Posts Tagged ‘fruits of the Spirit’

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. Proverbs 25:28 (ESV)

Paul could write a list!

In Colossians 3 he gave a list of attributes that we should take off and those we must “put on” (Colossians 3:8-9, 12-14 ESV). In Ephesians 4 he gave us a list of those attributes needed to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” to which we have been called (Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV).

He even gave us a list of what he had suffered for Christ in 2 Corinthians 11. 23-28.

Then, in Galatians 5:22-23 he gave us a list of the fruits 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)

Most people are very familiar with these verses but not as familiar with the list of the “works of the flesh” in the previous 3 verses:

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21(ESV)

It is hard to understand Paul’s statement that “against the fruits of the Spirit there is no law” until you see that he had given us a list of things that are against the laws of God. Paul illustrates here that God’s Law stands as always.

It is striking to put these two lists together. Today’s Christian is all about love, joy, peace, and kindness. But, when we look at the list of “works of the flesh,” with a little thought, we can see how necessary “gentleness and self-control” become.

All of these directly address our relationships with others. The two lists define how we deal with other people, how we “love our neighbor” (Matthew 22:39 ESV).  If we have love, joy, peace, and kindness for some but completely fail at gentleness and self-control, we are not loving our neighbor.

Paul follows these verses with Galatians 5:24-26 (ESV):

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Often, our behaviors do not line up with the lists Paul has given us. As we look at the fruits of the Spirit and understand that God has expectations of us with regard to “gentleness and self-control,” are there things we should be doing differently?

It seems that people are often harsh and uncontrolled rather than gentle and self-controlled with their rebukes and corrections –especially on social media.

Do we trust the Holy Spirit to work in other people or do we believe that if we are not harsh and cold in our corrections that others won’t hear us?

Intentional Influence: A Woman’s Guide to Biblical Mentoring.

Get your copy here https://amzn.to/2BlunwD