The Fruit of the Spirit Lesson #6 part 2 In the Steps of Christ
What kind of person are you? If one of the people closest to you (those who know you best) were to characterize you with one word, what word do you think that would be? 2
Lesson outline Introduction Fruit of the Spirit Love Joy Peace Patience / longsuffering Kindness / gentleness Goodness Faith / Faithfulness Gentleness / meekness Self control / temperance 3
Introduction Fruit of the Spirit is a set of attitudes or character traits produced by the Holy Spirit results in good works pleasing to God produces unity as opposed to separation 4
Love If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:1-8, NIV) 5
Love Love is a personal willingness to esteem and self-sacrificially serve others We are to love even our enemies and those who are hard to love You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43-44) 6
Love Believers are to love others not because of anything good in others, but as a response to God s love for them (Matthew 5:45, 48) We love, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19) Every believer has a God-given capacity to love (Romans 5:5) the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5) 7
Joy Joy is happiness that transcends circumstances, because it is rooted in spiritual truth such as: Salvation provided by God (1 Peter 1:3-8) Imperishable inheritance in heaven (1 Peter 1:4) Eternal life manifested in Christ (1 John 1:1-4) Worthy to be associated with Christ (even if it is suffering because of His name) (Acts 5:40-41) The fact that God knows us by name as His own (Luke 10:20) 8
Joy I have found truly joyful Christians only in the Bible, in the Underground Church, and in prison. Richard Wurmbrand, Tortured for Christ, p. 94 9
Peace Peace is a calm disposition based upon being in a right relationship with God True peace that comes from God is different than the peace which the world offers Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. (John 14:27) We need to ask God for help to overcome anxiety and worry Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) 10
Patience / longsuffering Patience is a calm tolerance and steadfast endurance during times of difficultly Patience is important in our waiting on the Lord (cf. Daniel 10:12) I waited patiently for the Lord; And He inclined to me and heard my cry (Psalm 40:1) We are to exercise patience and tolerance towards others walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3) 11
Kindness / gentleness Kindness/gentleness is tenderness and compassionate concern for others Kindness/gentleness should accompany our proclamation of the gospel. We have to have a genuine concern for those whom we minister But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well - pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us (1 Thessalonians 2:7-8) 12
Goodness Goodness is characterized by exemplary morality and character. We are to seek opportunities to do good while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith (Galatians 6:10) True godliness is to be accompanied by good works I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. (1 Timothy 2:9-10) 13
Faith / faithfulness Faith/faithfulness is a confident trust in God in all circumstances which results in loyalty, dependability, stability, and trustworthiness The believers are to be characterized by perseverance and faithfulness even/especially in the midst of troubled times (Revelation 13:10) God is the prime example of faithfulness (Romans 3:3, 2 Timothy 2:11-13) 14
Gentleness / meekness Gentleness/meekness is submissiveness to God, humility and consideration toward others True wisdom is characterized by meekness Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. (James 3:13) Instruction, correction, rebuke must be done in the gentleness of spirit (2 Timothy 2:25, Galatians 6:1, 1 Peter 3:15-16) 15
Self control / temperance Self-control/temperance the ability to restrain passions and desires Self-control is an integral part of sanctification process (cf. Acts 24:25) Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8) 16
Conclusion To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name s sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lamp stand out of its place unless you repent. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God (Revelation 2:1-7) 17