But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23
The order in which the fruit of the Spirit is presented in Galatians 5 is not haphazard. It is an methodical portrayal of how the fruit manifests itself in our lives.
Love ("agápē") is the foundation upon which all other spiritual fruit rests. Our all-consuming love for God (the "greatest commandment" [Matthew 22:37-40]) prompts us to die to self and allow Him to work within our hearts, producing the fruit of the Spirit.
When we have such a love for God, we have joy. Joy is a realization that God is with us and is extending His grace to us every moment of every day. And joy allows us to have peace, an understanding that God is in control (even when our circumstances are confusing or difficult to face) and that His will is perfect.
Our love, joy, and peace are what makes it possible for us to have patience. The Greek word used here ("makrothumia") can also be translated as endurance, constancy, steadfastness, or perseverance, and it speaks of how we handle the trials that come our way in life. When we love God, know that He is with us, and are assured of His providence, we can endure even the darkest of situations without losing hope.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23
Just as our love, joy, and peace make it possible for us to have patience (see comment from 2/7/16, above), our patience makes it possible for us to display kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
If, however, we falter in our patience -- if we do not remember that God has a plan and that we need to wait for that plan to play out -- then the other fruit will suffer. Not only will we fail to produce kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - we will also find that our peace and joy suffer.
Can you remember a time when you faced a trial without patience? The effects were no doubt negative, maybe even disastrous. Satan would like us to wallow in regret over such mistakes. But God has a much better plan -- He wants us to grow! He allows us to face the negative effects of our poor decisions so that the next time a trial comes, our hearts will long to have patience with His plan.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. -James 1:2-4
While writing my sermon for Sabbath, I came across the following notes from William Barclay ("The Daily Bible Study Series: The Letters of James and Peter Revised Edition"). My wife said I couldn't just stand at the pulpit and read right out of the book, though, so I'm sharing it here:
"James described this process of testing by the word 'dokimion.' It is an interesting word. It is the word for 'sterling coinage,' for money which is genuine and unalloyed. The aim of testing is to purge us of all impurity. . . . The unswerving constancy in the end makes a man three things.
(i) It makes him perfect. The Greek is 'teleios' which usually has the meaning of 'perfection towards a given end.' A sacrificial animal is 'teleios' if it is fit to offer to God. A scholar is 'teleios' if he is mature. A person is 'teleios' if he is full grown. This constancy born of testing well met makes a man 'teleios' in the sense of being fit for the task he was sent into the world to do. . . .
(ii) It makes him complete. The Greek is 'hologleros' which means 'entire, perfect in every part.' It is used of the animal which is fit to be offered to God and of the priest who is fit to serve him. It means that the animal or the person has no disfiguring and disqualifying blemishes. Gradually this unswerving constancy removes the weaknesses and the imperfections from the man's character. Daily it enables him to conquer old sins, to shed old blemishes and to gain new virtues, until in the end he becomes entirely fit for the service of God and his fellow-men.
(iii) It makes him deficient in nothing. The Greek is 'leipesthai' and it is used of the defeat of an army, of the giving up of a struggle, of the failure to reach a standard that should have been reached. If a man meets his testing in the right way, if day by day he develops this unswerving constancy, day by day he will live more victoriously and reach nearer to the standard of Jesus Christ himself."
When we're in the midst of a trial, it can be very difficult to remember that God has allowed it to happen for a reason -- that He has a greater plan.
During times like that, I find it helpful to remember stories of Christians who have faced trials with patience, and because of that have realized God's plan. Jon is going to talk about a few such stories on Sabbath - individuals within our own congregation who have patiently endured. Here on the blog, though, I am sharing a story that might not be familiar to everyone, so I'm including links for more information.
https://youtu.be/yTQ2VTf5vWc
If you've watched the movie "The Drop Box," you are familiar with the work of Pastor Lee Jong-rak of South Korea. Pastor Lee, along with his wife, have outfitted their home with a two-way box that makes it possible for parents to "drop" babies in a place where the infants (who would otherwise be abandoned on the street) will be taken care of. Pastor Lee's story is one of love and compassion, but one its most remarkable aspects is its impetus.
Pastor Lee's son, Eun-man, was born with a severe form of cerebral palsy, completely unable to care for himself. Pastor Lee says that, when Eun-man was born, his immediate reaction was to doubt God. However, just as soon as he questioned God, Pastor Lee repented and turned the situation over the Lord, trusting that He had a perfect plan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMa-MmoG7uU (In this video, Eun-man is seen being cared for by Pastor Lee, and sitting against Pastor Lee in the family photo)
This decision to be patient in the midst of a trial eventually led to Pastor Lee and his wife adopting more than a dozen disabled children as well as saving the lives of hundreds of children placed in the drop box at their home.
This article shares much more about Pastor Lee's story, including a note about how God used Pastor Lee's story to reach-out to the film's director: http://www.crisismagazine.com/2015/korean-pastor-inspires-us-love-without-limits
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23
ReplyDeleteThe order in which the fruit of the Spirit is presented in Galatians 5 is not haphazard. It is an methodical portrayal of how the fruit manifests itself in our lives.
Love ("agápē") is the foundation upon which all other spiritual fruit rests. Our all-consuming love for God (the "greatest commandment" [Matthew 22:37-40]) prompts us to die to self and allow Him to work within our hearts, producing the fruit of the Spirit.
When we have such a love for God, we have joy. Joy is a realization that God is with us and is extending His grace to us every moment of every day. And joy allows us to have peace, an understanding that God is in control (even when our circumstances are confusing or difficult to face) and that His will is perfect.
Our love, joy, and peace are what makes it possible for us to have patience. The Greek word used here ("makrothumia") can also be translated as endurance, constancy, steadfastness, or perseverance, and it speaks of how we handle the trials that come our way in life. When we love God, know that He is with us, and are assured of His providence, we can endure even the darkest of situations without losing hope.
I can't wait to hear what Jon has for us this week as the Holy Spirit works in and through him. Working on patience here!
ReplyDeleteBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23
ReplyDeleteJust as our love, joy, and peace make it possible for us to have patience (see comment from 2/7/16, above), our patience makes it possible for us to display kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
If, however, we falter in our patience -- if we do not remember that God has a plan and that we need to wait for that plan to play out -- then the other fruit will suffer. Not only will we fail to produce kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - we will also find that our peace and joy suffer.
Can you remember a time when you faced a trial without patience? The effects were no doubt negative, maybe even disastrous. Satan would like us to wallow in regret over such mistakes. But God has a much better plan -- He wants us to grow! He allows us to face the negative effects of our poor decisions so that the next time a trial comes, our hearts will long to have patience with His plan.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. -James 1:2-4
ReplyDeleteWhile writing my sermon for Sabbath, I came across the following notes from William Barclay ("The Daily Bible Study Series: The Letters of James and Peter Revised Edition"). My wife said I couldn't just stand at the pulpit and read right out of the book, though, so I'm sharing it here:
"James described this process of testing by the word 'dokimion.' It is an interesting word. It is the word for 'sterling coinage,' for money which is genuine and unalloyed. The aim of testing is to purge us of all impurity. . . . The unswerving constancy in the end makes a man three things.
(i) It makes him perfect. The Greek is 'teleios' which usually has the meaning of 'perfection towards a given end.' A sacrificial animal is 'teleios' if it is fit to offer to God. A scholar is 'teleios' if he is mature. A person is 'teleios' if he is full grown. This constancy born of testing well met makes a man 'teleios' in the sense of being fit for the task he was sent into the world to do. . . .
(ii) It makes him complete. The Greek is 'hologleros' which means 'entire, perfect in every part.' It is used of the animal which is fit to be offered to God and of the priest who is fit to serve him. It means that the animal or the person has no disfiguring and disqualifying blemishes. Gradually this unswerving constancy removes the weaknesses and the imperfections from the man's character. Daily it enables him to conquer old sins, to shed old blemishes and to gain new virtues, until in the end he becomes entirely fit for the service of God and his fellow-men.
(iii) It makes him deficient in nothing. The Greek is 'leipesthai' and it is used of the defeat of an army, of the giving up of a struggle, of the failure to reach a standard that should have been reached. If a man meets his testing in the right way, if day by day he develops this unswerving constancy, day by day he will live more victoriously and reach nearer to the standard of Jesus Christ himself."
When we're in the midst of a trial, it can be very difficult to remember that God has allowed it to happen for a reason -- that He has a greater plan.
ReplyDeleteDuring times like that, I find it helpful to remember stories of Christians who have faced trials with patience, and because of that have realized God's plan. Jon is going to talk about a few such stories on Sabbath - individuals within our own congregation who have patiently endured. Here on the blog, though, I am sharing a story that might not be familiar to everyone, so I'm including links for more information.
https://youtu.be/yTQ2VTf5vWc
If you've watched the movie "The Drop Box," you are familiar with the work of Pastor Lee Jong-rak of South Korea. Pastor Lee, along with his wife, have outfitted their home with a two-way box that makes it possible for parents to "drop" babies in a place where the infants (who would otherwise be abandoned on the street) will be taken care of. Pastor Lee's story is one of love and compassion, but one its most remarkable aspects is its impetus.
Pastor Lee's son, Eun-man, was born with a severe form of cerebral palsy, completely unable to care for himself. Pastor Lee says that, when Eun-man was born, his immediate reaction was to doubt God. However, just as soon as he questioned God, Pastor Lee repented and turned the situation over the Lord, trusting that He had a perfect plan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMa-MmoG7uU
(In this video, Eun-man is seen being cared for by Pastor Lee, and sitting against Pastor Lee in the family photo)
This decision to be patient in the midst of a trial eventually led to Pastor Lee and his wife adopting more than a dozen disabled children as well as saving the lives of hundreds of children placed in the drop box at their home.
This article shares much more about Pastor Lee's story, including a note about how God used Pastor Lee's story to reach-out to the film's director: http://www.crisismagazine.com/2015/korean-pastor-inspires-us-love-without-limits