Walking In The Spirit (2)
The Bait Of Satan: Final Lesson of WITS
In the life of almost any local church one will find evidence of how sinful desires have affected relationships. Lasting feuds go on between certain families or groups. The hostility exists under a thin cover of civility, but from time to time it erupts. Often those directly involved may have inherited the feud from others (grandparents, family friends, former members, etc.). They no longer even understand why they feel the way they do toward that group or family, but the feelings run deep.
Because sinful human desires work so powerfully, we need the Holy Spirit’s help. The conflict exists because it continues to be fed by both sides. If repentance and the laying down of weapons happens on both sides, they can agree to peace. Such healing may open the way for a remarkable new receptivity to the gospel in that community.
I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. NIV Paul repeated his warning. The phrase as I did before enlightens us, for it reveals that while Paul was spreading the gospel to Gentile congregations across the Roman Empire, he was applying the gospel to morality. He gave his listeners certain guidelines to follow as “standard Christian behavior.” The freedom he preached was not a moral wilderness of “easy believism” but a guided tour of life under the influence of God’s Spirit.
Those who live like this will not inherit refers to the lifestyle of people who habitually exhibit these characteristics. This does not mean that believers who lapse into any of these sins will lose their salvation. People who habitually exhibit these characteristics reveal themselves to be enslaved to sinful human desires. They are not children of God; thus, they cannot have any part in the inheritance. The priceless gift had been offered, but they had refused to receive it. The gift had not been withheld from them; they simply had withheld themselves from the gift (see also 1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Ephesians 5:5). People who have accepted Christ and have the Holy Spirit within them will manifest that new life by making a clean break with such sins as listed above.
The kingdom of God has two aspects: (1) its presence in human hearts at conversion, and (2) its future coming at the end of the age. Paul was most likely thinking of the future kingdom promised to all believers. However, as long as a person insists on the habits of the flesh, he or she will not experience even those aspects of the kingdom of God that are possible in this life.
We all have evil desires, and we can’t ignore them. In order for us to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we must deal with them decisively (see 5:24). These desires include obvious sins such as sexual immorality and witchcraft. They also include less obvious sins such as selfish ambition, hatred, and jealousy. Those who ignore such sins or refuse to deal with them reveal that they have not received the gift of the Spirit that leads to a transformed life.
5:22–23 But the fruit of the Spirit is … NKJV Paul’s introduction of the word fruit is filled with meaning. While we might have expected him to say, “The works of the Spirit are,” Paul needed to use a fresh term. He had used “works” enough throughout this letter. Besides, “works” indicates lots of activities that people must do. “Fruit,” however, is singular, indicating that all the fruits exist as a unit (like a bunch of grapes rather than many different pieces of fruit) and that all are important to all believers (unlike “gifts” that are dispensed differently to different people). So Paul conveyed the meaning of a full harvest of virtues. Also, “fruit” is a by-product; it takes time to grow and requires care and cultivation. The Spirit produces the fruit; our job is to get in tune with the Spirit. Believers exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, not because they work at it, but simply because they are filled with the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit separates Christians from a godless, evil world, reveals a power within them, and helps them become more Christlike in their daily lives. In contrast to the list it follows, Paul did not describe these characteristics as obvious. The previous ones reside in us; the following ones come as a result of the Spirit’s presence.
Again, the characteristics fall into categories. The first three are inward and can come from God alone:
Love (agape)—Love as shown by Jesus, whose love is self-sacrificing and unchanging, and as demonstrated by God who sent his Son for sinners (Romans 5:5). Love forms the foundation for all the other fruit listed. Elsewhere, Paul breaks love itself down into various components
so that “love” turns out to bear little resemblance to the emotional meaning so often given to the word
Joy (chara)—An inner rejoicing that abides despite outer circumstances. This characteristic has little to do with happiness and can exist in times of unhappiness. It is a deep and nourishing satisfaction that continues even when a life situation seems empty and unsatisfying. The relationship with God through Christ remains even in the deserts and valleys of living.
Peace (eirene)—An inner quietness and trust in God’s sovereignty and justice, even in the face of adverse circumstances. This is a profound agreement with the truth that God, not we, remains in charge of the universe.
The next three concern each believer’s relationships with others:
Longsuffering (makrothumia)—Patiently putting up with people who continually irritate us. The Holy Spirit’s work in us increases our endurance.
Kindness (chrestotes)—Acting charitably, benevolently toward others, as God did toward us. Kindness takes the initiative in responding to other people’s needs.
Goodness (agathosune)—Reaching out to do good to others, even if they don’t deserve it. Goodness does not react to evil but absorbs the offense and responds with positive action
FRUITFULNESS
The fruit of the Spirit is the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us. The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ’s control; we can’t obtain them by trying to get them without his help. If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must join our lives to his (see John 15:4–5). We must know him, love him, remember him, and imitate him. As a result, we will fulfill the intended purpose of the law: to love God and our neighbors. Which of these qualities do you want the Spirit to produce in you?
The last three fruit present more general character traits that ought to guide a believer’s life:
Faithfulness (pistis)—Reliable, trustworthy.
Gentleness (prautes)—Humble, considerate of others, submissive to God and his Word. Even when anger is the appropriate response, as when Jesus cleared the temple, gentleness keeps the expression of anger headed in the right direction. Gentleness applies even force in the correct way
Self-control (egkrateia)—Mastery over sinful human desires and their lack of restraint. Ironically, our sinful desires, which promise self-fulfillment and power, inevitably lead us to slavery. When we surrender to the Holy Spirit, initially we feel as though we have lost control, but he leads us to the exercise of self-control that would be impossible in our own strength
Against such there is no law. NKJV God gave the law to make people aware of their sin and to restrain evil. But no one would make a law against these fruit (virtues), for they are neither sinful nor evil.
A person who exhibits the fruit of the Spirit fulfills the law far better than a person who observes the rituals but has little love in his or her heart.
To understand the fruit of the Spirit, we must see ourselves, not as individual trees, but as an entire garden under the cultivation of God’s Spirit. His purpose involves not simply the production of a single kind of fruit but all the fruit, each becoming ripe as it is needed. No one person can perfectly exemplify all the fruit all the time. We are all needed to produce God’s harvest of virtue. We must not be discouraged if our love or patience is not perfect. It is the constant flow of the Spirit in all of us that produces all the fruit. Don’t let your lack of fruitfulness in some areas destroy what the Holy Spirit is trying to do in you today.