Known by its fruit

Sept. 11 was on a Sunday this year. For many of us, Sunday is a busy day filled with worship, lunch, meetings, more worship, then maybe more meetings. For others, it is the last lazy day before the start of the workweek. Did you think about the terrorist attack in 2001? Did you remember those who died in Benghazi, Libya on Sept. 11, 2012? When we reflect on these kinds of acts of terrorism, we have to ask honest questions about the role religion plays.

We were trained almost immediately not to blame an entire world religion for the extremist attacks committed by a small group of people. Sometimes I wonder why some religions are criticized incessantly while others are given a pass. I heard someone say that people feel free to insult Christians because they do not expect them to fight back. Perhaps it is wise not to offend or provoke people who might react violently.

It is good to live in a country where we have religious freedom. People who come to the United States are expected to abide by our laws and agree to live at peace with people even if they reject their religious beliefs. Those of us who follow Christ are commanded to love our enemies and bless those who persecute us. In Luke 6:27-28 Jesus exhorts, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you."

Jesus said that we will know a tree by its fruit. In other words, if people do good things and live a godly life, we assume that they are true servants of God. However, people who are vengeful, deceitful, and murder people for believing differently from themselves, are servants of the devil. A good tree produces good fruit, a bad tree produces bad fruit.

Galatians 5: 22-23 describes the fruit of the Spirit. This is a foundational passage for Christians who are concerned about their spiritual development. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

There is no denying that evil has been done in the name of Christianity. This is why we have to remember that just because someone uses the name of Christ does not mean that person or group of people represents Christianity. If the fruit is bad, the tree is bad.

No one should be persecuted for the actions of a fringe minority within their religion. Jesus has compassion for people and wants all people to put their trust and faith in him. We need to realize that there is a spiritual battle going on for hearts and souls. The enemy wants people to self-destruct by believing lies.

The Apostle John wrote, "If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20. I cannot imagine the level of hate that resulted in 911.

When we think of the firefighters, police and first responders who went into the World Trade Center to rescue people we are reminded of John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

Judgment Day is coming, and on that day, our deeds will be exposed. Everyone will answer to God for what they believed and how they lived their lives. Does your life bear good fruit? If you have received the grace and forgiveness of God through Jesus, you do not need to fear the wrath of God on the Day of Judgment.