Part 3 - Growing fruit

They are words that are used all the time (both for those with faith, and those without). They’re on: greetings cards, lettering on our walls, hanging from our Christmas trees. Somehow we know the value but yet at times, perhaps, they can seem allusive.

There is the potential for us to spend weeks now looking at each characteristic of the fruit in depth but now does not seem the time for that. So, instead, below are some verses to reflect on if you would like to explore one facet of the fruit of the Spirit more.

Perhaps read and reflect on a verse a day; you could commit to memorizing one; why not doodle or 

draw what leaps out at you from them; maybe you could spend time reading around one using different translations of the Bible. (Needless to say, this list is by no means complete.)

                            

Love

• 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
• 1 John 4:7 - 21

Joy

• Romans 12:12
• James 1:2
• Psalm 28:6-9

Peace

• John 14:27
• Philippians 4:6-7

Patience

• Colossians 3:12-15
• Psalm 103:8

Kindness

• Colossians 3:12-14

Goodness

• Psalm 23:6
• Psalm 145
• 2 Peter 1:5-8

Faithfulness

• 1 Corinthians 1:9
• Psalm 86:15

Gentleness

• Proverbs 15:1
• Colossians 3:12
• 1 Peter 3:3-4

Self control

• 1 Corinthians 10:13
• 2 Timothy 1:6-7
• 2 Peter 1:5-8
• Romans 12:2

A final note on fruit
Things that are of value can take time and it is often the same as we grow. Let’s acknowledge the real struggle that we find in these different areas but also remember what a great reward there is for our time and effort as we become more like Him who made us. Be encouraged that we can grow, and God is with us as we do.

By Jo P

Part 2 - Living fruit, desiring gifts.

In Part 1 we looked at Paul’s letter to the Galatians, and sensed his frustration at their behaviour and poor choices - choosing to live under the ‘law’ rather than in the freedom that is offered through faith in Christ Jesus. Like the Galatians before us, Paul instructs us to live by the Spirit, turning away from sin and worldly desires. ‘Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.' (Gal 5:24). We should live lives in the fruit of the Spirit, out of this is born our Christian character.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul also desires that we seek spiritual gifts given to us for the ‘common good’ (1 Cor 12:7), including the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, healing, prophecy, tongues, and the discernment of spirits. Now I have met many Christians over the years who are quite fearful of engaging with the spiritual gifts. One of their fears, it seems to me, comes out of a sense of them ‘handing over control of their minds and bodies to someone or something else’, and not knowing quite what will happen. Or there is fear of ‘getting it wrong’ or ‘what if nothing happens, I’ll look stupid’. There are all sorts of fears or anxieties that prevent people from fully engaging with the gifts that the Holy Spirit wants to give them.

Paul places the desiring of spiritual gifts in a framework of love. Whilst we are encouraged to desire spiritual gifts, we must use them only in an attitude of love:

‘If I speak in tongues of men and 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’ 

(1 Cor 13: 1-2).

As love is the framework, why might we be afraid of using the gifts that the Spirit gives us? The Holy Spirit will give gifts as he determines, but all within that loving framework. We should not be afraid to use the gifts we are given. As Paul writes about those that prophesy:

‘The spirits of the prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 

For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace’ 

(1 Cor 14: 32-33)

Why is it so important to live in the fruit, and also to desire and use our Spiritual gifts? Whilst the fruit determines and develops our character, it is through the spiritual gifts that we uphold, encourage, equip, and build the community of Christ. We need both the fruit and the gifts.

If we only have the fruit, we will not be spiritually equipped or mature to minister to those who need it, we will lack the wisdom and insight that the Spirit gives us in ministry situations. Our prayers will lack the power and knowledge that the Spirit gives us.

If we only have the gifts, and do not use them in the way of the fruit, we will be just like the clanging cymbals that Paul describes. We might come across as harsh if we don’t use our gifts in an attitude of prayerfulness and especially love.

To develop our Christian character, and to be fully who Christ has called us to be, we need both spiritual fruit and spiritual gifts. 

By Alex C

Part 1 - Those naughty Galatians

“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” (Gal 5:22-23).

Paul’s letter to the Galatians is unlike any of his other letters to the early church. He is really quite furious with them, and his frustration at their behaviour is littered throughout the whole letter. He basically calls out their bad behaviour, doesn’t hold back, and lets them have it with both barrels!

‘I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by 

the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - which is really no gospel 

at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert 

the gospel of Christ’ (1:6-7)

‘You foolish Galatians!’ (3:1)

‘Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 

Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your
goal by human effort?’ (3:2-3)

‘My dear children, for whom I am in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed 

in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am 

perplexed about you!’ (4:19-20)

‘See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!’ (6:11)

That final verse reminds me of how in modern texting and messaging etiquette that to use FULL CAPITALS indicates someone shouting, usually in anger or irritation. You can hear Paul’s frustration with the Galatian church in verse 6:11 - maybe those large letters were FULL CAPITALS - emphasising his exasperation! Also, by telling them he is writing to them in his own hand, rather than the more usual practice of using a scribe, Paul is stressing the importance of his message as he took the time to write this personally.

So, the question is why was Paul so frustrated with the church in Galatia, and what do we need to learn from this letter? Timothy Keller describes the purpose of the letter to the Galatians as:

‘in this short letter, Paul outlines the bombshell truth that the gospel is the A to Z
of the Christian life. It is not the way to enter the kingdom; it is the way to live
as part of the kingdom. It is the way Christ transforms people, churches 

and communities.’ 1

What had happened is that the church in Galatia was not living a Christian life. They were being ‘confused’ by other preachers who came after Paul, who were preaching a different message, and were more concerned about the ‘law’, and not the freedom found in living the Christian life through the crucified Christ. They were causing the Galatians to abandon the gospel of Christ, for a different gospel. They were reverting to traditions, law and cultural practices, and these were seemingly more important than the freedom found in Christ.

‘Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until 

faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we 

might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the 

supervision of the law’ (3:23-25).

Now, why have I included all this background when talking about the fruit of the Spirit? Partly because I think that it is easy to fall into practices that are not glorifying to Christ, or bring freedom to ourselves in our Christian walk. The Galatians were being duped and living back under the ‘law’ when Paul had preached a message of being justified by faith. They were missing the point. Do we allow our own ‘traditions and culture’, or ‘law’, to sometimes cause us to miss the point, and not to flourish?

As a young Christian, I know that my personal faith journey was challenged by some of my behaviours and choices. Thankfully, I have always had more mature Christians around me who were able to disciple me, challenge me, correct me, encourage me, pray with me, and teach me how to live a life in the Spirit, and not under the ‘law’. My journey is far from completed, but rather an ongoing one. There are many days when I feel I have ‘dropped the ball’ and my behaviour, attitudes, or more usually my thought life, have been dishonouring to Christ. By seeking his forgiveness and striving to do better, and with the help of his Holy Spirit, I try to live my life by his fruit.

Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit so that we can develop our Christian character, to be free, to be the fullness of who God created us to be. We need to ensure that we are practising:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and 

self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Are there things that are holding you back from living in this freedom? Practices or beliefs that fall under the ‘law’? Let’s not live like the Galatians who forgot Paul’s message of freedom through faith, but fell into the pattern of old practices which denied them the true gospel and whose character was brought in question. Instead, let’s embrace the fruit of the Spirit, against which there is no law, and which enables us to build our true Christian character.

In our next blog post we will consider how the fruit of the Spirit in partnership with the Spiritual Gifts help us to develop our full Christian Character.

By Alex C
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References:
1 Timothy Keller, Galatians For You, (The Good Book Company, 2013), 9.

Fruit, Spiritual Gifts, & Character

At Thrive we have recently been exploring our Spiritual Gifts, having the opportunity to discover which gifts we have, and to practice the prophetic gifting that the apostle Paul encourages us all to seek “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire the spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy” (1 Cor 14:1). 

Over the next couple of posts, we will look at how, as Christians, we should live lives that bear the fruit of the Spirit, as well as seeking to develop our Spiritual gifts. And finally how, when these are working together, we are truly developing our Christian character.

by Alex C