FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT
By Pastor George Cortez
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
LOVE - is the most powerful word that we know, we flourish with love and we wither without it, the word of God says that love conquers all, that it last’s forever, love is the very reason that Jesus died for us all, as stated in the famous passage John 3:16 that says for God so loved the world.
In the Greek “Agape” describes the unconditional love that God has for the world, for it is more a love by choice than “Philos” which is love by chance and more of an emotion rather than will.
In the Greek “Agape” describes the unconditional love that God has for the world, for it is more a love by choice than “Philos” which is love by chance and more of an emotion rather than will.
The Apostle Paul describes the attributes of this love, - 1st Corinthians 13:4-8 - Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
The list of the fruits of the Spirit, all point to something you are and something you do.
It is the Spirit giving you the character of Christ for without God we can do nothing and that includes love, for those that know God are able to experience the love of God and also share that love that surpasses all understanding, for to the world, it does not make sense to love your enemy. - We will see in the following scriptures that we are instructed about thoughtful changes to our character, our actions, our treatment of each other, our walk with God and yes our lifestyle.
Paul advises us to think: Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.
The church members are told to put on or wear: Colossians 3:12-16 - Therefore, holy and beloved, as the elect of God, put on hearts of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against another: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
The fruit is not something that comes immediately, there is a process and as such our character also grows over time and Jesus said “By their fruits you shall know them” – this character is building in you is holiness taking root in you, it is something you are and not just something you do or think.
To build our character, we need to turn to the Spirit of God to re-fashion us into being like Christ, we can’t become godly without the Spirit, we just don’t have that ability, in our nature we are hell-bent on getting what we desire by our carnal inner drive, but the Spirit helps us to overcome and grow in this process to be more like Christ. – The fruits all will show in each Christian as he or she gets closer in their walk with God.
It is the Spirit giving you the character of Christ for without God we can do nothing and that includes love, for those that know God are able to experience the love of God and also share that love that surpasses all understanding, for to the world, it does not make sense to love your enemy. - We will see in the following scriptures that we are instructed about thoughtful changes to our character, our actions, our treatment of each other, our walk with God and yes our lifestyle.
Paul advises us to think: Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.
The church members are told to put on or wear: Colossians 3:12-16 - Therefore, holy and beloved, as the elect of God, put on hearts of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against another: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
The fruit is not something that comes immediately, there is a process and as such our character also grows over time and Jesus said “By their fruits you shall know them” – this character is building in you is holiness taking root in you, it is something you are and not just something you do or think.
To build our character, we need to turn to the Spirit of God to re-fashion us into being like Christ, we can’t become godly without the Spirit, we just don’t have that ability, in our nature we are hell-bent on getting what we desire by our carnal inner drive, but the Spirit helps us to overcome and grow in this process to be more like Christ. – The fruits all will show in each Christian as he or she gets closer in their walk with God.
1st John 4:7 - Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God;
and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
