The Fruit of the Spirit Is the Fruit of Faith Galatians 5 22–26 Part 1

this is our first session on Galatians 5 22-26 we just finished looking at list of the works of the flesh that independent self-indulgent self-exalting self-sufficient definition of our nature apart from Christ and now we look at list of the fruit of the spirit the fruit of the spirit is there's nine of them love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self-control against such things there is no law we'll stop there father as we Ponder the fruit that Paul mentions here pray that you would by the spirit work these in our lives make us good fruit bearing trees by the spirit pray so that we are known for these beautiful traits ask this in Jesus name amen in pondering why Paul would say fruit of the spirit and works of the flesh I've wondered whether there is something about the very word fruit that would make it unsuitable for calling this list the fruit of the Flesh and what gave me pause in saying that was Jesus way of speaking in Matthew 7 every healthy tree Bears good fruit and every diseased tree Bears Bad fruit so Jesus doesn't have any problem in this analogy calling the bad things fruit it fits the analogy of considering two kinds of of trees so I'm little bit hesitant to say that it's automatic that if you're going to list good things you should use use the word fruit if you're going to list bad things you should use the word work I'm also hesitant to say that works implies effort whereas fruit implies kind of passive enjoyment of God's work in your life because listed in that list of works is things like Envy jealousy those don't take any effort at all they spring up as naturally as any good thing does in the life of believer so don't think that's the the focus so my best guess of why Paul uses the word fruit here is that in his mind this word really does mainly connote something very positive as coming from life and giving life for example here in Romans 8 2 and 6 the law of the spirit of life so this when the spirit is reigning in us life is happening and fruit is alive works are dead spirit is life has set you free from the law of sin and death verse six for the mind of the flesh is death in other words that whole list of the works of the flesh resulted in what if you do such things you will not inherit the Kingdom in other words you die but the mind of the spirit is life and peace fruit fruit is something that happens on living Vine or living tree and it gives life when you eat it so I'm inclined to think that what Paul has in mind when he says fruit of the spirit is the spirit when it holds Sway in the Christian Life Is Life and it gives rise to life and what it gives rise to itself gives life now let's Ponder each of these nine qualities or traits of the Christian when the Holy Spirit is bearing this fruit this living fruit of his and want to draw attention especially to the fact that believe walking by the spirit verse 16 walking by the spirit does not fulfill the lusts or the desires of the flesh but rather produces the fruit of the spirit so bearing the fruit of the spirit is the same as walking by the spirit and we argue there that you walk by the Spirit by trusting the Promises of God secured in the gospel we saw that in Galatians 3:5 does he who supplies the spirit to you and worked miracles among you and that would include at least the fruit of the spirit love joy peace these are miracles in the Christian Life does he who supplies the spirit and by that Spirit works these wonders among you does he do so by works of the law no or by hearing with with faith yes so these these are all the result of trusting the promises of God if you wonder what can do if it is the work of the spirit to produce these things and the answer is hear with faith hear the gospel with faith hear the promises of God with facei so let's let's just walk through and make brief comment about each one just listed them here with brief comment beside each one love the fruit of the holy spirit is love and think love is probably mentioned first because it is comprehensive of the others in fact we'll see that very explicitly with patience and kindness because it says in 1 Corinthians 13:4 love is patient love is kind so these are not distinct all of them they overlap with each other you can't draw hard and fast lines say between between goodness and kindness so love humbly sacrificially serve the good of others get that definition from Galatians 513 you were called to Freedom Brothers only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but through love serve one another so take humble posture of lowly sacrificial acting for the good of another and you do that by faith according to Galatians 5:6 in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision count for anything but only Faith working through love so where does love come from love comes from faith faith in the promises of God frees one from the fear and the grief and every other obstacle to be other oriented sacrificial serving person joy and peace happy stable tranquil heart Happy Joy tranquil peace happy stable tranquil heart through faith put them together because they are together in Romans 15:13 May the god of Hope fill you with joy and peace there they are joy and peace in believing so it's by believing the promises of God purchased by Christ in the gospel that we are given the happy stable tranquil heart that is able to walk through life joyful and peaceful patience and kindness that is not easily provoked that's what patience is things come at you interrupt your schedule annoy you and you're not easily provoked but quick to be helpful that's what kindness is so this is the kind of negative don't respond certain way and this is the positive do respond certain way Hebrews 612 may you not be sluggish but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises I'm saying here that patience is fruit of faith faith and patience inherit the promises or 1 Corinthians 13:4 mentioned earlier shows how patience and kindness are part of Love here's first Corinthians 13:4 love is patient love is patient love is kind these are not distinct things as though patience were one thing and love were another thing kindness is one thing and love is another thing love is patience and so as love comes from Faith Works through faith so does patience and kindness goodness and faithfulness think what's intended there is goodness devoted to the good and person who is devoted to the standard of the good he lives for the good he loves what is good he conforms his behavior to what is good will be known as faithful person reliable person so devoted to the good with integrity that's what marks you then people will be able to trust you you'll be reliable person and that too comes from Faith 2 Thessalonians 1 to this end we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for goodness and work of faith don't think the work of faith and the resolve for goodness are distinct things when the resolve for goodness becomes work it is coming from faith and so good is fruit of Faith as well as fruit of the spirit because we walk by the Spirit by trusting the promises or just definition of what faithfulness means this beautiful text from Psalm 15 Lord who who will sojourn who shall sojourn in your tent who shall dwell on your Holy Hill he who swears to his own hurt and does not change in other words you make promise that you're going to be there or do something and then something comes up that means it's going to be very costly for you to keep your word and you do it anyway even though it hurts that's what mean by faithfulness being reliable person because he's utterly devoted with Integrity to the good gentleness not harsh not Brash in other words when somebody does something wrong against you you don't need to strike out because of this promise in Romans 1219 beloved never avenge yourselves leave it to the wrath of God for it is written vengeance is mine will repay person who has peaceful deep contentment and confidence in the Justice and goodness of God to work all things out for his good and bring people to Justice who ought to be brought to Justice does not need to be harsh but can be gentle with his opponents as Paul calls the the Christian to be in 2 Timothy 2 24 and 25 and then finally the most paradoxical one in the list call it paradoxical because it's translated self-control and this list is all about Spirit control so so you have self-control being the fruit of spirit control love that Paradox actually the word in Greek doesn't have any word self in it and Caya simply means spirit-given power to say no to sinful desires and it's not entirely misleading to translated self-control because our self our new self in Christ is involved in saying no so if sinful desire raises its head then we trust we trust God and his promises to be superior in their power to satisfy our souls and we put to death this sinful desire as it says in Romans 88:13 if you live according to the flesh you will die but if by the spirit you put to death the Deeds of the body sinful Deeds of the body you will live that putting to death is the activity of this gift from the spirit of selfcontrol so back to our text in conclusion the fruit of the spirit this living effect of the lifegiving spirit is love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self self contr control against such things there's no law if you live this way by the spirit you are free from the condemnation of the law both because of the Cross and because you're walking in way that the law God himself approves