Fruit of the
Spirit
What is the fruit
of the Spirit?
“But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things
there is no law.” Galatians
5:22,23.
What are the works
of the flesh?
“The acts of the
sinful nature are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery;
idolatry and witchcraft, hatred,
discord, jealousy, fit’s of
rage, selfish ambition, dissentions,
factions, and envy; drunkenness,
orgies, and the like. I warn you, as
I did before, that those who live
like this will not inherit the
kingdom of God.” Verses 19-21.
Note – the evils
here mentioned are a close parallel
to the lists found in Matthew 15:18,
19; Mark 7: 20-23; Romans 1: 29-31;
and 2 Timothy 3: 1-5.
How may the works
of the flesh be avoided?
“So I say, live
by the Spirit, and you will not
gratify the desires of the sinful
nature.”
Galatians 5:16.
The
Fruit of Love
By
what is the love of God shed abroad
in the heart?
“And hope does
not disappoint us, because God has
poured out his love into our hearts
by the Holy Spirit, whom he
has given us.” Romans 5:5.
What
is love declared to be?
“And over all
these virtues put on love, which
binds them all together in perfect
unity.”
Colossians 3:14.
By
what does genuine faith work?
“For in Christ
Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision has any value. The
only thing that counts is faith
expressing itself through love.”
Galatians 5:6.
What
does love do?
“Hatred stirs up
dissention, but love covers all
wrongs.” Proverbs 10:12.
“Above all, love each other
deeply, because love covers a
multitude of sins.” 1 Peter
4:8.
In
what way does love manifest itself?
“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.”
1 Corinthians 13:4,5.
The
Kingdom of God
Of what does the
kingdom of God consist?
“For the kingdom
of God is not a matter of eating and
drinking, but of righteousness,
peace and joy in the
Holy Spirit.” Romans
14:17.
Note – It is the
Christian’s privilege to have
righteousness, peace and joy-a
righteousness which is of God by
faith (Romans 3:21,22); a peace that
passes all understanding (Philippians
4:7), which the world can neither
give nor take away; and a joy that
rejoices evermore (1 Thessalonians
5:16; Philippians 4:4).
Gentleness,
Goodness, Faith
What
does God’s gentleness do for us?
“You give me your
shield of victory, and your right
hand sustains me; you stoop down to make
me great.” Psalm 18:35.
What
spirit should we show toward others?
“But the
Lord’s servant must not quarrel;
instead, he must be kind to
everyone, able to teach, not
resentful.” 2 Timothy 2:24.
What
does the goodness of God do?
“Or do you show
contempt for the riches of his
kindness, tolerance and patience, not
realizing that God’s kindness
leads you towards repentance.”
Romans 2:4.
How
should we treat those who have
wronged us?
“Do not take
revenge, my friends, but leave room
for God’s wrath, for it is
written: “It is mine to avenge;
I will repay, says the Lord. On the
contrary: “If your enemy is
hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty,
give him something to drink. In doing
this, you will heap burning coals on
his head.” Romans 12: 19,
20.
How
does faith determine our standing
with God?
“And without
faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to him must
believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who have earnestly seek
him.”
Hebrews 11:6.
Gentleness
and Self-Control
How
does God regard the gentle and quiet
spirit?
“Your beauty
should not come from outward
adornment, such as braided hair and
the wearing of gold jewelry and fine
clothes. Instead, it should be that
of your inner self, the unfading
beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is of great worth in God’s
sight.”
1 Peter 3:3,4.
In our Christian
growth and experience, what is to
accompany faith, courage, and
knowledge?
“For this very
reason, make every effort to add to
your faith goodness, and to goodness,
knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control,
and to self-control, perseverance;
and to perseverance, godliness.”
2 Peter 1: 5, 6.
Note – One of the
best definitions of self-control is
control, strength, power, or
ascendancy over exciting and evil
passions of all kinds. It denotes the
self-rule which the over comer or
converted man has over the evil
propensities of his nature.
Commenting on this passage, Dr.
Albert Barnes says: “The
influence of the Holy Spirit on the
heart makes a man moderate in
all indulgences; teaches him to
restrain his passions, and to govern
himself.”
How
is he commended who controls his
spirit?
“Better a patient
man than a warrior; a man who
controls his temper than one who
takes the city.” Proverbs 16:32.
From
Condemnation to Peace
What is said of all
these different virtues?
“Against such
things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:23.
Note – The law
condemns sin. But all these things
being virtues are in harmony with the
law. The Spirit produces them; and
the law, which is spiritual,
therefore cannot condemn them.
To
what unity are Christians exhorted?
“Make every
effort to keep the unity of the
Spirit through the bond of
peace.”
Ephesians 4:3.
Spirit of life, and
light, and love,
Thy heavenly influence
give;
Quicken our souls, our
guilt remove,
That we in Christ may
live.
His love within us
shed abroad,
Life’s
ever-springing well;
Till God in us, and we
in God,
In love eternal dwell.
- Thomas Haweis.
