Voice of Truth - Fruit of the Spirit
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I was thinking yesterday about what my life should exemplify. I began reading in Galatians and I discovered some things.
Galatians 5:16, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."
I began to try to determine if I was walking by the Spirit. I knew the Holy Spirit was in me and guiding me. But was I truly following that guidance? What should my life look like if I was truly walking by the Spirit?
Galatians 5:19-21, "19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
After first reading this, I was somewhat confused. Was it saying that someone who commits these sins is lost? I knew that could not be right, because those born again still have sin in their lives. So I did some studying of the Greek, and found out the tense of the verb indicates a continual action. So this is referring to habitual sin in these areas. Those who still have habitual sins in these areas, plus many other areas, don't have the Spirit in them.
Galatians 5:22-26, "22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires .25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another."
This is where it hits hard for me. Notice that fruit is used in the singular. This means we are to have all of these attributes, not just a few of them. Unlike the spiritual gifts we receive, where people are gifted in different areas. Every Christian should exemplify all attributes of the fruit of the Spirit. This was the ouch moment for me. This is where I realized I have some work to do. Do I show love to the person who does me wrong? Do I show joy at work, when I don't want to be there? Do I have patience with my kids in public? Do the lost see these things in me on a daily basis? These are just some of the things I asked myself. Now I ask you. Are you exemplifying the fruit of the Spirit?
Galatians 5:16, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh."
I began to try to determine if I was walking by the Spirit. I knew the Holy Spirit was in me and guiding me. But was I truly following that guidance? What should my life look like if I was truly walking by the Spirit?
Galatians 5:19-21, "19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
After first reading this, I was somewhat confused. Was it saying that someone who commits these sins is lost? I knew that could not be right, because those born again still have sin in their lives. So I did some studying of the Greek, and found out the tense of the verb indicates a continual action. So this is referring to habitual sin in these areas. Those who still have habitual sins in these areas, plus many other areas, don't have the Spirit in them.
Galatians 5:22-26, "22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires .25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another."
This is where it hits hard for me. Notice that fruit is used in the singular. This means we are to have all of these attributes, not just a few of them. Unlike the spiritual gifts we receive, where people are gifted in different areas. Every Christian should exemplify all attributes of the fruit of the Spirit. This was the ouch moment for me. This is where I realized I have some work to do. Do I show love to the person who does me wrong? Do I show joy at work, when I don't want to be there? Do I have patience with my kids in public? Do the lost see these things in me on a daily basis? These are just some of the things I asked myself. Now I ask you. Are you exemplifying the fruit of the Spirit?
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