Sometimes living righteously is difficult and demanding. We may do what is right not because it feels easy or pleasant, but because we have chosen to please God. When you accept to endure hardship for the sake of doing what is right, you are offering a sacrifice so that God’s name may be honored. That is when you truly become His child.

As written in Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Jesus taught that the light of believers must shine before others. However, some people appear righteous in public in order to receive praise, yet at home they live differently from what they display outside.

A person who truly understands salvation is not only known by how they act at church or at work, but by how they live at home every day. A spouse, children, or coworkers are the ones who truly know the fruit a person bears.

Some may look admirable in public but act harshly at home, neglecting those around them or living a double life. But the one who chooses to serve God consistently—without changing depending on the environment—seeks to glorify the Father.

When people see such a life, they are inspired and may say, “If I become a Christian, I want to be like that person.” In that moment, God is glorified.

Jesus also spoke about a deeper level of fruit we must bear: love that goes beyond emotions. In Matthew 5:44, He says: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”

Loving your enemies is not a matter of feelings—it is a decision. It is not easy, but it is possible. You must tell your heart, “I choose to love,” even when someone hates you. When you act this way because it is God’s will—not because it feels good—you are bearing fruit that glorifies Him. Emotions may come and go, but the decision to love must remain.

Jesus continues in Matthew 5:45: “That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

God shows kindness to everyone, both good and evil. When we do the same, we demonstrate that we are His children. Yet many people love others for personal gain.

They love what they receive from people, not the people themselves. When the benefits end, the love fades. True love, however, is rooted in commitment, not advantage.

That is why Jesus asked in Matthew 5:46: “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”

If we do good only because it is required, or because it benefits us, there is no reward in that. Even tax collectors love those who love them. But Christians are called to go further.

And in Matthew 5:47, Jesus adds:
“And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?”

A Christian should not choose where to honor God and where to dishonor Him. We should not glorify Him in one place and bring shame to His name in another.

God’s name can be blasphemed among unbelievers because of the behavior of those who claim to be Christians. But when we genuinely change and bear fruit wherever we are, God is glorified.

The message concludes with the powerful statement in Matthew 5:48: “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Pastor Christian Gisanura’s central message was this: our righteousness must not be outward only; it must come from the heart, with the purpose of glorifying the Father.

Bearing fruit is not about building our own reputation. It is about committing to a life that impacts others, gives them hope, and leads them to glorify our Father in heaven.

May God help us to live righteously—not pretending, but being genuine people who bear fruit that brings glory to the Father.