Scripture Snack: Living Out Your Faith, Part 1

Luke 3:8-18

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 

'What should we do then?' the crowd asked. John answered, 'The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.'

Tax collectors also came to be baptized. 'Teacher,' they asked, 'what should we do?' 
'Don't collect any more than you are required to,' he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, 'And what should we do?' He replied, ' Don't extort money and don't accuse falsely--be content with your pay.'

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, 'I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am unworthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather wheat into his barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.' " 

There is so much to learn from these verses!


In this passage, John the Baptist is speaking to the crowds, telling them to live out their faith. He tells them to produce fruit that reflects their repentance. 

Essentially, in this passage, John warns the crowds that Jesus is coming, and He will gather up His believers in heaven (to gather wheat in His barn), but He will also punish those who refuse Him (burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire). The crowd, not wanting this, asks John what they can do to escape this. He answers them by telling them to live out their faith. 

He tells them to help those in need (the poor, the hungry), he tells them to be fair, truthful, and content. 

 Rather than just say we believe, we need to live it out. Are we helping the least of these? Do we lend a helping hand to someone in trouble? Are we fair and honest in our workplace? 



In this passage, it is so clear what God's heart breaks for, and ours should break for the same things. We need to start living out our faith.

It is so important to ask yourself, are you living out your faith, like God's calling you to? 

If you are, great!! Keep going! :) 
If you're not, then now's the perfect time to start! :)

God bless you!

-Anna