March 9, 2011 10:30
The Fruit of the Spirit: Prelude
Lately I’ve taken into consideration what it means to live by the fruits of the spirit. In Galatians 5, Paul gives the reader examples of how not to live, followed by characteristics of someone who is living by the Holy Spirit. As Paul says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit,” (Galatians 5:25) meaning if we claim to follow Christ, then we should follow the fruits of the Spirit.
In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul tells us how not to live by listing characteristics of the flesh, or our own sinful nature. In these verses, he lists off “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity (hostility), strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy (some manuscripts also say here ‘and murder’), drunkenness, orgies, and other such things.” Paul then warns that those who take part in such acts will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Now, this does not mean that if someone participated in any of these acts once, twice, regularly, or even still continually, he or she is going straight to hell. By no means! This is not what the gospel is about. Rather, the gospel is that Christ was crucified with our sins so that we can enter the Kingdom of God after having done these things. As Paul mentions in another one of his letters, 2 Corinthians, Paul says that “for our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin (this is referring to Christ) so that we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
If the gospel condemned everyone who took part in any of the things listed above, the Kingdom of God would be pretty empty. I for one have taken part in many of these things. Which ones, I am not sharing because it doesn’t matter. Nevertheless, I am excited to announce that I will share in the Kingdom of God because His grace is sufficient for me, (2 Corinthians 12:9) and I am made clean of my filth because Christ was crucified for my sake so that I may be the righteousness of God!
In describing the fruit of the Spirit, Paul describes these things as attributes of one who is following God, and what every follower should strive for. As are listed in Galatians 5:22-23, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Thus, every follower of Christ should strive to live their lives in all of these things.
My intention at this time is to spend each of the next nine of my blog entries elaborating on what I believe it means to live in each fruit of the spirit. I will write after deep study and prayer so as to provide what is hopefully well-thought-out and theologically sound work. As always, though, I encourage any commentary or discussion on this or any other post. Until then, Psalm 67!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls68i1Y4Quw
