Wednesday in the Word Krisan Marotta

Fruit of the Spirit Summary: The fruit of the Spirit are not “feel-good vibes” or moral must-haves. They result from a seismic worldview. They grow from faith taking root in our souls.







Fruit of the Spirit Summary Key Points









* An analogy to understand the connection between worldview and salvation.







* The 8 fundamental truths behind the fruit of the Spirit.







* How to reconcile the fruit as a work of the Spirit with Paul’s exhortation to pursue them.









Previous: Fruit of the Spirit: Self-control







Series: Fruit of the Spirit































Fruit of the Spirit Summary







In this series we have been searching for Paul's understanding of the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5. We have explored various passages in Scripture to learn what the Bible says about these concepts and therefore what Paul was thinking when he wrote the list.







Perspective, not Feelings







I have argued that the items on this list are not feelings. Rather, they are a lifestyle that results from a profound shift in worldview. As the Spirit of God teaches us truth, our perspective changes, and that changes how we choose to act, respond and treat each other.







Results of Maturity







I've also argued that these qualities are not optional additions or bonus extras that help you become a nice person or a better disciple of Jesus. Nor are they something that you should pursue in order to grow in spiritual maturity. They are not the cause of spiritual maturity. Rather, they result from spiritual maturity. The Spirit teaches us truth that truth changes our worldview, and that worldview changes our lifestyle, producing these kinds of results.







I've argued that worldview is something that we think with, not something we think about. Your worldview is like putting on a pair of contact lenses. You may forget you have them on, but they shape how you see the world.







When we put on the contact lenses of the gospel worldview, we live differently. We pursue different goals. As we face the choices that life throws at us, we reveal our fundamental beliefs. We won't be obedient consistently and perfectly in all situations. But the goals we chase reveal our willingness to follow and love God.







I've argued that the fruit of the Spirit is the inevitable results of that worldview change of coming to faith. When we come to believe the gospel, these qualities follow. They become the very things we pursue in one out of life.







Let me give you an analogy to explain this connection better.







Red-wire vs Quest







Imagine you are in the latest superhero action-adventure movie. The evil aliens planted a bomb in New York City that will destroy the entire planet. The clock is ticking. You must figure out which wire to cut to diffuse the bomb.







All of a sudden, your sidekick whips a booklet out his pocket and says, “Let's read the instruction manual!” Even though he can't read alien, like most instruction manuals, it's all in pictures. There is a big color picture with scissors cutting the red wire. You now have the right knowledge. As the clock ticks down to zero, you cut the red-wire, saving the planet.







Some people view the gospel like that instruction manual.

Fruit of the Spirit Self-control: While self-control might sound like a call to perfection, at its core self-control values the gospel more than our desires of the moment.







Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control Key Points









* Self-control is choosing to limit myself to follow God.







* Self-control is not being flawless in speech and action.







* As an example, Paul was willing to limit his freedoms for the sake of the gospel







* Word: Strong’s G1466.







* Passages: Acts 24:24-27; 1Corinthians 9:19-27; 2Peter 1:2-8.









Next: Fruit of the Spirit: Summary







Previous: Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness







Series: Fruit of the Spirit































Fruit of the Spirit: Self-control







Today we're looking at the last of the fruits of the Spirit. We have been wandering through Scripture on a quest to understand what the words on this list meant to Paul.







One last time, I'll review the context in Galatians. Paul spends most of Galatians arguing we do not need to keep the law to be saved. Faith in Jesus is sufficient. In Galatians 5, Paul argues law-keeping does not make us more holy or good. Only faith in Jesus produces real moral transformation. Once we have been reconciled to God by the cross, He gives us His Spirit who changes us from the inside out, producing the qualities on this list.







Self-control can be a scary concept because we suspect Paul means the ability to control ourselves at all times. We think we must have the ability to say and do the right thing in every situation. But all of us wrestle with ourselves. Part of us wants to be kind and compassionate while another part wants to indulge our selfishness. Paul described this classic dilemma in Romans 7.







for I do not understand my own actions, for I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. - Romans 7:15







Paul describes a situation every believer experiences. Before the law, he was convinced if he decided to stop sinning, he would. His problem was simply ignorance or lack of willpower. When he gave law-keeping his best shot, he continued to sin.







If by self-control, Paul means the end of that struggle with sin in his life, then he's disqualified everyone, and contradicted what he says in Romans 7. By self-control, Paul can't mean ceasing to sin, but what does he mean? How do we reconcile self-control with the fact that believers continue to sin? We'll look at some passages to sort that out.







The Folly of Indulgence







Many cultures consider self-control a virtue. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle praised self-control as being foremost among the virtues. It's obvious there's something valuable about self-control. While all human beings have the selfish desire to trample others and ensure our needs get met first, we can assess a situation and check on our selfish behavior.







If everyone gave their passions free rein, civilization would rapidly degenerate into anarchy. Following unrestrained passion tends to destroy human lif...

Gentleness as a fruit of the Spirit is not about being soft or timid. It involves humbly accepting what God gives without self-promotion or ambition.







Key Points









* Moses illustrates this quality. Despite his significant role, he did not seek personal glory or power.







* Jesus illustrates this quality in his entry into Jerusalem, foot washing and how he describes his “yoke.”







* James warns against people who lack this quality becoming teachers.







* Word: Strong’s G4240.







* Passages: Numbers 12:1-16; Psalm 27; Luke 14:7-11; Matthew 21:1-5; Matthew 11:28-30; James 3:13-14; Galatians 5:25-6:1; John 12:12-17.









Next: Fruit of the Spirit: Self-control







Previous: Fruit of the Spirit: Faith







Series: Fruit of the Spirit































Gentleness as a Fruit of the Spirit







In this series, we are searching for an understanding of the nouns on Paul's list of the fruit of the Spirit. Today we'll be talking about gentleness. We're exploring scripture to see what the Bible says about these concepts and, therefore, what Paul was thinking when he wrote the list.







I have been arguing that the items on this list are not feelings. Rather, they are a lifestyle that results from a profound worldview shift. As the Spirit of God teaches us truth, our perspective changes and that changes how we choose to act, respond and treat each other.







As always, we'll start by remembering the context in Galatians where we find the list. Paul spends most of his time in Galatians refuting the teaching of the Judaizers and arguing that faith in Jesus is sufficient for salvation. At this point in the letter, he's arguing that freedom from the law does not mean that we are free to pursue sin.







Paul argues that law keeping only changes us on the outside, producing a fake moral transformation. But once we have faith in Jesus, God gives us his spirit and his spirit changes us from the inside out, producing genuine moral change. The qualities on this list are the result of that change and are examples of the kind of thing that the Spirit produces in us.







Meekness







Both the English Standard Version of the Bible and the New American Standard Version translate as this fruit as ‘gentleness.’ This Greek word is also translated ‘meekness’ or ‘lowliness.’ We don't have an English word that exactly captures the meaning of this Greek word. Because we don't have a one-to-one translation equivalent, this word is often misunderstood.







If you've heard my teaching on the Beatitudes from the Gospel of Matthew, this concept of meekness or gentleness will be familiar to you. In the Beatitudes, Jesus says, blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. That word ‘meek’ is the same word as the one in our list. In fact, studying the Beatitudes first challenged me to understand this word.







We'll going to look at two Old Testament passages. I will cover all the complexities of a word st...

Faith as a fruit of the Spirit is not a feeling or belief, but a transformative worldview based on four core convictions.















Key Points









* Faith is not positive thinking, confidence in yourself or believing without reason.







* Saving faith consists of four core convictions which you must believe to be saved.







* Faith is a life-long journey to stand firm in the gospel.







* Word: Strong's G4102.







* Passages: Ephesians 6:10-17; 1Thessalonians 5:1-11; Philippians 1:23-26; 1Thessalonians 3:1-3.









Next: Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness







Previous: Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness







Series: Fruit of the Spirit































Faith as a fruit of the Spirit







In this series, we are searching for an understanding of the ideas on the list of the fruit of the Spirit. Today, we'll be talking about faith. We are exploring Scripture to see what Scripture says about these concepts and, therefore, what Paul was thinking when he wrote the list.







I have been arguing that the items on this list are not feelings. Rather, they result from a profound shift in worldview. As the Spirit of God teaches us truth, our perspective changes and that new perspective changes how we act, respond, and treat each other.







We find this list in Paul’s the letter to the Galatians. Let me briefly remind you of the context. Paul spends most of the letter refuting the teaching of the Judaizers and arguing that we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone.







In Galatians 5, he argues that freedom from the law does not mean that we are free to pursue sin. He argues that keeping the law produces a fake moral transformation. We are only changing our external behavior, not who we are inside.







However, once we have faith in Christ, God gives us His spirit. His spirit teaches us truth and changes us from the inside out, which produces the qualities on this list.







Faith or Faithfulness







Today we're looking at faith. Both the English Standard Version of the Bible and the New American Standard Bible translate this word as ‘faithfulness.’ The Greek word is the normal word for ‘faith.’ While it can be translated faithfulness, the vast majority of times Paul uses this word, he's talking about faith. Especially when he's talking about something that's true of believers.







I would translate this faith, but assume we should think of this as the quality of faithfulness. What would that mean? Paul could mean reliable. When we describe someone as having faithfulness, we typically mean they are dependable and trustworthy. Faithful people do what they say they will do something. But nothing in the context or the way Paul uses this word suggests he has reliability in mind.







Faithfulness can also mean steadfast, loyal, or persevering. The faithful hold on until the end. While perseverance seems more likely in context, what are we being faithful to? Faith. We persevere in the faith, so we might as well translate it faith.

Goodness as a fruit of the Spirit isn't doing random acts of kindness. Nor it is following rules to earn your gold star. Goodness as a fruit of the Spirit is an active pursuit of what is right and holy in both speech and action.







Key Points









* Goodness as a fruit of the Spirit is not doing random acts of kindness.







* Goodness is not following the rules to earn your gold star.







* Goodness is an active pursuit of what is right and holy in both speech and action.







* The way modern society defines goodness is a pale imitation of the fruit of the Spirit.







* Passage: Ephesians 5:1-12.







* Word: Strong’s G19.









Next: Fruit of the Spirit: Faith







Previous: Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness







Series: Fruit of the Spirit































Goodness as a Fruit of the Spirit







In this series, we are searching for an understanding of the fruit of the Spirit. Today we'll be talking about goodness. We're exploring Scripture to see what Scripture says about these concepts, and therefore what Paul had in mind when he wrote the list.







I have argued throughout this series that the items on this list are not feelings. Rather, they are qualities that result from a profound shift in worldview. As the Spirit of God teaches us truth, our perspective changes. That new perspective changes how we act, respond and treat each other, and these qualities result.







Review







In the letter to Galatians, Paul refutes the argument of the Judaizers who claim that faith in Jesus is not enough. They argue Gentile believers must also keep the law. Paul spends most of this letter refuting that claim and arguing that faith in Jesus is sufficient for salvation.







In Galatians 5, where we find this list, Paul argues that law-keeping does not accomplish what it claims to accomplish. Law-keeping cannot make us holy because it doesn't change anything inside. We may strive to keep more laws, but inside we are still sinners.







Conversely, Paul argues that true moral transformation comes from the Spirit of God. God reconciles us to Himself because of Christ's death on the cross. Then He gives us His Spirit. His Spirit teaches us truth and brings about this genuine change. The items on this list result. In this series, we are on a quest to figure out what those items are. Today we're talking about goodness.







Goodness is a fairly simple idea. Think of the contrast between good and evil. But goodness is being nice to people. Instead, goodness is the pursuit of that which is right and holy as opposed to pursuing that which is evil, corrupt and against God.







Ephesians 5:1-4







In this part of Ephesians, Paul exhorts his readers to live in keeping with the gospel they claim to believe.







1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Kindness as a fruit of the Spirit is not good deeds. Rooted in understanding God's kindness, it's intentionally acting to benefit others.















Key Points









* Kindness is an active choice to bring good to others despite their faults or actions towards us.







* Biblical kindness is grounded in understanding God’s kindness toward us.







* God’s kindness is both a present reality and a future hope.









Next: Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness







Previous: Fruit of the Spirit: Patience







Series: Fruit of the Spirit































Kindness as a Fruit of the Spirit







In this series, we are searching for an understanding of what Paul had in mind when he wrote the list of the fruit of the Spirit. We are exploring Scripture to see what Scripture says about these concepts and, therefore, what Paul was thinking when he wrote the list. 







I have been arguing the items on this list are not feelings. Rather, they are lifestyle changes that result from a profound shift in worldview because the Spirit of God teaches us truth. 







For those of you just joining us, I will remind you of the context of Galatians, where we find this list. The Judaizers claim that faith in Jesus is a good starting point, but Gentile believers must also keep the law. Paul spends most of the letter arguing they are wrong. Faith in Jesus is sufficient for salvation. 







In Galatians 5, Paul argues that law-keeping does not make us holy because it changes nothing about who we are inside. We may strive to keep laws we used to break, but inside we are still sinners. 







Conversely, Paul argues that true moral transformation results from the Spirit of God. Christ's death on the cross reconciles us to God. Therefore, God gives us His Spirit who changes us from the inside out. As the Spirit teaches us truth, that changes our worldview. The results are the items on this list of the fruit of the Spirit. In this series, we're on a quest to figure out what those are. 







Kindness is an action







Today we are talking about kindness. The word kindness is a simple but very profound idea. In the New Testament, we see kindness used in two main ways. First, kindness describes working to accomplish a good result for someone. Kindness is not the way I feel towards someone else. It is the way I act toward them. Kindness actively works for their good. 







When we looked at peace and longsuffering, we talked about withholding a response. We might decide not to strike back or retaliate. This word 'kindness' is more active. We are actively working for someone else's benefit. 







The second context where we see this word kindness describes doing good for someone in spite of their faults. We act kindly despite the way they may have treated us. We see most clearly when the Bible talks about God's kindness toward us.







Titus 3:1-7







1Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.