The Fruit of the SPIRIT

[WISDOM]

In this chapter of our FATHER's Word, the Apostle Paul describes the conflict between the HOLY SPIRIT and our flesh, and then contrasts these two radically different lifestyles...that is, walking in the SPIRIT versus living in the flesh. To make the contrast vivid Paul lists by name the "works of the flesh" in verses 18-21. Let's look at the three catagories I've listed below:

SEXUAL - adultery, fornication, moral uncleanness, revelling (carousing due to drunkeness)

SPIRITUAL - idolatry, witchcraft (sorcery using drugs included), heresy

SOCIAL - lasciviousness (absence of restraint), hatred, variance (discord), emulation (jealousy), wrath, sedition, envy, murder, drunkenness

However, suppose a Christian slips up. Suppose he/she has an immoral thought, or they become jealous or angry? In verse 5:21 Paul gives an ominous warning to all who "do" such things as I've mentioned here and listed above. The Greek word translated "do" in the verse is PRASSO, which means "to practice" or "to habitually do something". It is the idea of doing something OVER AND OVER. Therefore, those who HABITUALLY DO THESE THINGS will not inherit GOD's Kingdom.

Now, make no mistake...Christians DO sin!! But YIELDED Christians are restrained from habitually sinning by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT in their lives. When we do sin, we are CONVICTED by the HOLY SPIRIT to CONFESS the sin, and then are forgiven (1 John 1:9...2:1). Having pointed out the works of the flesh Paul proceeds to contrast them with the "fruit of the SPIRIT". The word "but" in verse 5:22 makes this contrast clear.

Our FATHER's Word does not speak of the "fruits" of the SPIRIT, but the "FRUIT" (no "s") singular. Just as some fruit grows in clusters, so the fruit of the SPIRIT is regarded as a cluster of SPIRITUAL FRUIT. The various characteristics blend to make one fruit, producing a spiritual disciple. We either have ALL of it or none of it. We cannot have "Joy" without "Peace". We cannot have "Patience" without having "Temperance", and so on.

I believe three relationships are involved in the fruit of the SPIRIT: To Ourselves - love, joy, and peace; To Others - longsuffering, gentleness, and goodness; To GOD - faith, meekness, and temperance. Now, let's consider each characteristic of the fruit of the SPIRIT.

LOVE - In the English language there are many deficiencies, and one is that we must use the same word to refer to how a man feels about his wife, his dog, and his favorite sport. We have only this one word in English that must be used to express several different kinds of love, but in the Greek language, which was the original language of the New Testament, several different words were used to describe the various aspects of love. EROS spoke of the sensual love between the sexes and IS NOT found in the NT.

PHILEO is a brotherly love, from which we derive such words as PHILADELPHIA and Philanthropy. It is a friendship kind of love. However, the love that is part of the fruit of the SPIRIT is AGAPE. This is the strongest word for love in the NT. It expresses a new quality of love and a new attitude toward others that was entirely unknown to the secular world before our LORD/SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST came. The word AGAPE appears for the first time in Greek in the NT. EROS was a fleshly, sensual love, PHILEO was a love for brothers of blood kin, but AGAPE was willing to make a sacrifice for the object of its love, even its enemies. AGAPE is the "CALVARY" kind of love. If you notice, the fruit of the SPIRIT begins with Love because ALL of the other characteristics are really an OUTGROWTH of love.

AGAPE Love is IMPOSSIBLE without the indwelling of the HOLY SPIRIT, for it IS NOT a love that comes naturally! Almost anyone would give their life for their family, but only the love the HOLY SPIRIT generates in us would cause us to be self-sacrificing to those who might even be our enemies. No worldly or unsaved person can express AGAPE love; it is exclusively Christian, New Testament love.

JOY is not necessarily the same as happiness as some think. The Greek word translated here is CHARA, which simply means "joy, delight". Its verb form CHAIRO means "to rejoice, or be glad". There is a vast difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is our translation of the latin word FORTUNA, which is related to chance or fortune. Happiness is the result of what happens in an agreeable way. Joy on the other hand, springs from deep down inside us. It is not triggered by good fortune, but it is the result of a permanent day by day relationship.

There is a vast difference between the "works of the flesh" and the "fruit of the SPIRIT". "Works" are produced through human effort, but "fruit" can never be manufactured. It must grow out of life...I repeat, it MUST GROW OUT OF LIFE. Your/My everyday endeavers are used by the HOLY SPIRIT to develop it. It is the result of HIM working in our lives.

PEACE is reflected two different ways in the New Testament. There is the "Peace with GOD" that comes through the blood of JESUS CHRIST when we are saved, and there is also the "Peace of GOD" which is a tranquility of mind based on our relationship to our FATHER. Like joy, peace has NOTHING to do with circumstances. It is that inward calm that NO MATTER what happens we have confidence in GOD.

LONGSUFFERING has to do with PATIENCE while enduring provocation. If we are easily upset when something goes wrong, or if when we are wronged we have thoughts of revenge, we are NOT longsuffering. Longsuffering is a LOVING TOLERANCE of others, NO MATTER how they treat us. If we allow HIM to, the HOLY SPIRIT will use the frustrations and tribulations of life to produce patience in us. Hint....be careful of what YOU ask for, you just may get it!! *smile*

GENTLENESS is that which keeps us from being unkind and harsh to others. To be gentle is to be equitable and fair, not insisting on keeping the "letter of the law", but before judging to look objectively and reasonably at the facts of the situation (Some versions of the Bible use the word KINDNESS instead of Gentleness). Gentleness AVOIDS causing pain whenever possible. When we are with others when things are not going well with them, gentleness is trying to put them at ease.

GOODNESS is love in action. It not only desires the welfare of others but also does something to see that the welfare is realized. Being good is more than being righteous. The Bible makes a definite difference between the two in Romans 5:7. You see, a righteous person could evict a widow for not paying her rent, and would have the legal right to do so. Righteousness keeps the letter of the law, but GOODNESS would pay her bill for her. Goodness is demonstrating MORE LOVE than what the letter of the law requires!

When FAITH refers to our belief in CHRIST or GOD the FATHER, it means "a firm persuasion". But in Galations 5:22, it refers to a characteristic in those persons in whom the fruit of the SPIRIT is being produced. Therefore, it is the idea of "faithfulness, fidelity, or trustworthiness". This FAITH is that characteristic which causes one to be true to his promise and faithful to his task.

MEEKNESS....IS NOT weakness!! Nor is it the opposite of courage! It is strength UNDER CONTROL. It is the spirit of humility that refuses to let pride rule or control one's life. Meekness means that we have the mind of CHRIST; that JESUS is in control of our lives. The meek person DOES NOT throw his/her weight around. They prove that meekness is actually the proper use of authority and power.

Last, but not least, I'd like to address TEMPERANCE. To most of us the word conveys the idea of abstinence from alcoholic beverages/pre-marital sex, but as a part of the fruit of the SPIRIT it refers to SELF-CONTROL. It is that virtue found in the life of one who masters his/her desires and passions, ESPECIALLY in regard to sensual appetites. One of the best illustrations of it is seen in JESUS in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The list you read about in Galatians ends with "against such there is NO law" (5:23). The fruit of the SPIRIT is singular, and kind of reminds me of a pie that has been divided into pieces. Each one of the characteristics is required if there is to be a WHOLE. The LAW could not produce such fruit....ONLY the HOLY SPIRIT can lift YOU and I out of "legalistic law-keeping", and into FRUITFUL discipleship!

[wordsower]

The LAW could not produce such fruit....ONLY the HOLY SPIRIT can lift YOU and I out of "legalistic law-keeping", and into FRUITFUL discipleship!

AMEN!

That point is SOOOOOOooooooooooo hard to get across. The Spirit living in us is what makes us able to LOVE

The law only makes us act good but there's no love there, you could still abuse your kids, do drugs, gamble, etc, etc, and keep the law to a tee.

The Reality is much more than the shadow!

Blessings to you Wisdom

[Guest shiloh357]

Wisdom

Well done Enjoyed the post.

[traveller]

AGAPE Love is IMPOSSIBLE without the indwelling of the HOLY SPIRIT, for it IS NOT a love that comes naturally! Almost anyone would give their life for their family, but only the love the HOLY SPIRIT generates in us would cause us to be self-sacrificing to those who might even be our enemies. No worldly or unsaved person can express AGAPE love; it is exclusively Christian, New Testament love.

Brother, how do we know if we have agape love if we have not been tested?

[wordsower]

Traveller,

Speaking for myself, I never had much empathy before I was saved. I couldn't really put myself in someone else's shoes and see why they did what they did. I was very critical of lazy people and people I didn't understand. After I got saved I saw people the way Jesus sees them and actually felt sorry for them, sad for them. I remember especially 9-11, I got saved just before that happened and watching those Muslims on TV dancing around and so HAPPY that they had succeeded in destroying part of America really saddened me, I prayed for God to send someone to help them understand His love. Before that I would have been wishing all sorts of terrible things on them. That was one point that made me realize there had been some supernatural change in me!

[homebild]

"PHILEO is a brotherly love, from which we derive such words as PHILADELPHIA and Philanthropy. It is a friendship kind of love. However, the love that is part of the fruit of the SPIRIT is AGAPE. This is the strongest word for love in the NT. It expresses a new quality of love and a new attitude toward others that was entirely unknown to the secular world before our LORD/SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST came. The word AGAPE appears for the first time in Greek in the NT. EROS was a fleshly, sensual love, PHILEO was a love for brothers of blood kin, but AGAPE was willing to make a sacrifice for the object of its love, even its enemies. AGAPE is the "CALVARY" kind of love. If you notice, the fruit of the SPIRIT begins with Love because ALL of the other characteristics are really an OUTGROWTH of love.

AGAPE Love is IMPOSSIBLE without the indwelling of the HOLY SPIRIT, for it IS NOT a love that comes naturally! "

------------

Actually, this is untrue.

The Greek words agape and phileo which both mean love are used interchangeably and mean the identical things. It is completely untrue that agape makes its first appearance in Greek in the New Testament.

This word appears in Greek from Classical times some 2000 years before the New Testament was written.

It is a Christian myth that there is a distinction between 'agape' love and 'brotherly' love. Agape can mean love of God or brotherly love and Phileo can also mean love of God or brotherly love. There is absolutely no difference.

But somehow poor scholarship has come up with this wrong translation we hear repeated today.

[WISDOM]

Trav:

Wordsower gave a very good illustration as an answer to your question. It involves an internal change which reflects an external outshowing. Since I know you personally I would be remiss to think of you as being otherwise! *smile*

YOU are definitely FULL of agape love, Sis......

Wordsower:

I appreciate your example of knowing our FATHER made a supernatural change in you, which was all too clear for you to see and know, EVEN IF others didn't! Outstanding!