Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Life is filled with contrast
  • The Fruits of the Spirit vs The works of the flesh
  • Something beautiful next to a rubbish tip
• The Fruits of the Spirit
  • Still a war within us
  • Walking in the Spirit
• The call of the Christian is to sanctification
  • To be made more like Jesus Christ
  • The Spirit of God is working in us to make us more like Christ
  • We are being transformed
• 9 virtues listed
  • Singular fruit
  • All are to be part of the Christian's life
  • They come as a whole
  • They are not works we can achieve
  • It is fruit that God works in us
  • Our role is to remain in the Vine (cf. John 15)
    • We must pray
    • We must read the word of God
    • We must wait on God
    • We must abide in Him
• Is there an ascendancy in order?
  • Love mentioned first
    • Love encompasses kindness and patience
    • God is looking for us to be more Christlike
    • cf 1 Corinthians 13

Love

• God is love
  • If God was only Holy - we would fear judgment
  • He has demonstrated His love in Jesus Christ - explanation
• Our love for Him can go cold
  • Losing our first love, worldliness, self
  • "Do you love Me?"
• Our love for God
  • Is seen in our attitude to our neighbour
  • Is seen in how we treat those who hate and curse us

Joy

• More than just happiness
  • Not based on external circumstances
    • cf. Paul and Silas in prison
  • Supernatural and God given
    • Our joy can be full
    • Our joy can be inexpressible
• It is the "joy of the Lord"
  • A work of the Holy Spirit
  • The kingdom of God is in the Holy Spirit
• We ought not to have a sour and bitter spirit

Peace

• Directly produced by the Lord (as with the above)
  • God given - Jesus gave us His peace
  • Not superficial or shallow
  • Not based on false premises
• Knowing that sins are forgiven
  • Knowing that all is well with our soul
• Live peaceably with our fellow man
  • Do not quarrel
  • Do not be divisive
  • Be peace makers

Long Suffering

• Patience, long suffering
  • God is slow to anger
    • He desires that none should perish
    • He shows common grace
  • God is long suffering with His people
• So we are called to be long suffering
  • Does our demeanour give us away?
  • Are we impulsive?
• Not a character trait but a work of the Holy Spirit in us
  • Example

Kindness

• God is kind to the just and the unjust - common grace
  • Example of Jesus
• The world is full of unkindness and nastiness
  • Christians are to be different
  • Christians are to be kind and gracious

Goodness

• Being morally upright and pure
  • About motives
  • Only God is truly good
    • We have God's goodness when we are saved
    • We have the light of Christ in us
  • Romans 15:14 - can this be said of us?

Faithfulness

• God is faithful to all His promises and His word
  • Jesus Christ is utterly faithful to His Father
• What about us?
  • A weak church lacks faithfulness
  • Faithfulness is an important quality
  • We lack faithfulness through a failure to guard our heart
• The Spirit produces faithfulness
  • When we see this in other Christians - we are encouraged

Gentleness

• Is this important?
  • God is almighty and all powerful
  • Yet God is tender
    • Philippians 4:5
    • 2 Timothy 2:25
  • The Holy Spirit is described as a dove
    • We are not to grieve Him

What is our part?

• God's gifts ...
•  ... yet we must pursue it:
  • Righteousness
  • Godliness
  • Faith
  • Love
  • Patience
  • Gentleness
• Work it out with fear and trembling

Self-control

• How are you in eating, speech, reaction, driving?
  • It is about ruling your spirit
  • Similar to the last three fruit
• A work of God, but we must cooperate
  • Are we self-controlled - examples
  • There are things that can be taught - Titus 2:2

Closing Remarks

• Not about law keeping but the life of the Spirit
• The Fruit of the Spirit is the work of the law
• Gal 6:7-8