Fruit of The Spirit

Ministerial Training Programme
EAST and CENTRAL AFRICA
Church of God World Missions
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Peter A. Thomas
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Introduction Definition and Preconditions I. Definition II. Preconditions for Spiritual Fruit 1. Life and Death 2. Good Ground 2. Maturity 3. Seeking in the Right Manner 5. Fruit of the Spirit and Holy Spirit Baptism CATEGORIES OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT LOVE 1. Different Terms 2. Agape Love (1) Love for Enemies (2) Love for the Unlovable 3. Sacrificial Love 4. Love which Brings Change 4. Misconceptions (1) Emotionalism (2) Blind Acceptance (3) Permissiveness JOY 1. Natural Joy 2. Divine Joy 3. A Lesson to be Learned PEACE 1. Peace with God/ Peace of God 2. Peace with Men 3. Peace with Self 4. How to Maintain this Peace III
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LONGSUFFERING/PATIENCE 1. How to Obtain Longsuffering 2. Patience a Much Needed Virtue (1) Needed to Endure Situations (2) Needed to Get Along With Others (3) Needed to do the Work of the Ministry (4) Needed for the Spiritual Comatose GENTELNESS/KINDNESS 1. Kindness/ Gentleness a Way of Life 2. Gentleness in the Work for the Lord (1) Care for Souls (2) Care of the Wounded and Spiritually Sick (3) Working with Others (4) Winning of Souls GOODNESS 1. Goodness is Generosity (1) Generous in Forgiving Others (2) Generous in Giving (3) Generous in Providing Help 2. Goodness is Concerned about Others (1) Should we Help Everybody? (2) Goodness will correct People (3) Goodness Acts Responsible (4) Goodness Seen in Good Works FAITH/FAITHFULLNESS 1. Different Types of Faith (1) Saving Faith (2) Natural or Intellectual Faith (3) The Gift of Faith (4) The "Faith" 2. The Fruit of Faith 3. Faithfulness (1) Faithfulness in Ministry (2) Faithful to Our Promises IV
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(3) Faithfulness in Business (4) Faithfulness Until the End MEEKNESS 1. Meekness and Humility (1) Humility (2) Meekness 2. Misconceptions Concerning Meekness 3. What Meekness is Needed for (1) To Give Correction (2) To Receive Correction 4. Gods Promise to the Meek TEMPERANCE/SELF-CONTROL 1. Self-Controll in All Things (1) Affecting the Body (2) Affecting Doctrine 32 (3) Affecting Relationship between the Sexes 4. Need for Balance IV. FRUIT, MORE FRUIT, MUCH FRUIT 1. Secrets of Fruit Bearing 2. Need for Growth 3. Means of Growth (1) Pruning (2) Fertilizers 4. Time Factor CONCLUSION 1. Fruit of the Spirit Product of God 2. Purpose of Spiritual Fruit
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INTRODUCTION During the past few years there have been those within the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement who placed considerable emphasis upon spiritual gifts. At times this was done while neglecting the teaching on the fruit of the Spirit. Yet, as someone pointed out, those who criticize them too hastily, will do well to remember that for generations past, and in many quarters today, nearly all the emphasis has been laid upon the fruit, and practically none upon the gifts. 1 In the light of Scripture either approach is unbalanced. We cannot afford to neglect either one of these two equally important Biblical truths. While we study the fruit of the Spirit we must remember that God wishes His children to manifest both, the fruit and the gifts of His Spirit in their lives. A balance between fruit and gifts is needed The New Testament carefully points out that the ultimate manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church and the individual believer is achieved, only when fruit and gifts work together. Donald Gee affirms that those who had outstanding spiritual power were not only men of gifts but also men of grace and goodness (Acts 6:3; 11:24; 16:3; 22:12 etc.). 2 The greatest example of this truth is of course our Lord himself. It is interesting to note that the fruit of the Spirit is a ninefold manifestation as are the gifts of the Spirit, thereby indicating the need for a healthy balance of both elements in the life of the believer.
As we take a closer look at the fruit of the Spirit, we will find it to be a challenging task, since we are confronted with the very nature of discipleship living. Yet, as long as we remember that we are dealing with something supernatural, something which cannot be imitated, the challenge to manifest this fruit is not beyond our reach, as God enables us to do so. Something super-natural
1 2
Donald Gee, The Fruit of the Spirit. (Springfield: Gospel Publishing House, 1975), p. 11. Donald Gee, The Fruit of the Spirit, p. 16.
In this study we will endeavour to achieve four things. 1. To explicate the nature of the fruit of the Spirit, and to see the importance of each spiritual virtue in our lives. 2. To determine the precondition for fruit bearing. 3. To provide practical suggestions on how the fruit will be manifested in the life of the believer. 4. To suggest ways for better development and growth of the fruit of the Spirit within the Christian community. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
DEFINITION AND PRECONDITIONS

I. Definition The Greek word karpos can be translated as harvest or fruit. Hence, the list of divine virtues in Galatians 5:22-23 could be referred to as the harvest of the Spirit or fruit of the Spirit. Both are correct, as they express the same idea. The more common translation is however "fruit" (singular) of the Spirit. The singular use of fruit indicates that we are not dealing with "fruits", even though there are nine of them, but that these nine spiritual virtues are interlocked and are complementory to each other, thus forming one unit. We are therefore not left with an option to choose the one we favour most. It is either all or none. Conn states that they are so strongly interwoven that the absence of one is the absence of all. For instance a believer cannot have peace without longsuffering, or joy without love. It is a unity with a multiplicity of parts. 3 In this study, however, we will look at each individually in order to gain a better understanding of its characteristics It must be clearly understood that the fruit of the Spirit is Spirit-originated, and Spirit-born. Yet, we will occasionaly meet unbelievers who, have similar characteristics to those of Christians. These people are by nature more cheerful, more loving and more patient than the average person. The absence of the fruit of the Spirit in their life will, however, be noticed when their ability to love, to rejoice and to have peace is challenged beyond the natural realm. Only God can help us to love the unlovable, to have joy independent of circumstances and to have peace that passes all understanding. The nine spiritual virtues of the Holy Spirit are not natural to men. They are Spirit-originated and can only start to develop when certain preconditions are met. II. Preconditions for Spiritual Fruit Nature teaches that fruit does not grow on dead, unhealthy, and in most cases not on young trees either. Only mature trees are able to bear fruit. In a similar manner this applies to spiritual fruit. There are certain preconditions which have to be met before the fruit of the Spirit can be seen in the life of a person. 1. Life and "Death" The first precondition is life. Spiritual fruit can only grow and be manifested in those who have received life - spiritual life. In other words, without being born again, it will be impossible to produce the fruit of the Spirit. Spiritual fruit will always follow true conversion. It has its roots
Charles W. Conn, A Balanced Church, p 46.
in the new life of the believer, and is manifested in it. However, before there can be life there must be death. This biblical paradox was taught by Jesus when He said: Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:24-25 Death to a life of sin is not only the precondition for eternal life but also for spiritual life. Without death of the old nature, of which baptism is the symbol, spiritual life and consequently eternal life will not be possible. Once this life has been received through the Holy Spirit it becomes the foundation for the development of the fruit of the Spirit. 2. Good Ground In His parable of the sower (Mark 4:1-20) Jesus indicated explicitly that the harvest depends heavily on good ground or the right soil. Jesus compares good ground with those who hear the word of God, accept and do it. Hence they are the ones who will produce a good crop, thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown (Mark 4:20). In order to bear fruit, the hearing of God's word is not enough, but the development of roots must follow. Prayer, obedience, total surrender and faith are such roots without which there will be no fruit. In Luke 8:15 (NIV) it is stated that keeping the word and persevering will produce good crops. To persevere means that we will not give up when there is no instant success or when things do not go our way. It means to hang on to God even though there is no tangible evidence that He is there. The lack of roots (Mark 4:17) and the lack of perseverance will not only hamper the growth of spiritual fruit but will even cause those who have heard the word to fall away in times of trouble and persecution. 3. Maturity We need to note that spiritual fruit does not grow overnight. In spite of the fact it will be evident after a person is born again, it takes time and requires dedication and obedience to reach maturity. Spiritual fruit is not an instantaneous affair. It does not happen all at once, but unfolds as a person grows in grace and as a believer is purged by the Father (John 15:1-8). Many Christians are still immature, even after following the Lord for years, because they have not understood this important truth. Unless the believer is willing to die to self there will be no spiritual fruit. 4
4. Seeking in the Right Manner Many seek the fruit of the Spirit in the wrong manner. They go from conference to conference, attending meetings with special speakers, and seeking a blessing. They believe that the spiritual virtues of the fruit will be implanted within their nature instantaneously, as great men of God lay hands on them. But this is not so. Unless they learn to take their cross upon them and follow Christ, as His disciples, (Matthew 16:24), they will be greatly disappointed. Only as we walk with Christ on a daily basis, will we become more and more like him. While attending Bible School in Germany, the wife of the Superintendent of the Church of God in Europe was one of my teachers. I could not help but notice that she moved her hands and nodded her head in a certain manner, just like her husband when he was preaching. It would be hard to determine who "copied" who, but it was apparent that this couple, after having been married for almost 30 years, had grown so close together that they, unconsciously, used the same gestures. In like manner if we are close to Christ we will think, talk and act like Him, thereby showing forth the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. 5. Fruit of the Spirit and Holy Spirit Baptism There are believers who look to the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a means of producing the fruit of the Spirit, instantaneously. They are greatly disappointed when it is not immediately forthcoming after this experience. These Christians must learn that the primary purpose of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is to receive power for witnessing and service. At Pentecost God bestowed power upon His church and not life. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit will enhance the spiritual growth of the believer to a certain degree. Yet, the fruit of the Spirit primarily develops out of an unbroken communion with Christ and through total surrender to His lordship. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
PLEASE COMPLETE THE
FOLLOWING SELF i.e. ATTACHED - TEST QUESTIONS
III. CATEGORIES OF FRUIT

LOVE
The contemporary understanding of love is far removed from what the Bible terms love. Love according to this age is first of all physical or sexual attraction. Such love is not sinful and has its right place in the life of a person, but it was never meant to dominate the lives of mankind to the extent it does. The love mentioned in Galatians 5:22 is much more than physical attraction or any other form of human affection. It is something which mankind cannot produce, unless given by God. 1. Different Terms The English language has one word for love, while the Greek language has four. Three of them are common to all men. The fourth one, however, can only be manifested in a believer through the Holy Spirit. 2. Agape Love (1) Love for Enemies Natural love loves its own. It thrives only when shown affection is returned. When no apparent return is given it dies. It needs an atmosphere of friendship to flourish. Agape love, on the other hand, even loves its enemies. It thereby surpasses mere toleration of unlovable people. It is actively doing good to those who despitefully use it (Matthew 5:46-47). Our Lord was the greatest example of this kind of love, when he prayed, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Agape love was also manifested in Stephen when he petitioned God for those who stoned him to death. That same love was seen in a Russian Christian who when tortured for his faith said, "You can take away my Bible, hinder me from going to church, but you cannot stop me from loving you." It also was manifested in Bishop Kevingere who, after having endured persecution and torture under the dictatorship of Idi Amin, wrote a book entitled "I love Idi Amin." That same love manifested in David Wilkerson, the founder of Teen Challenge, when gang leader Nicki Cruz attempted to kill him. Nicki Cruz gave his testimony in Germany. Referring to this incident he stated that he violently hit Wilkerson's head, several times, against a wall in order to kill him, since the Gospel he had preached was breaking up their criminal gang. Only the intervention of another gang member saved Wilkerson's life. While Wilkerson was still lying on the floor Cruz threatened to stab him if he were to interfere with his life again. He was 7
stunned when Wilkerson answered, "You can cut me into thousand pieces, but every piece will say: Jesus loves you, Nicky." These three words "Jesus loves you" stayed in the mind of the young man day and night, to the extent that he could no longer sleep, until he finally gave his life to Christ. (2) Love for the Unlovable There are many people who are not our enemies, but whom we nevertheless find difficult to love. They have done us no harm but we still dislike them and try to avoid them. But as Donald Gee points out, "The great commandment to love our neighbour as ourselves is not limited to the neighbour we naturally like." 4 This would be mere sympathy but not agape love. Divine love is much more than sympathy. Jesus in his parable of the "Good Samaritan" taught us to love all races and social classes, regardless of our feelings (Luke 10:33). Love for the unlovable must be a reality for every Christian and is a necessity for every pastor and minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The crucial test of a successful pastor is not merely his administrative skill, but his capacity to love all kinds of people in his congregation. Every assembly will have personalities that are difficult to love. They are awkward in disposition and might behave strangely, but nevertheless they must be loved. 5 Many people have never known what it is like to be loved and accepted by God or anyone else. No matter how hard they have tried to please others, they were never liked or wanted. As a result they felt rejected, unwanted and worthless. They have experienced great hurt. If we as people of God will not love them with agape love, nobody else will. Let us never forget that God loves this world, and His children to a great extent through His children. 3. Sacrificial Love Agape love will firstly be directed towards God, secondly towards those of the household of faith, and thirdly towards the lost and needy. Divine love is willing to sacrifice time, strength and material blessings for the expansion of the kingdom of God and for the welfare of others. It does not seek its own. In many churches the work of God is not progressing because here is a lack of people who know how to show sacrificial love. Divine love can forget about itself in order to help others. It is this love by which we are known as His disciples.
4 5
Donald Gee, Fruitful or barren? p. 17. Iibid p. 18-19.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35. Agape love will sacrifice material goods in order to help those in need. The Bible tells us clearly that we must not only love in words but also in deed and truth, something which agape love will do. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1. John 3:17-18
4. Love which Brings Change Agape love will change our hearts. This can be seen in the life of the apostle John. When he walked with our Lord he was known as a "son of thunder." Later in life he became known as the disciple of love. The Samaritans whom he wanted to destroy by the fire of judgment, because they refused to let them pass through their territory, later received the fire of the Holy Spirit as he prayed for them (Luke 9:51-56; Acts 8:14-17). What the law of Moses and legalistic demands cannot achieve, agape love can. The story is told that when the huge Forth bridge in Scotland was nearing completion one cold day the builders tried, without success, all day long to ring certain important girders together. Every available mechanical power was used, without success, and at the end of the day they retired baffled. But the next morning the sun shone with intense heat on the great masses of steel. Through the warmth of the sun the steel masses expanded and the connection could be made. 6 Agape love has a similar effect in the spiritual realm. We may try to change situations and people, with the demands of the law, only to find out that we have failed. But a little warmth of the love of God melts the heart of people, enabling connections, and changes which we thought impossible.
Gee, Fruit of the Spirit, p 16.
5. Misconceptions Before we take a look at the next manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit we need to understand that agape love is not emotionalism, blind acceptance, nor permissiveness. (1) Emotionalism Divine love is not emotionalism. It goes much deeper than mere feelings. Love based on emotions will come to an end when good feelings fade. To love someone with agape love is based on a voluntary decision taken with the help of the Holy Spirit, whether we feel like it or not. It has very little to do with emotions. Yet, good feelings might follow, once the decision to love has been made. (2) Blind Acceptance Divine love will not close its eyes towards sin. Failure to see faults and sin is not true love but deception. Real love sees the faults, but keeps on loving, while it seeks to help and correct. Agape love does not accept any kind of behaviour, but demands change and conformity to the standard of God's holiness. (3) Permissiveness True love does not give in to wrong or evil desire. It has its boundaries and limitations. Real love draws a line and does not fail to offer correction when that line is overstepped. The Word of God states that "Whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives" (Hebrews 12:6).
JOY
Christian joy (Greek = chara) is independent of outward circumstances. It does not depend on pleasant situations since it has its roots in God. Regardless of what takes place around him, a disciple of Christ can experience joy. Such joy is foreign to secular society, which only knows what we will call natural joy. 1. Natural Joy Natural joy, happiness and pleasure, which are not wrong in themselves, are uncertain and temporary. They depend upon pleasant circumstances. Happiness may be experienced when 10
everything works out fine, but will soon be replaced by sorrow when everything seems to go wrong. The same applies to pleasure. It has correctly been said that it comes to us with the arts, such as good music, literature, and conversation etc. But if these things are absent it is replaced by displeasure. 7 Since these emotions depend on outward circumstances they will enter and leave our lives constantly. They are short-lived. Those seeking joy in entertainment and alcohol will find it is not only temporary but always mysteriously mixed with sorrow. 2. Divine Joy The joy of Galatians 5:22 is indifferent to the circumstances which usually determine happiness. Divine joy is not short-lived, but remains in times of trials and difficulties. Obviously there is no pleasure to be had in persecution and trials but according to James 1:2-3, there can be joy. Conn contends that the reason for this is that a Christian has a deep inner awareness of blessedness that goes beyond his immediate surrounding. 8 A classical example of joy in adversity is that of Paul and Silas singing praises to God in prison, at midnight. Their bodies were hurting from physical torment, unjustly inflicted, but their souls were filled with joy from above (Acts 16:25). Paul and Silas were joyful since spiritual joy does not depend on favourable circumstances but has its roots in the following: (1) Joy of salvation. (2) Joy in experiencing and knowing God. (3) Joy in serving God. (4) Joy in the salvation of other people. A spiritual person will rejoice when others get saved. Those who have led even one individual to Christ know how deep this joy is. (5) Joy in anticipation of heaven and the Lord's soon return.. Conn states that when the fruit of joy abounds in our lives, it extends to all areas of living so that we find pleasure in more things and happiness in more situations. It helps us to see the good and delightful things of life wherever they are found. 9 The early church, as well as the church in times of true revival was, and is, filled with joyful people who base their happiness in His goodness.
7 8
Charles W. Conn, A Balanced Church p. 58. Conn, p. 59. 9 Ibid, p. 60.
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3. Lesson to be Learned One mistake some believers, and especially Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians make, is to insist upon emotional signs of joy. They want a continual manifestation of good feelings. In their services feelings are brought to an artificial high through songs and "dancing in the Spirit." Since their joy is worked up, and not coming from deep within it will, however, not last until the next day. Donald Gee affirms that the Lord seeks to wean us from our selfish enjoyment of outwards signs of joy. According to him the mistake becomes deadly if manifestations become, firstly forced and then finally imitated by the flesh. 10 If we concentrate on such feelings the desires of our heart will never be satisfied. Hence God will withdraw the joy gained through spiritual feelings in order to bring the soul to pure joy in Himself. 11 If we follow the Lord on the strength of good feelings, our Christian walk can be compared with the movements of a yo-yo. There are too many believers and congregations who attempt to work up an apparent joy which is just not there. Let us not be one of them. Another common experience is that young converts often tend to lose their assurance of salvation when the good feelings diminish or stop. They must learn that God wants them to rejoice in Him and His salvation. He does not want us to be feeling-conscious. As we rejoice in the Lord good feelings will follow, and even if they do not, we still are commissioned to rejoice in Him. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4 His joy shall be our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). One way to maintain divine joy is to remain yielded in obedience to God. Consecration and obedience are the road to true joy in the Spirit.
PEACE
It might be safe to say that never before in history have nations, and individuals, tried more to achieve world peace, than in our days. Yet, true peace is impossible without God. All the peace treaties and promises for peace of the world will never be lasting since nations fail to recognize the only source of true peace - God. Only His peace is genuine and endures forever. The Greek word for peace = eirene, is used in the New Testament to describe peace between men (Romans 14:19), between nations (Luke 14:32), in the churches (1. Corinthians 14:33),
10 11
Gee, Fruit of Spirit, p. 30. Ibid p. 29.
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quietness in the state (Acts 24:2), and peace between God and men (Acts 10:36-37; Ephesians 2:17). Hence, this part of the fruit of the Spirit manifests itself basically in a threefold manner: 1. Peace with God / Peace of God 2. Peace with our fellowmen 3. Peace with self
1. Peace with God / Peace of God Without peace with God there can be no peace with others. To live in discord with God also makes inner peace impossible and fills us with anxiety. The Bible points out that the spiritual fruit of peace has its foundation in peace with God, and is implanted in the life of the believer at the time of his conversion. The removal of the enmity between God and man through the blood of Christ brings peace (Colossians 1:20). Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 It is a peace that will be manifested in the midst of turmoil. As someone correctly said, it cannot be explained since the Bible says it passes all understanding. 12 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 A. Spafford is one of the greatest examples of indwelling, divine peace. As a family they had decided to leave England and move to America. His wife and children took the lead, while he remained in England finalizing the closure of his office and the sale of their house. The ocean liner on which his wife and children travelled sunk just before reaching the shore. The children drowned. Only the mother survived. Shortly after he had received her telegramme informing him of the great tragedy, their house burnt to ashes, and they lost everything they owned. After these tragedies he, filled with divine peace, wrote one of the most beautiful Gospel hymns, which expresses that peace which surpasses all understanding. When peace like a river attendeth my soul, when sorrows like sea billows roll,whatever my lot He has taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.
12
Don Double, Life in a New Dimension, p. 134.
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Divine peace is generated within our hearts not only through the assurance of our forgiveness but also through the knowledge that our life is in the hands of God, so that whatever happens to us must pass Him first. Jesus, when standing before Pontius Pilate, knew that Pilate had the power to crucify Him, only if it was given to him from above (John 19:9-12). The same knowledge must have aided a Christian in communist Romania who because of his faith in Christ stood, entirely of peace, in front of a firing squad. When one of the executioners checked his pulse rate there was no sign of anxiety in spite of the possibility his imminent death. He had total peace not only with God but also the peace of God in his heart. Such peace will provide the basis for peace with others. 2. Peace with our Fellowmen The Word of God commands us to follow after peace with all men and holiness without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14-15). It also tells us, If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Romans 12:18 is our duty to have peace with everyone. Yet, some people are hard to get along with, as they reject all efforts of others to live peaceably with them. In such cases it is our responsibility to see that our own attitude is right and to leave the rest to the Lord. 13 Peace with our fellowmen begins at home. Sometimes it seems easier to have peace with those with whom we work together, than to have peace with those with whom we live together. This is why the true test for divine peace is seen in how we get along with our family, our spouse, children, and other close family members. The fruit of peace must also manifest itself within the church. If there is no peace in the church, how can we show Christ's peace to the world? It is sad that Christians often find it difficult to live in peace with one another. This was true for the disciples (Luke 22:24) and for the first church (Philippians 4:2) and it is certainly true today. Many quarrels arise because of those who should be sanctified, but rather have their own way and act carnally. Others live in strife because they like arguing and enjoy controversy. Yet, God places great emphasis on peace. He therefore not only cautions us to follow after peace with all men, but calls those blessed who are peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).
13
Conn, A Balanced Church. p. 64.
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3. Peace with Self Peace with oneself is conditional. It is based on peace with God and peace with others. The believer will lose his inner peace when he has lost harmony on the other two levels. He must therefore guard his peace, by avoiding needless controversies and by staying close to God, especially since everything around us, including our relationships to others, affects us in one way or another. For maintaining inner peace we must not only live in harmony with God and our fellowmen but must follow God's "Peace Instructions Manual" - the Bible. 4. How to Maintain Peace If we want to maintain our peace we must have our interest in the things of God. This is why Scripture encourages us as follows: Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8 There are four further steps for maintaining peace. Firstly, we must stay in God's will. His peace cannot accompany those who go their own ways. Secondly, we must live in a spirit of forgiveness, which means that we refuse to harbour unforgiveness, but have already forgiven the offender before he can ask for our forgiveness. Thirdly, we must avoid needless arguments. A wise person knows when to be quiet. Fourthly, we must be anxious for nothing but bring everything to God in prayer. Believers often worry over situations and circumstances which they cannot change anyway. Yet, God has said in His Word, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 The believer's life must not be marked by anxiety and fear but by peace. Unfortunately, as Gee points out, there are many whose peace never extends beyond a sense of sin-forgiveness. Within the church they are therefore a frequent source of disturbance and restlessness, having very little peace themselves, they disturb the tranquillity of others. 14 God's peace will grow beyond the sense of forgiveness as we surrender to him and stay in His will. God's peace will keep our minds if we follow His instruction.
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LONGSUFFERING/PATIENCE
Longsuffering is the ability to bear difficulties and provocation with self-restraint and courage. It is the opposite of anger. W.E. Vine points out that the Greek word makrothumia which is translated with longsuffering is a compound of makros meaning long and thumos meaning temper. 15 It is also translated with patience expressing the idea of having a "long temper" or the ability to control our temper. Longsuffering means to endure situations or people without caving in under the pressure or running away from burdens. The word itself indicates just that; i.e. longsuffering means to suffer long. Job and Joseph in the Old Testament and Paul in the New Testament are classical examples of this divine virtue. If this spiritual fruit would manifest itself as it should, there would be less problems in our churches, where many believers have no patience with others nor with given situations. Patience is not fatalism like the Moslems know it. Longsuffering is not hopeless resignation where one surrenders to everything and anyone. It rather means waiting in faith and hope for God's time and for His will to work out. It is a divine enabling to endure until God changes the situation, tells us to move, or until He has changed our attitude. True longsuffering is not a must but is done joyfully. Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy. Colossians 1:11 Some one aptly stated, longsuffering is victorious and voluntary. It suffers with a grin. 16 1. How to Obtain Longsuffering There are many who want to obtain this divine grace the easy way. They are very sincere when they pray for it, but rebel when God answers their prayer. They are like the sister who came to a pastor, asking him to pray with her so that she might have patience. As the pastor prayed he said: "Lord send her trouble in the morning, send her trouble at noon, and send her trouble in the evening." Half way through the prayer the sister stopped the pastor, saying: "This is not what I have asked you for. I have asked you to pray for patience." To which he replied: "This is
14 15
Gee, fruit of Spirit, p. 34. W.E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, vol III p. 12. 16 Gee, fruitful or Barre, p. 22.
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exactly what I am doing, because the Word says in Romans 5:3 that tribulation worketh patience." God gives His children ample chance to develop this spiritual virtue not only by facing difficult situations but also through fellowship within the body of Christ. There are always those who are difficult and are a test to our patience. This is why we are encouraged to do as follows: Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. Colossians 3:12-13 2. Patience, a Much Needed Virtue We live in a time in which patience is out of fashion. As Conn points out, men of today are always in a hurry; unwilling to wait for anyone or anything. Impatience has become a neurosis of our age. 17 Unfortunately such impatience is not only found in the secular world, but has intruded into the church. Thus arguments and strife seem to take a permanent place within Christian families and within the body of Christ. Divorce and church splits testify to this sad fact. Many have allowed impatience to dominate their life. Longsuffering must not become a foreign word within the church. We must learn afresh to be patient with each other, just as God is patient with us. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 2.Peter 3:9 (1) Needed to Endure Situations The impatience of this age manifests itself in the body of Christ as believers are taught to name, claim and rebuke anything which seems to hinder their way. Christians are no longer willing to endure hardship and difficulties, since such things are supposedly not the will of God. Yet, if every difficult situation is rebuked, how will we learn patience? If we are no longer willing to take up our cross and follow Christ, how can He transform us into his likeness? Obviously there are times when we have to exercise spiritual authority and rebuke Satan and his demonic forces. Many times it is he who opposes us and the work we do for God. On other occasions God, however, allows difficulties in order to draw us nearer to Him, so that
17
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He can continue to change us into His image. We must learn to discern spiritually and determine the source behind the problems, and then act accordingly. (2) Needed to Get along with Others All of us, most probably, have reacted to people and situations more strongly than we should have. At times small incidents seem to bother us greatly and we tend to over-react. Yet God has promised to bring forth the life of His son in us no matter what the situation is, if we will only let Him. We must come to the point where we see the imperfections of others as an opportunity to develop the fruit of patience, thereby remembering that at times we have been a test to their patience as well. As we live a Spirit-filled life the fruit of God-like patience will be developed in us, and impatience and shortness of temper will cease. Unfortunately many refuse to take their "lessons" in patience. When they cannot get along with someone in the church they leave and join another denomination. As someone said: "Those leaving the church for another assembly because of a difficult sister can be sure that they will find the twin-sister in the church they have chosen." God is interested in us and wants to change us. He will therefore repeat the lessons in patience until we master them. He loves us too much to do otherwise. We cannot expect this part of the fruit to be dropped on us. It can only develop through trials and at times through difficult relationships. Gee affirms, those who have nothing to suffer long with, nothing to try their temper and their patience, and nothing to endure, will never manifest the genuine fruit of the Spirit. 18 (3) Needed to do the Work of the Ministry Many fiery preachers when out of the pulpit get exceedingly irritable when things do not go their way. Such men may succeed as prophets and evangelists, but make very poor pastors. 19 Ministers with problems of that nature must be reminded that lives preach louder than sermons. A minister must also make sure that impatience is not reflected in his sermons, which can easily happen when people show little evidence of having received the Word of God. We must never forget that people will sense what manner of spirit we have, even if they seem not to understand what we are saying. Nothing will close their hearts as much to what we have to say than the feeling that we are impatient. A minister of the Gospel must therefore show patience inside and outside of the pulpit. His credibility becomes tarnished when he loses his temper frequently.
18 19
Gee Fruitful or Barren, p. 23. Gee The Fruit p. 42.
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(4) Needed for the Spiritual Comatose I once heard a story of a lady in hospital, who was lying in a coma. As time went by most of the nurses who took care of her began to complain, as they had to wash and attend to her day and night. Some even abused her verbally for causing extra work. One of the nurses, however, showed kindness and went about her duties lovingly even hough the patient could not respond. After several weeks the lady came out of the coma. With tears in her eyes she told the nurse who had been kind to her that even though she had been in a coma she was able to hear every word which as spoken in the room. How embarrassing this was for those nurses who had shown little compassion. Similarly, there are those in the church who seem to be spiritually comatose. They appear to be lifeless, spiritually. Yet, they can hear, see and feel very well how we treat them. The time might come when they will break through spiritually. Will they then be able to remember us as loving and caring, or will they remember our unkind, unloving and impatient behaviour?
KINDNESS/GENTLENESS
Next among the spiritual virtues is kindness (Greek = chrestotes), which is also translated with gentleness. As it is true for every part of the fruit of the Spirit, this spiritual grace is based on the character of God. His kindness to all people, not just to those who are good and gentle themselves, must be our example. 1. Kindness / Gentleness a Way of Life Divine gentleness will produce true gentlemen. It will enable us to speak the right word at the right time, and to have that friendly handshake and smile, when most needed. Gentleness and kindness will change a tense atmosphere into a pleasant one. It will open doors in situations when everything else has failed. Those in whom this divine virtue is manifested can wait until their turn has come. They will not impose themselves on people or situations. There are too many within the body of Christ who follow the pattern of this world. While they seek power and recognition they force their way into positions. They show little evidence of the fine and gentle nature of the Holy Spirit who never forces His way but enters only where He is welcome. He only moves into the lives of those who have made room for him. The same applies to our Lord. When the King of glory entered this world He was offered a smelly stable. He could have insisted on being born in the palace or the best hospital or at least in the finest hotel room, but He did not. Since He was 19
determined to come and redeem mankind, He moved into the room which was available, even if this meant being born in a stable. The poor reception did not deter Him from following through with His plan. Even today he only enters the lives of those who welcome Him. That same attitude should be seen in those who are partakers of the spiritual grace of gentleness. We must allow the Holy Spirit to deal with every forceful carnal ambition in the contemporary church. These sinful tendencies must be eradicated and replaced by the gentleness and kindness of the Holy Spirit. 2. Gentleness for the Work of the Lord Gentleness is much needed in the work we do for God. It is the kind, gentle care which helps spiritually backward Christians to bloom in their own time. Without doubt, it was the gentleness of Barnabas that prevented Mark from becoming a loss to the ministry, after the young man had failed in his service for Jesus (Acts 15:37-39). Barnabas practiced the admonition of Ephesians 4:39: And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. In our work for God we need this divine virtue for the following: (1) Care for Souls Just as God is gentle and kind with us, we must be kind and gentle with others, especially when dealing with new converts. At times older Christians tend to set unreasonable standards for new believers, thereby forgetting how long it took them to mature in the Lord. To be kind does not mean to alter or compromise the standard of holiness, but to make room for gentleness, so new converts can grow in grace. Paul states: "We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children" (1. Thessalonians 2:7). To be gentle does not mean to be a pushover. There will be times when a gentle person will exercise sternness, but this will be done in a kind and caring spirit. In the past the lack of gentleness has sent some new believers back into the world. (2) Care for the Wounded and Spiritually Sick When Christians have no hunger for God's Word, they are irritable, supersensitive, and quick to take offence. When nothing pleases, when the desire persists to stay away from others, and when there is no eagerness to work for God, then we can be sure that we are dealing with
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spiritually sick people. 20 Such souls need gentle but firm treatment in order to get well again. We might be tempted to be harsh and unkind because of their behaviour, but a gentle spirit will accomplish much more. Then there are those who fought in the front line of battle, and have been wounded by Satan. Some have fallen, as they yielded to temptation. Others were hurt when people became tools in the hand of Satan through whom he inflicted inner wounds. Those wounded and fallen need a kind word and a gentle touch, instead of condemnation and rebuke. The armies of this world give special attention and treatment to their wounded. Those hurt in battle will be rescued by their comrades and brought to safety. They will not only be nursed back to health but will also be decorated for their bravery and suffering. However, in the army of God at times just the opposite happens. Those who have fallen are left dying by the wayside. Instead of receiving help they must listen to remarks like: "I always knew this would happen to him." If we are not kind and gentle to each other, no one else will be. Let us not forget, God loves and cares for His children through His children. (3) Working with Others So many leaders in their desire to get things done for God, use unkind words and actions. Often these same leaders will then complain over lack of cooperation and support. Leaders who are kind and gentle will achieve much more, as they do not impose their ideas, wishes and orders in a heavy-handed manner. We need God's gentleness to lead a congregation or individuals to work for God. Leaders must be willing to learn and apply Jesus' style of leadership. (4) Winning of Souls Gentleness and kindness will also help us in winning the lost. The story is told of a young man who attended a service in which the evangelist preached on hell and the consequences of sin. After the service the young man left without making a decision for Christ. A few weeks later he attended another meeting where the same evangelist ministered. As it happens with preachers sometimes, the evangelist preached the same sermon. When the altar call was given the young man got up from his seat, went to the altar and gave his life to the Lord. As the minister recognized him, he asked, "Why did you not give your life to the Lord a few weeks ago when you attended the crusade in the other city?" The reply of the young man gave food for thought to the evangelist, when he said: "The last time you preached on hell, you gave the impression you wanted me to go there. This time however, you preached compassionately and left the impression that you wanted to keep me from going there."
20
Gee The Fruit p. 48.
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GOODNESS
Goodness (Greek = agathosune) is much more than the absence of wrong. Conn gives an illustration which describes this aptly. When he was a young man he knew someone who always spoke softly, never quarrelled or even raised his voice, never expressed strong opinions when talking to others, never reprimanded those under his authority, and never had an enemy. One day he remarked to a friend what a "good man" this person was. "Yes", responded his friend, "if never doing anything, never disagreeing with anyone and never expressing an opinion is goodness, then he is good." 21 Goodness, as defined in Scripture, refers to character and conduct. It manifests itself in several ways. 1. Goodness is Generosity (1) Generous in Forgiving Others A believer who shows goodness will be a generous person. Such generosity will not be limited to financial or material giving but will include generosity in forgiving others. There are many who will give large sums of money for charitable purposes but hold an unforgiving spirit for years. Once a believer has experienced divine forgiveness, he must also forgive others. The Bible clearly shows that if we fail to do so God cannot forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15). Jesus gives an striking example to this effect in the story of the king who forgave the debts of his servant (Matthew 18:23-35). When the servant was unable to repay what he owed, the king thought of punishing him. However, as the servant pleaded for mercy, the king showed compassion and cancelled his debt. After being pardoned he met a fellow-servant who was indebted to him. Despite the pleas of his colleague, and despite the forgiveness he had received himself the servant refused to cancel his debts. When the king heard of what had happened he subjected his servant to even greater harshness. We are expected to forgive others as God has forgiven us. A minister friend of mine told me that a Christian sister from his assembly came to him for counselling. She complained that she and another Christian lady could not get along with each other. So he agreed to meet with both of them in order to help them settle the issue. When he met with them he admonished the sisters to forgive one another. In response to his advice one of them opened her handbag and took out a diary in which she had written all the offences the
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other sister had supposedly committed against her. She had kept track of the days, months, and years. We may not write down what others have done against us, but we might also have the tendency to keep record when we are wronged. All these "records" must be handed over to the Lord, so that he can erase them from our memory. Otherwise Satan will constantly press the replaybutton each time we see those who wronged us. (2) Generous in Giving Goodness will manifest itself in giving financially or materially when a situation requires such help. It will not close its eyes towards need. It is not stingy. (3) Generous in Providing Help When physical help is needed and volunteers are in demand, people in whom the fruit of the Spirit has matured will be found among those who volunteer and help in a sacrificial manner. 2. Goodness is Concerned about Others Goodness manifests itself in deeds of kindness towards others. It always has the welfare of our fellowmen at heart. Yet at the same time a person with this spiritual virtue will not allow others to take advantage of him. (1) Should we Help Everybody Some think that Christians must assist anyone who comes and asks for help. However, doing just that would actually show a lack of goodness. For instance we should refuse to help those who are not willing to work. There will always be those who will tell us how much they suffer, but are too lazy to work. Divine goodness will prevent us from helping such people. We must not support their wrong life-style by offering help. The Bible clearly states: For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 2. Thessalonians 3:10 One experience helped me to gain a better understanding regarding my responsibility towards my fellowmen. We had been living in Harare for a few months when a certain man came to our gate. He told me a heart-rending story, relating that his son had died in hospital. The police had refused to let him use their phone so he had not been able to phone his relatives in the rural area, informing them of the pending funeral. While he was talking tears streamed down his face. When I offered him to use my phone he declined. He said that he must now take the body 23
to the family for which he needed 60 dollars from me, so that the hospital would release the body from the mortuary. Since something did not feel right about his story I asked him to wait as I went into the house. On one hand I wanted to help him but on the other hand I felt that he was trying to take advantage of me. In the house I prayed and asked God for wisdom. No sooner had I prayed when I knew what to do. I went outside and told the man that I would give him the money. His face started to beam, and the tears stopped. I went on to tell him that I would go with him to the hospital to see if his son was really dead. If I found out that he had lied in order to get my money I would take him straight to the police. When he heard the word `police' he immediately turned on his heels and left as fast as he could. Two years had passed since this incident. In the meantime we had moved to another house, when one day my wife came to the office and told me that a man was at the gate who needed help because someone had died. Especially the "has died" part sounded familiar. I went to the gate and there was the same crook with the same message. As he was about to tell me the story which I heard two years ago I interrupted him and told him to get lost before I called the police. When he recognized me he left as quickly as possible. The goodness of God will surely not prompt us to help such people. The only way we can help them is to correct their wrong life-style. (2) Goodness Will Correct People Goodness will not shut its eyes towards sin and wrong doing. If a fellow Christian falls into sin the responsi-bility will be ours to bring him back to God. We are our brother's keeper! Goodness does not want others to remain in their faults, which means that we have to speak out in situations which are not right or unjust. It seems that in Africa it is not customary to correct elders and leaders. Instead of helping them to see their faults people will wait and watch them fall. Such an attitude is not Christ-like. This is where culture must bow to the Gospel. (3) Goodness Acts Responsibly Lack of true goodness will hurry new converts into office (1. Timothy 3:6). We may think that we do young believers a favour when we give them an office in the church, especially when they have already been successful in a secular job. But we will pay dearly for such mistakes. If promoted too soon, such people will become big-headed and proud and will therefore become useless for the ministry. Instead of doing them a favour, we hurt the church, their future ministry, and themselves. (4) Goodness Seen in Good Works 24
True spiritual life will be marked by goodness. It will express itself not only in the giving of our time, our support, and prayers, but will also be manifested in deeds of kindness and financial sacrifice. People with this virtue will enrich the life of others in many aspects. They will fulfill their function as salt of the earth and the light of the world, not only through their witnessing but also through their deeds of kindness. The Bible tells us in Matthew 5:16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Dorcas (Acts 9:36) was one of those who followed the Lord's admonition. She was noted for her good works. The Bible calls her "a woman full of good works." Apart from her, Joseph of Arimathea and Barnabas (Luke 23:50; Acts 11:24; 4:36-37) were referred to as "good" men. These two men were noted for their practice of good works. It is significant that both were generous with their possessions. Scripture states: A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things. Matthew 12:35 A good man seeks the best in others and for others, and has a generous heart which knows how to give and forgive. Donald Gee's remark on goodness provides an excellent conclusion to the subject: "Absolute goodness is nothing more nor less than moral perfection." 22
FAITH/FAITHFULNESS
Faith (Greek = pistis) is the only virtue listed as fruit and also as a gift of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:9). Several translations render pistis with faithfulness (Greek = pistos = faithful). Both meanings can be accepted as correct, since a man who has a deep trust in God will most certainly be a man marked by faithfulness. As we take a look at this part of the fruit we must understand that there are different types of faith mentioned in Scripture. These need to be differentiated before we can explain the nature of the fruit of faith.
22
Gee Fruit p. 56.
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1. Different Types of Faith (1) Saving Faith First of all there is saving faith. This faith helps us to trust in the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. It is this type of faith by which we gain assurance of our salvation. Saving faith makes forgiveness real and takes salvation beyond the sphere of guess work. Scripture points out clearly that such faith is a gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). (2) Natural or Intellectual Faith Intellectual faith is merely a mental acceptance of the fact that there is a God. This type of faith is held by almost anyone, with exception of strongly convinced atheists. It is a "faith" which produces absolutely nothing profitable. It is also called natural faith or intellectual-faith. In personal evangelism we will meet people who possess this type of faith. They are quick to tell us that they believe that there is a God. But the Word of God tells us that such faith is shared by demons: "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19). Such faith cannot experience God nor obtain salvation. (3) Gift of Faith The gift of faith comes to the Spirit filled believer as a divine manifestation in times of particular need. It is a faith which enables us to carry out particular tasks. It is not a permanent part of the believer's spiritual life, but comes through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and manifests itself only as God's Spirit operates it through us. (4) "The Faith" Charles Conn draws our attention to one kind of faith which is often overlooked. He calls it "the faith", meaning the body of truth held and propounded by the church. Christians are admonished to strive together "for the faith of the Gospel" (Philippians 1:27); they should "contend for the faith" (Jude 3); and "keep the faith" (Revelation 14:12; 2. Timothy 4:7). 23 In addition to these types of faith there is the fruit of faith. 2. The Fruit of Faith The fruit of faith will follow every genuine salvation experience. It will deepen the fellowship between God and the believer. This type of faith will grow through surrender to God's will, study of His Word, prayer, and through experiences made with God. Contrary to the gift of
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faith which is given instantaneously for specific situations, the fruit of faith will constantly increase, as we use and apply the measure of faith which has been given to all believers (Romans 12:3). It must be exercised in order to grow. Such faith is not expressed by owning expensive houses or luxurious limousines, as some contend. It is rather given for the extension of God's kingdom, both in us and through us. It is not there to name and claim, thereby fulfilling our every wish. Abraham became homeless because of this faith. Moses rather suffered affliction, than to enjoy the riches of Egypt, as a result of this faith. Because of it the walls of Jericho crumbled, kingdoms were conquered, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance (Hebrews 11:1-40). This is the type of faith we need in the church today. We need faith which will achieve victories for the kingdom of God, a faith which will change us into his likeness, and a faith which supplies our needs, and not our wants or desires. 3. Faithfulness As already mentioned, several translations use the word "faithfulness" instead of faith, which means not so much that we have faith but that we are worthy of the faith and the confidence of others. It is a spiritual virtue which is greatly lacking in society and even in Christian circles. Faithfulness is a prime necessity especially for those who aspire to positions of leadership. (1) Faithful in Ministry Loyalty to the truth must be the mark of every Christian worker and minister. A minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be faithful in declaring "all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27), and keep back none of the truth (which does not mean that he has to preach from Genesis to Revelation in every sermon). Our proclamation must be balanced to such an extent that we will not leave out any aspect of God's truth. (2) Faithful to our Promises As believers our word must be our bond. This applies especially for ministers. They must be sure to keep their preaching and visiting engagements, as well as their promises. If we know that we can not keep a promise we had better not make it. Otherwise our integrity will be destroyed. Once this happens our ministry will be hampered. A reputation of trustworthiness is a must for every minister, even if it costs money, leisure time, and physical strength. (3) Faithful in Business In all business affairs a Christian, and especially a minister, must be faithful and trustworthy. Above all things debts should be avoided or settled as soon as I know a minister, who while he was overseas, shared his vision of building a Bible school in his country. A Christian sister was 27
moved sold her house and gave him the money. In addition she bought two cars and other equipment for his ministry. The agreement was that he would report back and send her pictures of the school. When she did not hear from him after he had been back home for some time, she bought a ticket and went to see how the project was progressing. To her dismay there was no Bible school. Not even a building site existed. The brother had built a two storey house instead. She sat in our living room crying, and totally disillusioned. Not only had he duped this sister, but he had totally destroyed his integrity. (4) Faithful until the End We must never forget that our reward will not depend on how many souls we have led to the Lord, nor will it be according to our brilliance or greatness, but according to our faithfulness (or obedience) (Matthew 25:21). Some think because they are not great evangelists, winning multitudes to the Lord, they need not do anything at all. But even the greatest evangelist will not be rewarded according to how many souls he has led to the Lord, but according to his faithfulness in all things. Faithfulness like any other part of the fruit of the Spirit needs to grow. Only after we have been faithful in little things will God give us a chance to prove our faithfulness in greater things (Luke 16:10). Some suffer shipwreck in their ministry because they have not learned to be faithful in small things. Their ministry grew faster than their character. This can be avoided as we are willing to learn faithfulness in smaller matters. Faithfulness in small things is fittingly explained in the following anecdote. Spurgeon, the great preacher, once asked a Christian domestic servant, how she knew that she was saved. She gave the classical answer, "Since I am saved I also sweep under the rugs." 24
MEEKNESS
The spiritual grace of meekness (Greek = prautes) needs careful definition. It is often misunderstood, especially since the English language uses another word that sounds much the same, - weakness. But meekness is not weakness. Meekness, on the contrary, requires great strength of character.
24
Heinz Schfer, Hret ein Gleichnis, (Stuttgart: Christliches Verlagshaus, 1982), p. 180.
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1. Meekness and Humility Meekness and humility are much alike. Yet, there is a difference in the way they are manifested. Humility is mainly seen in our attitude towards God. Meekness on the other hand is the aspect of humility which has to do with our attitude and behaviour towards others. (1) Humility Humility is a sense of utter dependence upon God. It is that attitude which recognizes our own unworthiness and God's perfection and holiness. It acknowledges that we are nothing without God. However, a truly humble person does not see himself smaller than he is. He will stand to his real height but will at the same time realize his smallness in the presence of His greatness. The attitude of: "Please Lord use someone else; I am not good enough" has little to do with humility. It must be our desire to be used of God. We must reach to the highest heights for Him, without forgetting that it is He who gives us the will to do it and not we ourselves (1 Peter 5:5-6). (2) Meekness A meek person submits to God. He does not insist on having his own way, but is sensitive to the Holy Spirit. To have a meek spirit means to be teachable, and to take correction. Hence, meek people are not easily provoked or angered. When wrongly accused or ill-treated they will not lash out in vengeance nor will they go to any length to defend themselves, but they leave matters to God. They are not proud nor self-promoting neither do they love to argue. They find it easy to submit to authority. 2. Misconceptions Concerning Meekness The concept that someone who is meek can easily be pushed around, and will never take a stand on anything is incorrect. Even though a meek person will not attempt to retaliate when personally attacked, as we see in the life of Moses and especially in the life of our Lord, he will nevertheless take action when God's work is assaulted. Truly meek people are willing to let God defend them, but become aggravated with others who fight God and his work. Of Moses it is said that he was very meek above all men (Numbers 12:3), yet he ground the idols of the people into powder and made them drink it. Paul was meek yet he dealt with Elymas causing him to be blind (Acts 13:9-10; 2. Corinthians 10:1). Jesus said of himself that he was meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29), yet on two occasions he took the whip to cleanse the temple (John 2:13-16; Matthew 21:12-13). He was like a lamb before his accusers and tormentors, but spoke sharply to the Pharisees (Matthew 23:13).
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Meekness is not whining speech, clasped hands and stooped shoulders. 25 At times those who behave in such manner can be very offensive in situations of stress, or when they cannot have their own way. Meekness is an attitude of the heart in the first place which will be seen in our behaviour towards God and men. 3. What Meekness is Needed for (1) To Give Correction Those who practise church discipline need a meek spirit. The pride of those who have not failed can easily crush those who have fallen. Correction and reproof must therefore be carried out in meekness (Galatians 6:1). (2) To Receive Correction It takes a meek and humble spirit to accept correction, since the human heart tends to rebel against reproof. Especially ministers of the Gospel must not become too proud to be corrected, otherwise they will lose their right to admonish others. 4. God's Promise to the Meek Jesus gave two promises to the meek. In the sermon on the mount he called them blessed and assured them that they would inherit the earth. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 At times it seems that the opposite is true. But when we look at men like Abraham, Moses and David we can see how God blessed those who humbled themselves under His will. Meekness enabled Abraham to give Lot the first choice of the land. As a result he was blessed by God. Moses could have been a mighty ruler in Egypt but humbled himself under God and His will and became a great leader of God's people. David exercised meekness and humility while he waited to be installed as king. As a result he became the greatest king of Israel. In the New Testament Paul stands out as being meek and humble, but God raised him to become the greatest apostle of all. The second promise is found in Matthew 11:29 where Jesus told His followers:
25
Ibid p. 86.
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Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. The rest he promised to the meek is first and foremost spiritual. Gee affirms, it is Christ's offer to tormented and anxious souls whose self-will and pride make them the victims of restlessness in mind and heart. 26 Such rest is however conditional. Only those who take upon themselves His yoke, and who are willing to learn from Him will enjoy His rest and will become partakers of His meekness.
SELF-CONTROL/TEMPERANCE
The Greek term for self-control = egkrateia refers to more than just moderation or abstinence from alcoholic beverages. It refers to our whole life, and to inner control or the power to govern or rule ourselves. Kenneth Wuest points out that egkrateia does not in itself refer to the control of any particular desire or impulse. It is the context in which it is found which will determine what particular desire or impulse is meant. 27 Spiritual self-control therefore can be and should be applied to all spheres of life. 1. Self-control in All Things Paul in 1. Corinthians 9:25 compares the Christian life to an athletic contest. He states that those who strive to win must be temperate (root word is egkrateia) in all things: And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. To be temperate or self-controlled in all things means to be balanced in every aspect of our Christian life. Self-control will prevent excesses in whatever form they may appear. (1) Affecting the Body Many think of sexual desires and strong drink when self-control is mentioned, but it involves more than just these two areas of life. It covers the whole range of human desires. Temperance will affect our eating habits, thereby keeping us from gluttony. It will prevent us from
26
Gee Fruitful, p. 66.
31
pampering our body with too much sleep, too much luxury, and too much leisure. At the same time it will keep us from abusing our body with too much work. Temperance will further affect our conversation keeping us from careless chattering and talking. The virtue of self-control is a necessity for every believer and especially for ministers of the Gospel (Titus 1:18). The body must be our servant and not our master. We must never allow physical and material excesses to deprive us of spiritual strength and fullness. (2) Affecting Doctrine The imbalance in Bible teachings, during the last few years, has been alarming. For instance there are those who emphasize miracles and faith, to the extent that they leave out the importance of holiness. There are others who stress holiness to the extent that they leave out faith and miracles. Some believe that it is not God's will for anyone to suffer nor to have the second best, but that all should prosper and have the best of everything. In response to that there are still others who teach and believe that Christians are called to suffer and not to enjoy life. For them suffering becomes a means of holy living, thereby totally disregarding biblical "prosperity", which they consider heresy. Such doctrinal imbalance shows the lack of the fruit of temperance. (3) Affecting Relationships between Sexes Temperance must also affect our relationship in regards to the opposite sex. In some churches of Eastern Europe we find them forbiding young male and female believers to be seen together unless they are married. In one church group in West Africa brothers and sisters in Christ are not permitted to shake hands, as this might cause them to lust. Then, of course, there is the well known denomination which forbids its priests to marry. Again others make it obligatory to be married before being accepted as a pastor thereby leaving out the possibility for celibacy, for which the Bible makes provision, and of which Paul is an example. In some churches of Western Europe and America we find the other extreme, where young believers are very liberal and are loose in their behaviour towards the opposite sex. There the leadership often fails to correct inappropriate behaviour because those who try to challenge "individualism", "self-realization" and freedom are scoffed at. Both of the above mentioned extremes call for temperance.
27
Wuest, Galatians in the Greek New Testament, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989) p. 160.
32
2. Need for Balance As we have seen, there is need for balance in all aspects of life. Nothing should rule us, except God. As we practise temperance and self-control we are able to express our devotion and surrender to God and demonstrate respect for our own life. To disregard temperance will result in a life of excess, as we fail to subject our body to spiritual living. We can succeed in the spiritual realm only by presenting our lives as a living sacrifice, so that they can become the temples of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1). The spiritual discipline of fasting is a godly way not only to exercise control over our body, but it will also help to fix our mind on eternal values rather than temporal matters. It is a condition for spiritual growth which will help us to control our bodies and minds. The battle which rages between the Spirit and the flesh will be won as we allow self-control to take its rightful place in our life. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
33
PLEASE COMPLETE THE
FOLLOWING SELF i.e. ATTACHED - TEST QUESTIONS
34
IV. Fruit, More Fruit, Much Fruit

1. Secret of Fruit Bearing The secret of fruit bearing lays in the words Jesus when he holds His disciples: I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5) There will be no spiritual fruit unless we recognize two important truths. Firstly, we must acknowledge that we can do nothing without Him. Secondly, it is mandatory to remain in a "vine-branch relationship" which exists between Jesus and the believer. Those who have tried to live a holy life in their own strength will appreciate the truth of the Lord's statement "without Me you can do nothing." I can vividly recall the beginning of my Christian walk, when I tried to change one area of my life. The more I tried the more I failed. I finally became so discouraged that I went to my pastor and told him that I had tried to live a Christian life, but since it did not work I had decided to return to my former way of living. After he had listened patiently and carefully to what I had to say he told me to give it another try. I followed his counsel. Later that day I was lying on my bed, pouring my heart out to God. I told Him about my failure and the frustrations I had encountered, and that I was ready to give up. As I was still pondering over my situation, He spoke to me. In a clear, strong, and yet gentle voice He said: "You do not have to change yourself - I will change you." It was the first time that I heard the voice of God in such a clear unmistakable manner. My heart leapt for joy as new hope and faith flooded my life. All I had to do was to surrender to His will and follow His leading, He would do the changing. To recognize that we can do nothing without Him is only the first part in the fruit bearing process. The second part is to maintain the "vine-branch relationship." Jesus said: I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15:1-4 35
As long as we abide in Him, in His will and in His Word, we will bear fruit. To abide means to give up our own plans to the extent that our thoughts and actions are controlled by His Spirit and His word (Romans 12:2; John 15:7). Only by abiding in Him can our life become a more perfect reflection of the life of Christ. The encouragement of the apostles to the early Christians, to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18) and to be transformed into His likeness (Romans 12:2) is still valid today. 2. Need for Growth Every truly born again person will manifest the fruit of the Spirit to some extent. The longer a believer follows Christ and the closer his fellowship with Him, the more fruit he will bear. In the Gospel of John (15:2,5) we read about three stages in fruit bearing. 1. Fruit 2. More Fruit 3. Much Fruit These stages of increased fruit are a mark of true discipleship living. There must be a notable difference in size and quality of spiritual fruit in the life of those who have followed the Lord for years, compared with those who are at the beginning of their Christian walk. Increase in "fruit production" will take place as we submit to the pruning of God and as we apply the necessary spiritual "fertilizers." 3. Means of Growth (1) Pruning When Jesus spoke to His disciples about producing fruit He said that every branch that beareth fruit, will be purged by the Father so that it may bring forth more fruit (John 15:2). Such purging involves cutting out of our lives everything not Christlike and which hinders our fruitfulness. Pruning is a painful but necessary process. If we are not purged from unspiritual attitudes, carnal ambitions and ungodly habits we will come to a standstill and will eventually die spiritually. Jesus stated clearly that those branches which fail to produce fruit will be cut off and thrown into the fire. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 36
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:2,6 We must therefore submit ourselves continuously to His necessary pruning. (2) "Fertilizing" The growth of crops and fruit in natural farming depends primarily on God sending rain and giving the necessary sunshine. The farmer, however, cannot leave everything to God but must do his part. He must till the land, plant the seed, take care of weeds, and apply fertilizer. If God or the farmer fail to do their part, there will be no harvest. Similar principles apply in the spiritual realm. We, like the natural farmer, must do our part by applying the following spiritual "fertilizers" on a regular basis. If we fail to do so the fruit of the Spirit will not develop properly: Fertilizer - P = Prayer Spiritual fruit will only develop through much prayer. Five minutes of prayer a day is definitely not enough. Those who only pray when they come to church are in extreme danger of losing their "vine-branch relationship" with the Lord. It is easy to become so busy that we find no time for prayer. It is therefore mandatory for every believer, and especially for a leader to set aside a certain time of the day in which he can seek God. We cannot afford to become so busy with things, even holy things, that we neglect prayer. Fertilizer - B = Bible Reading How much time do we spend with God's Word? Do we only open our Bibles when we are in church? Are we like people who keep God's Word as a protection under their pillow? As leaders, do we only use the Bible as a resource book for sermons, or do we feast on the Word of God on a daily basis? If we want to produce fruit, more fruit and much fruit, then we must have a love for the Word of God which will compel us to read it daily.
37
Fertilizer - F = Fasting Fasting must be a regular part of our devotional life. We should not only fast when we are in difficulties, or when we go through spiritual dry spells. Jesus did not leave us an option. He did not say "if" you fast but "when" you fast. He expects His disciples to seek Him through prayer and fasting. Fertilizer - C = Church Attendance Scripture encourages us not to leave the assembly of the saints (Hebrews 10:25). We must sit under God's Word regularly and have fellowship with other Christians if we want to grow. Fertilizer - O = Obedience Only when we yield to the Spirit in all areas of our life will we make spiritual progress. Disobedience will halt the development of spiritual fruit. As we apply these spiritual disciplines and abide in Christ we will yield much fruit. 4. Time Factor To produce spiritual fruit takes time, just as it requires time in the natural realm. When I was a boy of four I had a friend, who like myself loved peaches. To make sure that there would always be a good supply of our favorite fruit, we decided to plant a peach tree. After planting the seed, we watered it to assure its growth. The next day we went back to check the result of our effort. To our dismay there was no evidence of a peach tree. We had not expected a full grown tree over night, but at least there could have been a small shoot, so we thought. For the next few days we went back to the spot to check the progress, but there was no evidence of success. After some time we planted a plum seed, thinking we might be more successful with plums, but we had to face the same results. Finally we gave up on tree growing. Little did we know how much time it takes for a tree to grow. Perhaps others can enjoy the fruit of our labour today, and wonder who planted the two trees in the first place. Spiritual fruit needs time to develop. We must not become impatient with ourselves or even with God when we do not see the instant results we hoped for. This is not suggesting that we can take it easy, but that we should be reasonable. Donald Gee states fittingly that there is still much room for growth in virtue and knowledge, for the final harvest is yet to come. 28 As we allow time for change, we will recognize that changes in character and temperament have
28
Gee, Fruitful p. 4. 38
taken place. We should rejoice over these positive transformations, while yielding even more to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Conclusion We are known by our fruit, or more specifically by our spiritual fruit (Matthew 7:16-20). Some people endeavour to produce this fruit through self-effort and resolutions, but as we have seen these spiritual virtues are not natural to us. They can only be produced as we give room to the Holy Spirit and totally surrender to is presence. He is the source of the fruit of the Spirit. The likeness of Christ in our life can only be achieved through His presence within us. 1. Fruit of the Spirit - Product of God Some seem to believe that they can manifest Christlikeness by the multitude of things from which they abstain. Such believers look down on others who are not as "sanctified" as they are, thereby joining the ranks of the Pharisees. They must remember that there are many sinners who do not smoke, drink, gamble, womanize, or curse, but this does not make them Christians. Christianity is not characterized by the things we do not do, but by the life we are living and by the fruit we bear. Otherwise Christianity would no longer be a reflection of Christ's nature, but the fruit of self-achievement. As God develops the fruit of the Spirit in us, He will build on our natural temperament. For instance if our life is characterized by natural joy we will continue to be joyful. His joy however, will take us beyond the realm of the natural and will enable us to rejoice even in adverse situations. Not only will God enhance our natural temperament by adding a supernatural dimension, but His Spirit will bring forth spiritual virtues for which we had never shown a natural tendency before conversion. The evidence of spiritual fruit will be strongest in those areas, and thereby become the true measure of spiritual progress. 2. Purpose of Spiritual Fruit Jesus said, "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:8). The ultimate goal in fruit bearing is therefore to glorify God. The purpose of spiritual fruit is certainly not to show off our spirituality, but to portray the nature of Christ to a dying world. It is mandatory for us as His disciples to bear fruit, otherwise we lose our usefulness and right of existence. The Bible points this out strongly in the parable of the unproductive fig tree. He also spoke this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 39
Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.' Luke 13:6-9 We hinder the land, i.e. we are a hindrance to the kingdom of God if we fail to produce fruit. We must evaluate ourselves in the light of Galatians 5: 22-23 and ask, "Are we producing the fruit God is seeking?" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. If we have failed in our commitment and dedication, if we have hindered the land, let us not despair. As long as we are willing to return to the source of true spiritual life we will find Jesus pleading on our behalf. He petitions the Father in a more compassionate way than the gardener who pleaded for the opportunity to dig around the fig tree one more time. He will cause us to blossom and grow. As we yield to His will and allow His pruning we will show forth the fruit of His Spirit, which is the highest expression of a life of discipleship. -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
40
REVIEW QUESTIONS INTRODUCTION
1.
Multiple Choice Mark the Right Answers: During the past few years there have been those whose who placed considerable emphasis upon spiritual gifts. (1) This was mainly done by Charismatics and Pentecostals (2) At times this was done while neglecting the teaching of the fruit. (3) In past generations however emphasis has been laid upon spiritual gifts. (4) The ultimate manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church and the individual believer is achieved when the main emphasis is on the fruit of the Spirit. (5) The fact that the fruit of the Spirit is a nine fold manifestation just as the gifts of the Spirit, thereby indicating the need for a healthy balance of both elements.
2.
Fill in the Blanks: Donald Gee affirms that those who had outstanding _______ ________ were not only men of ______ but also men of ________ and goodness. The greatest ________ of this truth is of course our _____ himself.
3.
Short answer: (1) As we take a closer look at the fruit of the Spirit what will we be confronted with?
(2) Why is the challenge to manifest the fruit of the Spirit not beyond our reach?
41
Review Questions on Definition and Preconditions
1. Short answers: The Greek word karpos can be translated by using two different words. Which are they?
(1) ________________ (2) ________________ 2. Essays: (1) What does the singular use of the term fruit indicates? Please explain.
(2) We will occasionally meet those who resemble characteristics of spiritual fruit. These people are by nature more cheerful, more loving and more patient then the average person. When will the absence of the fruit of the Spirit be noted in those who resemble characteristics of spiritual fruit? Please explain.
3. Listing: There are certain preconditions which have to be met before the fruit of the Spirit can be noted in the life of a person. List these three pre-conditions. (1) ______________________________________ (2) ______________________________________ (3) _______________________________________ 42
4. Fill in the Blanks: Many seek the fruit of the Spirit in a ______ _______. They go from conference to conference, attend meetings with _______ speakers, thus seeking a _________. They believe that the spiritual ______ of the fruit will be implanted within their nature _________, as great men of God will _____ ______ on them. But this is ____ so.
5. Short answer: What is the primary purpose of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
43
Review Questions Categories of Fruit Love
1. Short answer: What is the contemporary understanding of love?
2. Matching: ____________ 1. Eros ____________ 2. Phileo ____________ 3. Storge ____________ 4. Agape A. Family affection B. Divine sacrificial love C. Physical affection sexual love D. Friendly affection love between friends
3. Fill in the blanks: The love of Galatians five is _____ love, which goes far ______ any other type of love and can only be _______ in our hearts through the ______ ______.
4. Essay: Briefly describe natural in contrast to love for enemies.
44
5. True or False: _____ There are people who are not our enemies, but whom we find nevertheless difficult to love. _____ The great commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves is limited to the neighbor we naturally like. _____ Divine love is much more than sympathy. _____ The crucial test of a successful pastor is not merely his administrative skills, but his capacity to love all kinds of people in his congregation. _____ If we as people of God will not love the unlovable with agape love, the unbelievers will.
45
Review Questions Categories of Fruit JOY
1. Short answer: What is Christian joy independent of?
2. Fill in the blanks:
The joy of Galatians five is indifferent to ____________ which usually _______ happiness. Divine joy is not _____ ______ but stands even in times of _______ and difficulties.
3. Essay: Briefly describe natural joy.
4. Listing: Where does spiritual joy has its roots in: (1) __________________________________________ (2) __________________________________________ (3) __________________________________________ (4) __________________________________________ (5) __________________________________________
46
5. True or False
_____ One mistake some believers make is to insist upon emotional signs of joy.
_____ According to Donald Gee the Lord seeks to grant us our outward signs of joy.
_____ God will withdraw the joy gained through spiritual feelings in order to bring the soul to pure joy in Himself. _____ Young converts often tend to lose their assurance of salvation when the good feelings diminish or stop.
_____ One way to lose our divine joy is to remain yielded in obedience to God.
47
Review Questions Categories of Fruit PEACE
1. Listing List the basically threefold manner in which spiritual peace is manifested: (1) ________________________________ (2) ________________________________ (3) ________________________________
2. Short answers: (1) The Bible points out that the spiritual fruit of peace has its foundation in peace with God. When is it implanted in the life of the believer? (2) Where does peace with our fellowmen begin? (only answer with one short sentence)
3. Fill in the blanks: Divine peace is generated within our hearts not only through the ________ of our _________ but also through the knowledge that our life is in the _______ of God, so that whatever ______ to us must pass Him ______.
4. Multiple Choice Mark the Right answer Peace with our fellowmen must also impact our church life and must manifest itself there. Please indicate which of the following is true. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) It is sad that Christians often find it difficult to live in peace with one another. The first church and the early disciples did not have this problem. Many quarrels arise because we at times act carnal and want to have our own way. Others live in strive because they love to argue and enjoy controversy. God requires us to follow peace with all men. All of the above Answers 1,3,4, & 5
48
5. Listing: Briefly list the four steps for maintaining peace:
(1) ___________________________________ (2) _______________________________
(3) ___________________________________ (4) _______________________________
49
Review Questions Categories of Fruit LONGSUFFERING/PATIENCE
1. Fill in the blanks: Longsuffering is the ability to bear _________ and __________ with __________ and ______. It is the ________ of anger.
2. Short answers: (1) What is the literal translation of the two Greek words which are translated with long suffering? makros =_________________ thumos = __________________________
(2) What does the word longsuffering indicate?
3. Multiple Choice - Mark the right answers: Patience is a much needed commodity for the following reasons: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Because it has become a neurosis of our age. It is found in the secular world but has not yet affected the church. Divorce and church splits testify to the need of patience. Fortunately not many have allow impatience to dominate their lives. We must learn afresh to be patient with each other, just like God is patient with us.
4. Listings: What is patience needed for (1) _________________________________________________ (2) _________________________________________________ (3) _________________________________________________ (4) _________________________________________________ 5. Essay: Why must a minister watch out that impatience is not reflected in his sermons?
50
Review Questions Categories of Fruit KINDNESS/GENTLENESS
1. Short answer: What will divine gentleness produce?
2. Listing: In our work for God we need this divine virtue in four areas. Which are they? (1) ____________________________________________________ (2) ____________________________________________________ (3) ____________________________________________________ (4) ____________________________________________________
3. Fill in the blanks: To be kind does not mean to be a _____________. There will be times when a ________ person will exercise ____________, but this will be ___________ in a kind and caring ________.
4. True or False: _____ To be kind does not means to alter or compromise the standard of holiness, but to make room for gentleness, so new converts can grow in grace.. _____ To be gentle means to be a pushover. _____ A gentle person will not exercise sternness _____ Those wounded and fallen need a kind word and a gentle touch, instead of condemnation and rebuke. _____ In the army of God we always care for the wounded and those fallen. 5. Essay: How and why will kind leaders achieve more for God when working with others? Explain 51
Review Questions Categories of Fruit Goodness 1. True or False: _____ Goodness is absence of wrong
_____ Goodness as defined in Scripture refers to character and conduct.
_____ Goodness and being generous are two different things which are not related to each other.
_____ Generosity will include forgiving others.
_____ God will forgive us when we repent, irregardless if we forgive others.
2. Fill in the blanks: Goodness will manifest itself in giving ________ or _______ when a situation requires such _____. It will not close its eyes towards ______. It is not _______.
3. Multiple choice Mark the right answer Goodness manifests itself in deeds of kindness towards others, as follows: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Christians who manifest goodness will assist anyone who comes and asks for help. Goodness will refuse to help those who are not willing to work. Goodness will shut its eyes toward sin and wrong doing Lack of true goodness will hurry new converts into office. Absolute goodness is nothing more nor less than moral perfection.
52
4. Listing: List three people from the New Testament who were referred to as good:
(1) _________________________________________________ (2) _________________________________________________ (3) _________________________________________________
5. Essay: While will goodness not hurry new believers into office (1 Timothy 3:6).
53
Review Questions Categories of Fruit Faith/Faithfulness
1. True or False: _____ Faith is the only virtue listed as fruit and also as gift. _____ Saving faith is merely a mental acceptance of the fact that there is a God. _____ The gift of faith helps us to trust in the vicarious sacrifice of Christ. _____ The gift of faith is a permanent part of the believers spiritual life. _____ The fruit of faith will growth through surrender to Gods will, study of His word, prayer and through experiences.
2. Listings List the different types of faith in the Bible (1) _________________________________ (2) _________________________________ (3) _________________________________ (4) _________________________________ (5) _________________________________
3. Fill in the blanks: Faith is not expressed by owning _________ houses or expensive limousines, as some contend. It is rather given for the ____________ of Gods kingdom, both in ___ and _______ us.
54
4. Essay: How will faithfulness in ministry be manifested. Please explain.
5. Short answer: As believers, what must our word be?
55
Review Questions Categories of Fruit Meekness
1. True or False (1) _____ Humility is mainly seen in our attitude towards men. (2) _____ Meekness is an aspect of humility and has to do with our attitude and behaviour towards God. (3) _____ Some one who is meek can easily be pushed around and will never take a stand on anything. (4) _____ A meek person does not insist on having his own way. (5) _____ To have a meek spirit means to be teachable but not in need of correction.
2. Essay: Briefly describe humility.
3. Fill in the blanks:
The concept that someone who is _________ can easily be _________ around, and will never take a ________ on anything is __________.
4. Listing: What is Meekness needed for? (1) ______________________________________________ (2) ______________________________________________ 5. Short answer: What two promises did Jesus give to the meek?
56
Review Questions Categories of Fruit Self-control/temperance
1.
Answer/Essay:
What does Kenneth Wuest point out concerning self-control? Please Quote.
2. Fill in the blanks: To be temperate or self-controlled in ____ things means to be _________ in every aspect of our Christian life. Self-control will prevent ________ and _________ in whatever form they may want to ________.
3. True or False: _____ Spiritual self-control can and should be applied mainly to drinking and immorality. _____ Self-control covers the whole range of human desires. _____ Temperance will also affect our eating habits. _____ The spiritual discipline of fasting is a godly way to exercise control over our body and will help us to fix our mind on eternal values instead of temporal matters. _____ The ultimate level of temperance in sexual relationships is when we refrain from marriage
57
4. Matching: _______________ 1. chara A. Love Gentleness/Kindness Joy Meekness Longsuffering/Patience Goodness Faithfulness/Faith Peace Self-Control/Temperance
_______________ 2. Makrothumia B. _______________ 3. Agathusone C. _______________ 4. Agape _______________ 5. Egkrateia _______________ 6. Eirene _______________ 7. Prautes _______________ 8. Chrestotes _______________ 9. Pistis D. E. F. G. H. I.
58
Review Questions Categories of Fruit Fruit, More Fruit, much fruit
1. Listings: (1) . There will be no spiritual fruit unless we recognize two important truths. List them:
Firstly _______________________________________________________ Secondly _____________________________________________________
(2) List the three stages of fruit bearing according to John 15: 2-5) (a) ________________________________ (b) ________________________________ (c) ________________________________
2. Short Answer: What did Jesus say will happen to the branch that produces fruit?
3. Fill in the blanks: Christianity is not characterized by the things we do ____ ____, but by the ______ we are living and by the ________ we bear. Otherwise Christianity would no longer be a _______ of Christs nature, but the fruit of ________________.
59
4. True or False _____ We cannot afford to become so busy with things, even holy things , that we neglect prayer. _____ The Bible must never be degraded to a mere resource book for sermons. _____ Fasting should be become priority mainly when we are in difficulties or when we go through spiritual dry-spells. _____ Christlikeness is manifested by abstaining from as many bad habits as we can. _____ God will built on our natural temperaments when He develops the fruit of the Spirit in us.
5. Short answers: Please indicate I read the whole material thoroughly I read it but not thoroughly
I only glanced through it to find the answers to the questions
60
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Acts Magazine, "Ministers: Their Character", May-June 1987. Barclay, William. Brief an die Galater, Wuppertal: Aussaat Verlag, 1970. Brandenburg, Hans. Der Brief des Paulus an die Galater, Wuppertal: Brockhaus Verlag, 1977. Cole, Alan. The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1977. Conn, Charles W. A Balanced Church, Cleveland: Pathway Press, 1975. Double, Don. Life in a New Dimension, Sprindale: Whitaker House, 1975. Gee, Donald. The Fruit of the Spirit, Springfield: Gospel Publishing House, 1975. Gee, Donald. Fruitful or Barren?, Springfield: Gospel Publishing House, 1981. Lange, Peter J. The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976. Thayer, J.H. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Grand Rapids: Baker House, 1980. Tripplet, Bennie S. A Contemporary Study of the Holy Spirit, Cleveland: Pathway Press, 1970. Vine, W.E. An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Old Tappan: Fleming H. Revell, 1966. Wuest, Kenneth S. Word Studies from the Greek New Testament, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989.
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Fruit of The Spirit

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Ministerial Training Programme

EAST and CENTRAL AFRICA

Church of God World Missions

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

DEFINITION AND PRECONDITIONS

Charles W. Conn, A Balanced Church, p 46.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE

FOLLOWING SELF i.e. ATTACHED - TEST QUESTIONS

III. CATEGORIES OF FRUIT

Donald Gee, Fruitful or barren? p. 17. Iibid p. 18-19.

Gee, Fruit of the Spirit, p 16.

Charles W. Conn, A Balanced Church p. 58. Conn, p. 59. 9 Ibid, p. 60.

Gee, Fruit of Spirit, p. 30. Ibid p. 29.

Don Double, Life in a New Dimension, p. 134.

Conn, A Balanced Church. p. 64.

Conn, A Balanced Church. p. 68.

Gee Fruitful or Barren, p. 23. Gee The Fruit p. 42.

Gee The Fruit p. 48.

Conn, A Balanced Church. p. 75.

Gee Fruit p. 56.

Conn, A Balanced Church. p. 80.

Gee Fruitful, p. 66.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE

FOLLOWING SELF i.e. ATTACHED - TEST QUESTIONS

IV. Fruit, More Fruit, Much Fruit

REVIEW QUESTIONS INTRODUCTION

Review Questions on Definition and Preconditions

Review Questions Categories of Fruit Love

1. Short answer: What is the contemporary understanding of love?

4. Essay: Briefly describe natural in contrast to love for enemies.

Review Questions Categories of Fruit JOY

1. Short answer: What is Christian joy independent of?

2. Fill in the blanks:

3. Essay: Briefly describe natural joy.

Review Questions Categories of Fruit PEACE

5. Listing: Briefly list the four steps for maintaining peace:

(1) ___________________________________ (2) _______________________________

(3) ___________________________________ (4) _______________________________

Review Questions Categories of Fruit LONGSUFFERING/PATIENCE

(2) What does the word longsuffering indicate?

Review Questions Categories of Fruit KINDNESS/GENTLENESS

1. Short answer: What will divine gentleness produce?

_____ Goodness as defined in Scripture refers to character and conduct.

_____ Generosity will include forgiving others.

_____ God will forgive us when we repent, irregardless if we forgive others.

(1) _________________________________________________ (2) _________________________________________________ (3) _________________________________________________

Review Questions Categories of Fruit Faith/Faithfulness

4. Essay: How will faithfulness in ministry be manifested. Please explain.

5. Short answer: As believers, what must our word be?

Review Questions Categories of Fruit Meekness

2. Essay: Briefly describe humility.

3. Fill in the blanks:

Review Questions Categories of Fruit Self-control/temperance

Review Questions Categories of Fruit Fruit, More Fruit, much fruit

Firstly _______________________________________________________ Secondly _____________________________________________________

I only glanced through it to find the answers to the questions

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(1) _____ (2) _

(3) _____ (4) _

(1) _________________________ (2) _ (3) _________________________

Firstly ___ Secondly _