "not doing" things. That's "low-hanging fruit".

On the other hand "high-hanging fruit" is really high for me! I'm impatient, proud, and sometimes not so gentle. Those always snare me, but there's one which gets me often. I have a hard time loving God and sometimes a  hard time loving my enemies. Even some friends are difficult for me to love. For me and almost everyone else, "love" is the high-hanging fruit.

For a long time I couldn't cry for love nor money! When I thought about what Jesus did for me I couldn't even shed tears for that. I was a cold person inside!  Then one day I prayed that I be able to cry appropriate cries, that I do recognize what Jesus did for me. I prayed "God, let me have feelings! Let me cry empathetically!" My prayer was answered. As psycho-babblers would say "I made a break through!" Now I can actually hurt for the pain of others. That's high-hanging fruit and the Holy Spirit put that fruit high. It takes him to help me reach it. Yes, we're not alone. The Holy Spirit is here and comforts us when we need it.

Endeavoring, even failing to reach, the high-hanging fruit, is "righteousness". It's basically living as Christ would live as far as humanly possible with the assist of God himself!

1 Peter 1:16 "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

Standing tall for Christ is being holy! That's reaching for the high fruit and God even helps us to be holy.