THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Part II)
We have studied the first five of the nine components of “the fruit of the Spirit”—love, joy, peace, longsuffering and gentleness. In this lesson, we will consider the last four—goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.
“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Rom. 6:22).
Luke 13:6-9
6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
8 And he answering said unto him, Lord; let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
In the previous lesson, we observed the possibility of being presumptuous about real salvation. In the passage above, the “tree” itself is under observation. The vine dresser had been lenient and longsuffering. The owner felt that three years of barrenness was enough to merit the tree’s removal. But the dresser pled for one more year (making four altogether), indicating that he would do his best to make it produce. Out of the goodness of his heart, he begged the owner’s longsuffering (See Exodus 32:1-14.). We are not told the result, but we are served warning that fruitlessness is not acceptable with the Lord. It hinders the Church’s progress toward perfection, and reflects a leniency which the Word does not support.
GOODNESS: “Goodness is the quality of being good-morally sound or excellent, especially virtuous, godly, kind and benevolent; generous; sympathetic; well-behaved; dutiful” (Webster). Goodness contains a measure of the elements of.. love, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness and temperance.
As a fruit of the Spirit, goodness is the gracious benevolence of God Himself, borne in the heart and life by the Holy Ghost—the Spirit of all that is “good.” It is not something that can be taught, or instilled by proper training; however, this sort is not to be despised. But the goodness that is of the Spirit is not published by the doer. It speaks for itself, with no vain-glory. (Read Matthew 25:34-40, where the doers of good were riot aware that what they had done was noteworthy in God’s sight.)
Remember Jesus’ response to the rich young ruler who addressed Him as “Good master.” Jesus answered, “Why call thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God” (Matt. 19:17-21). No man is “good” when compared with God. Jesus suggested a “good thing” for the young ruler to do: use his riches to help the poor. Are you willing to do the “good” which our hands find to do? Or do we insist on the “popularity” variety?
FAITH: Of course, “faith” is un-questioning belief in God, and in Christ’s redemptive work in our behalf; complete trust, confidence, or reliance. However, as a component of the fruit of the Spirit, “faith” in the original text, and in this context, does not refer to faith exercised by the believer so much as to faithfulness and fidelity [devoted loyalty to duty] produced in the life by the Holy Ghost. One expositor puts it thus: “Faith is here [in Galatians 5:22] regarded, not as the means of salvation, or as the instrument of our justification, but as the principle of the Christian life, which [faith] controls and guides it [the Christian life].”
Faith IN God precedes faithfulness and fidelity TOWARD God, and in turn, toward our fellowman. The faithful believer looks to the Holy Ghost for guidance and direction (oftentimes restraint) in every avenue of life. He believes God’s Word of truth, and leans on the Spirit to keep him within safe bounds. Summarily, we are faithful in accordance with our faith. We remain faithful in service, like Moses, because we believe God’s Word, and therefore have “respect unto the recompense of the reward” (Heb. 11:26).
MEEKNESS: “The disposition to be peaceable, patient, and mild; to be tamely submissive; to be easily imposed upon” (Webster). Meekness is humble submission to God’s will, and to divine revelation. It is especially virtuous when one is being subjected to ill treatment or persecution. As a fruit of the Spirit, meekness is one of the natural attributes of the Holy Ghost as being one with the Father and the Son.
Jesus is the Supreme Example of meekness. He said of Himself, “...l am MEEK and LOWLY IN HEART” (Matt. 11:29). But meekness is not cowardliness. When the Father’s honor and glory were at stake, Jesus was bold and authoritative, as was seen in his cleansing of the temple. (Read John 2:13-17.) Then consider his straightforward, rigorous boldness in his denunciation of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (See Matthew 23).
Meekness is first of all toward God. The Holy Ghost never bypasses the Father; never usurps authority not his own. Meekness bespeaks patient waiting on God; not as King Saul, who intruded into the office of the priesthood by impatiently and presumptuously offering the sacrifice when he judged that Samuel was late in coming (Read 1 Samuel 13:8-14.).
True meekness crucifies “ego.” It puts “the big I” in its own small place. Boasting and bragging are stripped of their pious customs and are seen as the contemptible thing that they are. God is given the praise, the credit, and the glory due Him, putting stringent limits on mention of self. When the Holy Ghost is in control- when we are walking in the Spirit—! “I” will be the least important thing in the world.
TEMPERANCE; (Webster) “Self-restraint in conduct, expression, indulgence of the appetites.” It is “The exercise of self-control in the mastery of one’s own desires and impulses.” Temperance means freedom from excesses in one’s conduct, and moderation in indulging even the legitimate appetites—all by the power of God through the agency of the Holy Ghost. Exercising temperance means standing firm for the truth and right in the face of temptation. It is a dedicated determination to put the glory of God ahead of every temporal or fleshly desire.
As with the other components of “the fruit of the Spirit,” temperance is a natural attribute of the Holy Ghost. He will bear that fruit if we, the branches, are securely attached to Christ, the true Vine.
Biblical temperance is a safeguard against “too much of even a good thing.” Solomon used “honey” as an illustration: “I last thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee [and no more!], lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it” (Prov. 25:16). Likewise, the “gluttony” of the world’s “dainty meats and confections”——whether “honey” or bologna”—will make the glutton sick, as well as everyone around him! The same goes for merriment or laughter; though it “doeth good like a medicine” (Prov. 17:22), too much of it can become uncouth and disgusting. The individual who puts no restraint on his passions—his fleshly senses, desires, and affections—will soon be swallowed up by them, The undisciplined life will take greater and greater “liberties,” and the devil “waits in the wings” to rejoice over that one’s eternal ruin!
“Against such there is no law.” That is, against “the fruit of the Spirit there is no law.” Not only is the law not against it, but the law is for it.
However, it is evident that this fruit is not produced by the law, but by love; the love of God that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Both “good fruit” and “good works” are borne by the Spirit in the life of the believer, and not by the good moral works of self-righteous. Not only is there no law against this Spirit-borne fruit, but neither is there any condemnation, since the child of God puts no trust for his salvation in his own good deeds.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the [works of the] flesh, but after the [fruit of the] Spirit” (Rom. 8:1).
There is nothing for the law to condemn. Christ’s work for us on Calvary has set us free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2). Therefore, the law’s righteousness, instead of its condemnation, is fulfilled in us by virtue of our having wholly accepted His satisfaction for our sins. Hallelujah!!!
If you have never accepted or if you have fallen away from Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:
You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a bible believing church that teaches his word. And tell someone what Christ Jesus Has Done For You (Rev 12:10)
May God through Christ bless you!
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