But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, Faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no Law. Galatians 5:22-23
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no Law. Galatians 5:22-23
It describes the deliberate effort – which we can make only with the help of God – never to seek anything but the best even for those who seek the worst
Galatians 5:
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
As pointed out in this thread, there is no "fix" for the flesh (the old man), so God creates the "new man" within the believer at the time he/she is born again. The "new man" is spiritual in nature and the "new man" is housed in our "earthen vessel" that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us (2 Cor 4:7).
As we "walk in the Spirit" we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh and the result will be the spiritual fruit described in Gal 5:22-23.
However, if we live in light of who we were before we were born again (the old man), the works of the flesh will be evidenced in our lives (Gal 5:19-21).
While it appears the fruit of the Spirit described in Gal 5:22-23 is neither miraculous or supernatural (as pointed out by Webers.Home), it is spiritual in nature and not fleshly.
The fruit of the Spirit love is not the same as the "love" we see in the world. There are different Greek words which are translated into the English word "love". In Gal 5:22, the Greek word is agapē. It refers to divine love. This love "means unconquerable benevolence. It means that no matter what a man may do to us by way of insult or injury or humiliation we will never seek anything else but his highest good. It describes the deliberate effort – which we can make only with the help of God – never to seek anything but the best even for those who seek the worst for us." (Barclay)
The fruit of the Spirit joy is joy due to the awareness of God's grace. This joy is not the emotion of "happiness" (which is dependent upon circumstances). Even in the most difficult of times, we can hold this joy in our hearts because we have experienced and know God's grace … we know the Lord Jesus Christ walks with us in our trials. The joy of the believer "comes not from what they have, but from what they are; not from where they are, but from Whose they are; not from what they enjoy, but from that which was suffered for them by their Lord" (Spurgeon). Fruit of the spirit joy allows us to have joy internally even as we are experiencing tremendous difficulty externally.
The fruit of the Spirit peace is more than just an absence of conflict. It is peace between God and the believer and because of this, it is a peace that permeates the life of the believer in all aspects. This peace means "not just freedom from trouble but everything that makes for a man's highest good. Here it means that tranquility of heart which derives from the all-pervading consciousness that our times are in the hands of God" (Barclay). [John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.] Thayer's defines this peace as "the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is". Romans 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
The fruit of the Spirit patience holds us in check so that we do not rush to anger. We become long-suffering to slights inflicted on us by others. Patience is self-restraint and keeps us from reacting in an improper manner. "Longsuffering is that quality which enables a person to bear adversity, injury, reproach, and makes them patient to wait for the improvement of those who have done him wrong." (Luther). "Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation, which does not retaliate or promptly punish; it is the opposite of anger, and is associated with mercy, and is used of God. It is the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial; It is the opposite of despondency and is associated with hope" (Vines)
The fruit of the Spirit kindness is Spirit-produced goodness which meets the need and avoids human harshness (HELPS Word-studies). Kindness can overlook other people's faults and cover them up. Kindness gives in to others. Kindness can get along with inconsiderate and difficult persons. Kindness signifies not merely goodness as a quality ... it is goodness in action, goodness expressing itself in deeds. Kindness is not goodness expressing itself in indignation against sin, but in grace and tenderness and compassion.
The fruit of the Spirit goodness is goodness that comes from God. It is moral excellence, uprightness of heart and life. Goodness is similar to kindness and it signifies moral quality. It is a desire to be and to do good. It is different than kindness in that goodness includes sterner qualities by which doing good to others is not necessarily by gentle means. To understand the difference between kindness and goodness, look at Jesus Christ and His treatment of the people He came in contact with. He was kind to sinners [woman accused of adultery] but He also did not back down when He denounced the scribes and Pharisees ["ye are of your father, the devil"].
The fruit of the Spirit faith is persuasion; moral conviction, especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; AND constancy in such profession (Strong's Greek Dictionary); "conviction or belief" respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it; Fidelity, faithfulness; the character of one who can be relied on (Thayer's Greek Lexicon). It means "staying firm and undaunted in persecutions." It means having the genuine courage to be different, and stand out like a sore thumb within a crowd. It means not caving in to ridicule, when ridicule abounds. It means not deviating to the right or to the left, no matter what pressures and persecutions come our way. It means having the kind of undaunted character that Christ had -- Who was willing to stay faithful unto death.
The fruit of the Spirit meekness is an inner strength which reveals itself in gentle humbleness. Meekness is not weakness. It is an inherent strength produced in the believer. It is spiritual fruit. Qualities of meekness:
- First and foremost, meekness is to be submissive to God, to His commandments and to His judgments, knowing that what He permits in our life is wise, just and good.
- To be meek means to be submissive to humans who have authority over us, because God wants it so.
- Meekness means to be gentle with people that deserve a harsh approach.
- Being meek means being humble and gentle and respectful with the less knowledgeable, the less intelligent, the less capable.
- To be meek means being gentle with angry, aggressive types.
- Meekness means knowing when not to be "assertive".
The fruit of the Spirit temperance is strength worked within (not strength from within our natural abilities). Temperance works within us to keep us in control over our desires and passions. Self-control is worked in us and it prevents us from being attracted to worldly influences that would have us turn from the Lord Jesus Christ to what the world offers. Self-control helps us keep our priorities straight so that we stay on course and our focus remains fixed on God.
And, as pointed out in this thread, as we abide in the Lord Jesus Christ, much fruit will be evidenced in our lives. Not because of anything we do, but because without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
This deliberate effort COULDN'T by any definition (GASP),be considered WORKS, could it?
OH NO! SAY IT AIN'T SO! SAY IT AIN'T SO!
Don't let the NOT BY WORKS OSAS crowd hear ya sayin' this!
And, it's only made possible with the HELP of God?
Go figure!
(too long...cont'd next page)
That's just an AWESOME "start!"
Now, if we could get y'all doing this:
1 Peter 2
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house (aka "inner man/Spiritual man), an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
But ya first have to do this:
Hebrews 6
Therefore leaving (moving/pressing ON) the principles of the doctrine of Christ, (to the HIGH CALLING of GOD-see "Priests" in 1 Peter 2:5) let us go on unto perfection (Spiritual Maturity); not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
By allowing God to do this:
Isaiah 28
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Cuz God knows what ya needs, and how much ya needs, and where ya needs it, and doesn't want ANY of His children to get "Son-burnt." Cuz, He keeps ROTATING! "HERE...a LITTLE!"...."THERE....a LITTLE!"
Cuz, like it or not? Believes it, or not? The "gift" of the Holy Spirit? Is just THAT! A "GIFT!"
However? It's NOT GOD, NOR the Father of Jesus Christ!
Contrary to OSAS? It's NOT "Jesus & Holy Spirit!" "Jesus & Holy Spirit!"
Leaving God as "just a MEANS to YOUR end!" (sounds pretty selfish, don't it?)
You got "feelings?"
SO DOES GOD!
Yanno ONE of God's "names" IS Jealous, right?
2 Thessalonians 2:11
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
See what is said there? GOD! NOT Jesus! NOT the Holy Spirit! GOD (not might, not maybe) SHALL SEND them strong delusion...that they "should" believe a lie.
You'll see even in THIS case, because of God's loving kindness, which endures forever? Should believe a lie, is NOT WILL believe a lie.
Does make it harder, however, on "Son-burnt" believers!
Matthew 5
25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Yanno, God can be one's "adversary" also!![]()
Someone stated you’re childish.This deliberate effort COULDN'T by any definition (GASP),be considered WORKS, could it?
OH NO! SAY IT AIN'T SO! SAY IT AIN'T SO!
Don't let the NOT BY WORKS OSAS crowd hear ya sayin' this!
And, it's only made possible with the HELP of God?
Go figure!
(too long...cont'd next page)
I love this verse!!! O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.Ps 34:8 . . O taste and see that The Lord is good
fruit of the Spirit is fruit of the Spirit ... salvation is salvationDon't let the NOT BY WORKS OSAS crowd hear ya sayin' this!