5 days ago2 min read

Sunday, November 10

Read: Galatians 5: 16-26

DO WE MANIFEST THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IN OUR LIFE?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. ...” (Galatians 5: 22,23)

There are two powers at work in every believer, the “flesh” which sets its desire against the “Spirit,” and the Spirit against the flesh. In other words, there are two contrasting powers - one is natural, the other supernatural; natural is exhibited by the deeds of the flesh, and the supernatural by the fruit of the Spirit. Life lived in flesh produces vices, (Galatians 5:19-21) whereas life lived in Spirit produces virtues. (Galatians 5: 22-23) Paul talks of the gifts of the Spirit in I Corinthians 12: 1-11. These should not be confused with the fruit of the Spirit. The gifts are capacities which are given to various believers to enable them to serve the Christian community. Obviously, then all believers would not share the same gifts - some may have the gift of prophecy, some the gift of healing, etc. However, the fruit which Paul talks about here is found in its entirety in every believer whose life is led by the Spirit. But it is unfortunate that an overemphasis on gifts has led some Christians to neglect the fruit of the Spirit. “Building Christian character must take precedence over displaying special abilities,” writes Wiersbe. Fruit has two sides - first, actions which are righteous deeds, giving or leading someone to Christ. Second, attitudes which are love, joy, peace, etc. Action without attitude is hypocrisy. So we should have attitude (fruit) and through our attitude our action should manifest.

Dear friends, if somebody says to us, “How do I know you are a Christian?” we should be able to say, “Stay around me for a while.”  And when they see love, joy, peace, patience, ... in us,  they will know that  we are not operating in our flesh.  This is how we can show our Christian witness.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I understand the difference between the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. The gifts are for the purpose of ministry in Church, while the fruit helps me to give power to my Christian witness. Since the fruit of the Spirit is not an option, but it is a necessity to show that I am redeemed by Christ, help me to be filled by the Spirit always. Amen.

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