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Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5.22-25 I)
General Observations A)
Fruit is usually sweet, good tasting, even appealing to the eyes 1.
People with the qualities we are talking about will be pleasing to God. 2.
They will be appealing to others, stand out from the crowd; show Jesus in their
lives. B)
fruit comes from the seed 1.
We know that to have an apple tree you have to have an apple seed 2.
The fruit of the Spirit will come from the word of God, James
1.21 C)
It is cultivated; fruit if the product of something 1.
We are told to “walk in the spirit” Galatians
5.16 2.
Be led by the Spirit, Galatians 5.18 3.
Live in the Spirit, Galatians 5.25 4.
This requires study and application of what we learn on a daily basis D)
The Fruit of the Spirit is singular, it is all or nothing 1.
Can a morally good person manifest the “fruit of the Spirit” and still not
be a child of God? 2.
Could this person have (peace, faith, joy, etc) and not be a Christian? 3.
The most wicked of men do individual acts of goodness but they are still wicked.
II)
The Individual Qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit A)
Love – (agape) active good will, to have preference for, wish well to,
regard the welfare of (Thayer) 1.
An act of the mind and will, to seek the best for others.
a. Even when it brings pain to oneself, John
13.1
b. Direct to people we do not necessarily life, Matthew
5.44 2.
Love is often misapplied for emotional lust or like. 3.
How do we show our love toward God? 1
John 5.3
a. To Christ, John 14.23
b. To our fellowman B)
Joy – gladness 1.
Not dictated by others or outward circumstances, Acts
5.41
a. Different than happiness; happiness is often the result of outward
things.
b. Joy is inward 2.
Our reaction to the blessings we receive in Christ, Luke
24.50-53
a. Connected to faith, Phil. 1.25
b. Obedience – doing the right things, Acts
8.26-39
c. Receiving forgiveness, Romans
8.1-2 C)
Peace – harmony, security, serenity, completeness, soundness 1.
Having the right relationship
a. Of Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation
through Christ
b. Peace is more than the absence of conflict 2.
The opposite of envy, strife, jealousy, hatred 3.
How is the peace that Jesus gives different from the world? John 14.27 4.
How can we have peace with God? Romans
5.1 (Peace will be on God’s terms and not ours) 5.
How can we have peace with our brethren? Phil.
2.1-4 6.
How can we have peace with others? Romans
12.18 D)
Longsuffering – endurance, patience 1.
Never giving up 2.
The quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily
retaliate or promptly punish
a. Long- tempered, Nehemiah 9.27 3.
What difference is there between long-suffering and tolerance? Long suffering
does not tolerate sin. E)
Kindness- some translations gentleness 1.
Tends to emphasize the heart of the person 2.
Uses in Matthew 11.30 “my yoke is
easy” – kind and gentle 3.
Examples in Romans 2.4; 1 Peter 2.3 4.
Treating others as God has and is treating us F)
Goodness – uprightness of heart and life 1.
Beneficial, doing what is good for others even when gentle means are not used 2.
A Christian is compared to light and salt in Matthew
5; both are useful G)
Faithfulness – reliable, trustworthy, fidelity 1.
Are we doing what we have promised to do? 2.
To have complete trust in God, Acts 27.25 3.
A full time characteristic; as opposed to part time 4.
More important than life itself, Revelation
2.10 H)
Meekness- gentleness, mildness 1.
Strength under control 2.
Not weakness, Matthew 11.28-30 3.
The spirit that we are to have in restoring a brother, Galatians 6.1 4.
When opposing false teachers, 2 Timothy
2.24-25 I)
Self- Control, temperance 1.
The virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, 1
Corinthians 9.25 2.
Not moderation in that which is evil but an abstaining from evil and the
exercise of moderation in that which is not evil in and of itself 3.
Many problems in our society are due to a lack of self discipline
a. Indebtedness, too much recreation, television, being too busy, etc.
b. We can not go to heaven without self control. |