Fruit of the Spirit : Week One
Hey everybody. This is Joe. I haven’t done this in a while. I hope you all are well. Recently I started teaching a Sunday school class at our Church. The class is for ages 11-13. Currently I have one student (Derek Jensen for those who know). I have one more who might be joining soon, but that is not for sure. It has been a great study thus far. We have been looking at Galatians 5:22-23, and the fruit that the Spirit brings to fruition in our life. If you are interested, the lessons will be posted here. We have a little liturgy, which I will explain. We begin with the song/prayer "Christ be with me." This comes from a larger song called, "St Patrick’s Breastplate" and is an awesome song, dating back to St Patrick himself. We sing the smaller one as an opening prayer, and then go into our scripture memory. We are memorizing Psalm 95, and reciting it antiphonally. Next comes fun Bible trivia, followed by the Heidelberg Catechism, and some questions highlighting key aspects of the answers. We then dive into the text, and he sits there listening to me spout off for a while. Then we have a poetry reading, usually some great hymn such as William Cowper's "God Moves in a Mysterious Way." That’s what we do. It has been a great blessing to me. So here it be. Forgive the unpolished prose. These are more like lecture notes than anything else. Blessings
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me
Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
Christ to guide me, Christ to lead me, Christ in Song and Christ in Story,
Christ to wash me, Christ to feed me, Christ to bring me to His glory.
‘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)
What is the context of this passage?
-Walk by the Spirit (v16)
-Flesh vs. Spirit (vv17-18)
-Works of the Flesh (vv19-21)
-Fruits of the Spirit (vv22-23)
-In Christ, the Flesh is dead (v24)
-Therefore, walk by the Spirit (vv25-26)
Whose Fruit?
-The fruit of the Spirit, meaning the Spirit’s fruit. This is one way by which we can know what God is like. These are attributes that describe Him. He is love, He is joy, etc. As we are conformed to the image of His Son, these are the attributes that will grow in us. We work out what God works in, and these are the attributes that He works in. Why? Because these are His attributes.
Works of the Flesh vs. Fruit of the Spirit
- These are juxtaposed against each other in a tidy way in this passage. We see a list for both, and a heading describing both: works and fruit. Works are associated with the Flesh, whereas fruit is associated with the Spirit. This is an important difference. What does this mean? The flesh desires to do something, to earn something, to perform works. What the flesh is attempting to earn is growth. We want to achieve our own maturity, our own self-enrichment. This is exactly opposite of what it means to be in the Spirit. Being in the Spirit means allowing the Spirit to work, to achieve something. It means giving up the desire to earn growth. Think of an apple tree. It needs sun and water to grow. Pruning helps direct the fruit, and concentrate the attributes of the fruit. But does the apple do anything to achieve or earn maturity or growth? No, growth and maturity come only after the gardener has tended to it. This is the work of the Spirit. The Spirit comes and prunes, waters, and tends the tree, bringing apples to maturity. This is what happens in our own lives. When we try to grow on our own, the works we perform are the list we read. These are all self-pleasing, self-satisfying actions. But against that is the work of the Spirit, which God is working into us as His children. We are being nurtured and tended to, pruned and watered. The outcome of that attention is fruit. Healthy fruit, ripe for use.
The Nature of the Fruit
- What is this fruit? Are they things I can do, I can practice? Can you sit down and tell yourself one day that you can be love? And the next day joy? Are these duties or descriptions? If duties can we do them? No. Can you do joy? Can you do kindness? You can be kind or act kindly. With some of the words it becomes obvious that they are descriptions. Kindness describes something, it attributes a set of conditions to someone or something. We say, “He exhibits kindness,” or “he displays kindness toward others.” “He displays love,” He displays patience.” One way in which we can think about this is like an art gallery. In an art gallery there are walls, and on the walls hang paintings, photographs, etc. We can say in a literal sense that the wall displays that piece of art. The wall exhibits a certain picture or painting. In reality when we say “the museum exhibits this or that”, we are not talking about the walls, we are talking about the curator, the person who chooses the art and puts it on the wall. So think of your self as the wall, and the Spirit is the curator, who chooses what he wishes to display on you. The Spirit will adorn you with these “paintings” each of which carry a certain set of attributes. All analogies break down at a certain point. The catch in this situation is that we are not as stationary or as complicit as a wall. We have a human nature that is prone to sin and rebellion. Paul talks about the flesh that he battles with every day, working in him to do things he does not want to do, and keeping him from doing things he wants to do. This is the life of sin that God is saving us from. By the power of Christ’s blood on the cross, and the subsequent resurrection from the dead, we as believers in that God-Man, are joined to Him, and are given a new heart; one that is able to look the old heart square in the eyes and say no. I am not going to hit my sister, even though I want to. I am not going to lie to my parents, even though I might get in trouble. I am not going send my brother away, even though he annoys me to no end. In Christ we have that ability to not sin. This is done by the Spirit of Christ who lives in us, and teaches us to turn from sin. As we submit ourselves to this Spirit, He conforms us to the image of the Son. As we become submissive, like a wall, allowing the curator to adorn us however he wishes, the Spirit adorns us with his art, the fruit of his hands. The paintings of love, joy, peace, etc, communicate the attitude and personality of the artist. As with a real painting, we come to know the artist by his work. Every artist has a definitive style, ie brushstrokes, color palate. We often can tell a artist simply by looking at one of his paintings. The same is true with the art of the Spirit. When the painting ‘love’ is displayed on the wall of your actions and attitudes, we are able to point to the artist and recognize the brushstrokes. The same is true with the list of the works of the flesh. When we display anger, envy and fighting, we are displaying the fruit of the our own making. That is the fruit of an evil, sinful nature. We become the curator and hang our own art on our own walls, and in doing so, rebel against the one who made the walls (us) in the first place. God made us to reflect His glory to the world. We fell in Adam and since then have desired nothing but to reflect our own glory, pittance that it is. When Christ came and saved us we were set free from bondage to that old man, though we still war with him. Through the Spirit we are enabled to do what we were created to do. We are enabled to display the art of God. We are enabled to exhibit the works of the Spirit’s hands. We are enabled to share with the world the divine and heavenly fruit.
Therefore walk in the Spirit
- This is what it means to turn aside from doing your own pleasures, and walk in the Spirit. Think about it like this. In the snow your feet make large footprints. Is it easy to walk in? You’re your feet sink every time you step? Have you ever walked in someone else’s footsteps in the snow? The other person packed the snow down with their feet, making it hard. Then when you walk on it, it is solid and easier to walk on. Think like that. We can walk through the snow in our own foot prints, or we can walk in the footprints the Spirit makes as He walks ahead of us, leading us. Walk in the light, as He is in the light. What does that mean in real life? Exhibit love to your sister. Display joy to your parents. Show patience with your brother. Be at peace with those who annoy you. Have the qualities of faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These are the pieces of art that the Spirit is working into you as you submit yourself to his hand. By these attributes the world will know who God is, and what He has done for you. He works these into, and we work them out. The Spirit plants the seeds of joy, and we watch as the grow in our actions and responses. So pray for them. Pray that the Lord would grant you a curator to display His fruit. Pray for a willing heart to accept the art chosen by that curator. The life that follows is glory and honor and gratitude to the God who saved you from pit, and took you from the mire. Know who He is, and give Him thanks. This is the best thing in life that we can do. Know who God is, and thank Him.
Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me
Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
Christ to guide me, Christ to lead me, Christ in Song and Christ in Story,
Christ to wash me, Christ to feed me, Christ to bring me to His glory.
‘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)
What is the context of this passage?
-Walk by the Spirit (v16)
-Flesh vs. Spirit (vv17-18)
-Works of the Flesh (vv19-21)
-Fruits of the Spirit (vv22-23)
-In Christ, the Flesh is dead (v24)
-Therefore, walk by the Spirit (vv25-26)
Whose Fruit?
-The fruit of the Spirit, meaning the Spirit’s fruit. This is one way by which we can know what God is like. These are attributes that describe Him. He is love, He is joy, etc. As we are conformed to the image of His Son, these are the attributes that will grow in us. We work out what God works in, and these are the attributes that He works in. Why? Because these are His attributes.
Works of the Flesh vs. Fruit of the Spirit
- These are juxtaposed against each other in a tidy way in this passage. We see a list for both, and a heading describing both: works and fruit. Works are associated with the Flesh, whereas fruit is associated with the Spirit. This is an important difference. What does this mean? The flesh desires to do something, to earn something, to perform works. What the flesh is attempting to earn is growth. We want to achieve our own maturity, our own self-enrichment. This is exactly opposite of what it means to be in the Spirit. Being in the Spirit means allowing the Spirit to work, to achieve something. It means giving up the desire to earn growth. Think of an apple tree. It needs sun and water to grow. Pruning helps direct the fruit, and concentrate the attributes of the fruit. But does the apple do anything to achieve or earn maturity or growth? No, growth and maturity come only after the gardener has tended to it. This is the work of the Spirit. The Spirit comes and prunes, waters, and tends the tree, bringing apples to maturity. This is what happens in our own lives. When we try to grow on our own, the works we perform are the list we read. These are all self-pleasing, self-satisfying actions. But against that is the work of the Spirit, which God is working into us as His children. We are being nurtured and tended to, pruned and watered. The outcome of that attention is fruit. Healthy fruit, ripe for use.
The Nature of the Fruit
- What is this fruit? Are they things I can do, I can practice? Can you sit down and tell yourself one day that you can be love? And the next day joy? Are these duties or descriptions? If duties can we do them? No. Can you do joy? Can you do kindness? You can be kind or act kindly. With some of the words it becomes obvious that they are descriptions. Kindness describes something, it attributes a set of conditions to someone or something. We say, “He exhibits kindness,” or “he displays kindness toward others.” “He displays love,” He displays patience.” One way in which we can think about this is like an art gallery. In an art gallery there are walls, and on the walls hang paintings, photographs, etc. We can say in a literal sense that the wall displays that piece of art. The wall exhibits a certain picture or painting. In reality when we say “the museum exhibits this or that”, we are not talking about the walls, we are talking about the curator, the person who chooses the art and puts it on the wall. So think of your self as the wall, and the Spirit is the curator, who chooses what he wishes to display on you. The Spirit will adorn you with these “paintings” each of which carry a certain set of attributes. All analogies break down at a certain point. The catch in this situation is that we are not as stationary or as complicit as a wall. We have a human nature that is prone to sin and rebellion. Paul talks about the flesh that he battles with every day, working in him to do things he does not want to do, and keeping him from doing things he wants to do. This is the life of sin that God is saving us from. By the power of Christ’s blood on the cross, and the subsequent resurrection from the dead, we as believers in that God-Man, are joined to Him, and are given a new heart; one that is able to look the old heart square in the eyes and say no. I am not going to hit my sister, even though I want to. I am not going to lie to my parents, even though I might get in trouble. I am not going send my brother away, even though he annoys me to no end. In Christ we have that ability to not sin. This is done by the Spirit of Christ who lives in us, and teaches us to turn from sin. As we submit ourselves to this Spirit, He conforms us to the image of the Son. As we become submissive, like a wall, allowing the curator to adorn us however he wishes, the Spirit adorns us with his art, the fruit of his hands. The paintings of love, joy, peace, etc, communicate the attitude and personality of the artist. As with a real painting, we come to know the artist by his work. Every artist has a definitive style, ie brushstrokes, color palate. We often can tell a artist simply by looking at one of his paintings. The same is true with the art of the Spirit. When the painting ‘love’ is displayed on the wall of your actions and attitudes, we are able to point to the artist and recognize the brushstrokes. The same is true with the list of the works of the flesh. When we display anger, envy and fighting, we are displaying the fruit of the our own making. That is the fruit of an evil, sinful nature. We become the curator and hang our own art on our own walls, and in doing so, rebel against the one who made the walls (us) in the first place. God made us to reflect His glory to the world. We fell in Adam and since then have desired nothing but to reflect our own glory, pittance that it is. When Christ came and saved us we were set free from bondage to that old man, though we still war with him. Through the Spirit we are enabled to do what we were created to do. We are enabled to display the art of God. We are enabled to exhibit the works of the Spirit’s hands. We are enabled to share with the world the divine and heavenly fruit.
Therefore walk in the Spirit
- This is what it means to turn aside from doing your own pleasures, and walk in the Spirit. Think about it like this. In the snow your feet make large footprints. Is it easy to walk in? You’re your feet sink every time you step? Have you ever walked in someone else’s footsteps in the snow? The other person packed the snow down with their feet, making it hard. Then when you walk on it, it is solid and easier to walk on. Think like that. We can walk through the snow in our own foot prints, or we can walk in the footprints the Spirit makes as He walks ahead of us, leading us. Walk in the light, as He is in the light. What does that mean in real life? Exhibit love to your sister. Display joy to your parents. Show patience with your brother. Be at peace with those who annoy you. Have the qualities of faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. These are the pieces of art that the Spirit is working into you as you submit yourself to his hand. By these attributes the world will know who God is, and what He has done for you. He works these into, and we work them out. The Spirit plants the seeds of joy, and we watch as the grow in our actions and responses. So pray for them. Pray that the Lord would grant you a curator to display His fruit. Pray for a willing heart to accept the art chosen by that curator. The life that follows is glory and honor and gratitude to the God who saved you from pit, and took you from the mire. Know who He is, and give Him thanks. This is the best thing in life that we can do. Know who God is, and thank Him.
posted by joe at
8:25 PM
1 Comments:
Thank you for this. We are all human and we need to be mindful of the seeds that God plants in us and to make sure our fruits are christlike.
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