Luke 3:8-9–Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 

In our relationships, they usually grow when we seek to be united in present knowledge of one another.  The more we know of someone, the more the bond is strengthened, which elevates that relationship to intimacy levels other relationships don’t share.  Which is why we should presently know our spouse more than our co-worker, or our best friend over an acquaintance, our children over others children, etc.

No one, who desires the kind of intimacy that God does with His children, would settle for a historical bond, over a truly intimate bond of present knowledge and love.  No matter how much history you have with someone, it could be spent in rejection, and a lack of desire to know the person.
When John the Baptist was preparing people to come to the Lord, he rebuked the religious, whose confidence was in a historical knowledge, not present pursuit of intimacy.  So it is possible to be related by blood, or law, yet not have any present desire, in knowing people intimately at all.  Settling for a “historical knowledge” when they desire a present knowledge of them…
John was stressing this to those who think relating to God or anyone, through history without present knowledge will grow intimately.  John refers to “fruit in keeping with repentance”, and fruit is the result of intimacy with God.  That knowing and pursuing to know more of God or anyone, will ultimately result in intimacy or “fruit”.  The challenge for us, with God especially, will be not to rely on our historical knowledge of last week, or yesterday!  But what is the present knowledge of God today in relationship, and what fruit is that relationship bearing?
In His Love, Ld