The Fruit of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

Over the past few weeks, we have considered the various fruit of the Spirit. I hope that you have understood that these aren’t just pie-in-the-sky ideals — the fruit of the Spirit are characteristics of new life in Christ. They are proof of a renewed mind, which Paul talks about in Romans 12:2,

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

As the Spirit does the work of sanctification, we grow in the fruit of the Spirit. As we grow in Him, we can more easily discern the will of God. Furthermore, we embrace God’s will more and more and seek that which is “good and acceptable and perfect”. I think that’s the sentiment Paul was getting at when he stated, regarding the fruit of the Spirit, that “against such things there is no law.” In an ideal world, law would promote the very things listed as fruit of the Spirit. Praise God, we have something more powerful than a law could ever be … the Holy Spirit, who is imparting these characteristics to us.

My prayer for you is that you are growing in “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control.” May God strengthen you and renew your mind, and may His image in us may become more clear. As His Church, may our conduct reflect that of our Savior!

In His grip,
Pastor Decker

The Fruit of the Spirit is Self-Control...

Is anyone else getting a little sick of hearing about Tiger Woods’ affairs in the news? What used to be headlines about his victories in the golf world are now headlines about his loss(es) in the personal realm, due to his loss of self-control. I doubt that he had imagined things unfolding this way. It is sad to see someone who was once a role model fall so hard. He isn’t the first, and he won’t be the last.
Sad, or sickening, as it is, Tiger’s story should serve as a warning to all of us. Many of you have heard, or even uttered the words attributed to John Bradford; “There, but for the grace of God go I.” It is said that upon seeing several criminals being led to their execution, he remarked, “There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford.” That is an honest recognition of human weakness and an expression of gratitude for God’s intervention in our lives.
However, that does not leave us without responsibility. We are accountable for our own actions. May we never forget that one of the Fruit of the Spirit is “self-control.” Thayer defines this as “the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions.” This is how we are supposed to act at all times. As 1 John 5:4 says, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.” But, let us always be wary of pride. Just when we think we have “arrived,” we are in very dangerous straits. Remember Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
So, what are some tips for maintaining self-control? (1) Feed on God’s Word—it is powerful and the Spirit will use it in the moment of temptation. (2) Beware of temptation and do what you can to avoid it. (3) Live a life of prayer—if we are constantly conversing with God, we will be more likely to listen to the Spirit. And, remember, victory is found in Him!

In His grip,
Pastor Decker

The Fruit of the Spirit is Gentleness (Meekness)...

It is a sad thing that in today’s society, gentleness (meekness) is seen as weakness. This is not the Biblical concept of gentleness / meekness at all. In fact, the Biblical concept is quite the opposite. Over the years, I have heard meekness described as “strength under control,” and I think that hits the nail on the head. Friberg’s lexicon (Greek-English dictionary) describes the term used here as, “a quality of gentle friendliness, gentleness, meekness (as strength that accommodates to another's weakness), consideration.”

Gentle friendliness … that sounds refreshing, doesn’t it. If you find someone with this characteristic, you find them pleasant to be around. You always get a warm welcome from them. They are generally slow to complain, but will often listen when you need it most. Though they may offer their opinion, disagree with you, or even correct you if necessary, they always do it in love. Even though you may not always like what they have to say, you know that they are looking out for you and want to see you flourish. We could all use more friends like them.

Though we all have different personalities and characteristics, Christians should all be this type of person. Gentleness (meekness) is a Fruit of the Spirit—something that the Holy Spirit causes us to grow in as we draw near to God. Sure, we all have room to grow in this area, and others may be farther along in showing gentleness, but we all need to be growing in this area. God wants us to be tender-hearted and approachable. Remember Jesus’ words: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) And, this kind of love is characterized by gentleness. May we always show this kind of love toward one another and toward those around us.

In His grip,
Pastor Decker

The Fruit of the Spirit is Faithfulness...

In today’s culture, we have learned to be slow to trust. We’ve been hurt by promises broken. “White” lies seem to be common place. We no longer believe that other people are looking out for us. How many people would you trust with your life? Probably not many.

Nonetheless, the Fruit of the Spirit for this week is “faithfulness.” If you’re used to the KJV rendition of the fruit of the Spirit, you probably expected to see the word, “faith” here. Most other translations, including the NKJV, have “faithfulness.” If the Greek word, pi,stij, stood by itself, “faith” would be the proper translation. However, it does not stand alone — it stands in the middle of a list of human virtues.

In this context, the idea of this word is not primarily belief in something (or Someone). Rather, it is believability. Because God is Truth, the fruit of the Spirit is trustworthiness, honesty, reliability, fidelity — faithfulness. God expects us to keep our word and be dependable. Anything less is a very poor testimony, and will probably drive people away from God. As bearers of His name, we need to show His character. And, if we are consistently faithful in all areas of life, people will notice that we are different. If someone asks why, we have an open invitation to introduce them to the Savior! Perhaps, then, they will entrust their life to the giver of life!

May we be found like Daniel before the leaders of his day: “...they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.” (Daniel 6:4) Or, like the Steve Green song (Find us Faithful by Jon Morh);

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.

In His grip,
Pastor Decker

The Fruit of the Spirit is Kindness, Goodness...

Proverbs 15:1 teaches us that, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” That’s a familiar verse isn’t it? Sadly, we tend to hear more harsh words than soft ones. Yet, when we hear a soft answer, it gets our attention; sometimes a whisper can be more powerful than shouting. In a world where everyone is fending for themselves and willing to do anything to get ahead, true kindness and goodness get people’s attention. While it may be an act (or a manipulative tactic) for some, Christians should be characterized by genuine kindness (gentleness) and goodness.

The words, kindness (gentleness) and goodness, are synonyms—they have the same meaning. If you were to look up the Greek words in a Greek-English lexicon (dictionary) you would find that both of them list kindness and goodness in their definitions. While the second may emphasize moral character a little more strongly, they both are concerned with how we treat others.

Genuine kindness and goodness are motivated by love. They also seek peace with others — they express humility and are not self-seeking. In fact, if you want to understand what kindness and goodness look like, I think you can find the best description in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Perhaps you are thinking, “Hold on Pastor, that passage describes love.” Well, yes, it does. However, if you take the time to ponder it, I think you will find that you will never know true kindness and goodness without understanding (agape) love. And, you will never understand what agape love is until you know Christ. As He said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)

May we always follow His example and may our lives, our kindness, and our goodness, point others to Him!

In His grip,
Pastor Decker