Fruits of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-25

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

JOY

Joy is more than happiness.

Joy is the unconditional state of mind that accompanies fellowship with God.

CS Lewis: “God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.-Mere Christianity.

CS Lewis: “Joy is the serious business of heaven”

Is the Joy that only comes from God present in our lives? Or Are we searching for happiness in things and people other than God?

LOVEIt is the self-giving love that gives freely without asking anything in return, and does not consider the worth of its object.

Agape describes the unconditional love God has for the world.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

CS Lewis: "We want to be loved for our cleverness, beauty, generosity, fairness, usefulness." – The Four loves.

C.S. Lewis suggests there are three ways we encounter Agape:

1.Through our own awareness of need love.

2. Through our own earthly gift-love.

3. Through Appreciative Love or an experience of perfect love.

Agape love completes or perfects our nature. It comes as gift, and it's something we must learn to do. It's not our impulse to love unconditionally, but this is what God calls us to do through the power of Love itself.

Patience and Longsuffering

Patience- the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without

complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like;

steady perseverance Longsuffering- long and patient

endurance of injury, trouble, or provocation

The Problem of Pain

James 1:2-4Consider it pure joy, my

brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slow in

keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Peace

-freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction,

anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquility, serenity

“We Have No Right to Happiness”“The Problem of Pain”

“God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself because it is not there. There is no such thing.”

Romans 5:1-4Therefore, since we have been

justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Philippians 4:6-8Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Kindness / goodness

Kindness- tender concern for others and has nothing to do with weakness or a lack of conviction. It is a tender heart and a nurturing spirit.

“The worldly man treats certain people kindly because he 'likes' them: the Christian, trying to treat every one kindly, finds himself liking more and more people as he goes on - including people he could not even have imagined himself liking at the beginning”

Jeremiah 9:23-24This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

God’s nurturing kindness is shown when Christ called God the Father - ABBA; giving permission for us as believers to call Him, “Father”.

Zephaniah 3:17“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love he will rejoice over you with singing.”

Christ live as an example to do kindness- 5000 people were fed- let the little children come to me

Christ is not only showed His care for others but also His compassion wherever He goes.

GoodnessBenevolent in action - zeal for good works and truth

Even though it is goodness but it does not stray away from correcting or chastising

"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a sunhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it.”

Human did not achieve goodnessWe have not been saved by our works but we have

been saved to do His works.

Ephesians 2:10“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ

Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

Goodness brings gladness to life

Faithfulness

Ideas of firmness, steadiness, sureness, steadfastness, faithfulness, trust, honesty, safety, and certainty

Christians need to believe in God’s character and His words because God has remain faithful to us

Loyalty - sticking to original choice despite other options

“They meant "to pursue happiness by all lawful means"; that it, by all means which the Law of Nature eternally sanctions and which the law of the nation shall sanction.

Heb 11:6“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”.

Heb 11:1“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”

Romans 10:17“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ”.

We are called believers long before we are called Christians

Ex: early church

Problems in today’s church

Gentleness

MeeknessSubmission to God’s Will HumilityEasily molded by the Spirit

"Thou wert the meekest man", says Sir Ector to the dead Lancelot. "Thou were the meekest man that ever ate in hall among ladies; and thou were the sternest knight to thy mortal foe that ever put spear in the rest.” Necessity of Chivalry "Until you have given up your self to Him you will not have a real self..." -Mere ChristianityJesus portrayed an example of meekness and gentleness.

Humility

“Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, it is thinking of ourselves less.”

"[God] is not proud...He will have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to Him."

"Prostitutes are in no danger of finding their present life so satisfactory that they cannot turn to God: the proud, the avaricious, the self-righteous, are in that danger." Problem of Pain

Mere Christianity: Great Sin"Perfect humility dispenses with

modesty."

Humility vs. PrideHe is trying to make you humble in order to make this moment possible: trying to take off a lot of silly, ugly, fancy-dress in which we have all got ourselves up and are strutting about like the little idiots we are. I wish I had got a bit further with humility myself: if I had, I could probably tell you more about the relief, the comfort, of taking the fancy-dress off - getting rid of the false self, with all its 'Look at me' and 'Aren't I a good boy?' and all its posing and posturing. To get even near it, even for a moment, is like a drink of cold water to a man in a desert….

“Nearly all those evils in the world which people put down to greed or selfishness are really far more the result of Pride.”

Self Control “A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means.  This is an obvious lie.  Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is....  A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later.  That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness.  They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.”

The key to Self-control is refusal to allow our enemies (flesh, Satan…) to rule of hold us captive.

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” Proverbs 25:28 City walls were used for protection and security. Temperance: “But the whole point is that he is abstaining, for a good reason, from something which he does not condemn and which he likes to see other people enjoying.” -Mere ChristianityControl what thoughts and words. “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” - Matthew 12:36

“"The Chinese also speak of a great thing (the greatest thing) called the Tao. It is the reality behind all predicates, the abyss that was before the Creator Himself. It is Nature, it is the Way, the Road. It is the Way the universe goes on, the Way in which things everlastingly emerge... into space and time. It is also the Way which every man should tread in imitation of that cosmic and supercosmic progression, conforming all activities to that great example” -Abolition of Man