"Bear fruit in keeping with repentance." -- Matthew 3:8

You've seen the commercials many times. They ask various people to participate in a blind taste test. The goal is to find out which soda tastes better. The taste test verifies which soda has the most outstanding flavor. Without flavor there is no taste.

Spiritual reality is much the same. John was not asking for a life change before repentance. He was looking for the result, or "fruit" of real repentance within. He saw people coming who had practiced a very detailed religious life, but they had no depth and were quite shallow. These were those who had no root, therefore they had no fruit.

Take a moment my friend and consider your own religious condition. Are you well versed in Bible verses and your church's teaching? Do you have a nice looking presence that tells people that you are a Christian? But more significantly, is there "fruit" or "flavor" in your life that bears witness of real repentance before the Lord? Where there is no root, there is no fruit.