The Fruit of the Spirit - Cynthia Saladin 4.21.2016
When we accept the blood of Jesus Christ, we place ourselves in His hand. Our lives are hid in Christ and He dwells richly in us. That’s the joy of the Days of Unleavened Bread (or as Jonathan used to call them “The Days of Ten-Eleven Bread). We are symbolically taking in of Jesus Christ for seven days by eating unleavened bread; making a concerted effort to avoid the uncleanness and sin of this world - symbolized by the leavened products around us; and often humbled when we realized we inadvertently slipped and ate something that was leavened. It serves as a good object lesson that we cannot of ourselves cleanse ourselves from all unrighteousness; we must have Jesus Christ and He must do His work in us to create that new creature who naturally does not sin.
But sometimes all we can see are the times we have slipped, the plethora of sins in our lives despite our desire to be sinless. It can become discouraging. However, instead of focusing on the things in our lives which are sinful, it would behoove us to focus on the evidence of Jesus in our lives. We have a good litmus test for proving we do indeed belong to Christ. No, it’s not the Sabbath or the Holy Days. It’s not Sacred Names or the calendar issue. Jesus said, “By their fruit you will recognize them . . .” (Matthew 7:16) And “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” ( Galatians 5:23) Let’s take a look at this fruit for a moment.
Love:
Proverbs 10:12“Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.”
1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. . .”
Here are just two short verses which help us use a magnifying glass on our character. First, do we love our brothers and acquaintances and overlook their shortcomings and trespasses against us, or do we bicker and fight? And secondly, do we trust God enough to be calm about the future? Or are we fearful?
Joy:
Proverbs 21:15“When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.”
James 1:2“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;”
3 John :4 “ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
Do you sigh and cry about the injustices done in this country and around the world? Do you long for the right thing to be done, even if it hurts you? Do you see your trials as stepping stones to perfection and usefulness to God? Can you say, as John did, that there is no greater joy than knowing that your brothers and sisters in Christ are walking accordingto God’s will and way?
Peace:
Psalm 119:165“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
Philippians 4:7“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Are you easily offended? Are you offended at anything? Do you have that peace which passeth all understanding?
Patience:
Romans 12:12“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Psalm 37:7“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Are you patient in affliction? Are you patient in prosperity? Are you patient a majority of the time with others? Do you wait patiently for God? Do you trust Him no matter what?
Kindness:
Psalm 141:5“Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. “
Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Proverbs 14:31“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honours God.”
Proverbs 19:17“He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.”
Do we accept correction from our brothers and sisters in Christ with grace? Do we wear kindness as a garment - something that is a genuine outpouringof our character? Do we uphold and help the poor and needy?
Goodness:
Proverbs 11:27“He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it.”
Proverbs 14:22“Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.”
1 Peter 2:12-15“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.”
Galatians 6:9“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Do you seek always to do good? Do you live good lives regardless of the influence of others? Do you submit to the government - pay taxes, drive the speed limit, stop at stopsigns, etc.? Are you tired of doing good?
Faithfulness:
Proverbs 16:6“Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.”
Proverbs 28:20“A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.”
1 Peter 1:3-7“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Are you faithful to what God has shown you? Will He find you faithful when He returns?
Gentleness:
Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Proverbs 25:15“Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.”
Philippians 4:5 “Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”
1 Peter 3:15-16“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
Do you gently answer to avoid increased hostilities? Are you gentle enough to break a bone? Is your gentleness evident to everyone? Do you respond gently and respectfully even in the face of unbelief and slander, knowing that it glorifies God?
Self-Control:
Proverbs 25:28“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”
1 Thessalonians 5:8“But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.”
1 Peter 4:7“The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.”
Do you make yourself vulnerable because you lack self-control? Do you find yourself inhibited in your prayers due to a lack of self-control? Or do you couple your self-control with faith, hope and love?
It is quite an indictment to me to answer the questions as I use the magnifying glass of Galatians 5:22 on my own life. I am falling quite short of producing fruit that is luscious and delicious and pleasing to the eye. What is the remedy? Do I try harder to be kind and good and self-controlled? Well, yes. But it is not through my efforts that I will succeed. It is through taking in more of Jesus Christ, of allowing Him to dwell more richly within me, of submitting my will ever more fully to His. Do not be discouraged if you too find yourself lacking as you look at your life through this litmus test. Here’s what Jesus says in John 6:39: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” You are His. He has bought and paid for you. Seek Jesus Christ. Don’t give up.
Romans 5:6-11“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”