FAITH - Fruit of the Spirit

• Faith “of” Christ - In 2 The 1:11, we find: “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:”. The question needs to be asked, “Whose ‘work of faith’ is it?” Can a person’s works, or efforts, make some type of contribution to his eternal salvation? Absolutely not! The answer is very clear from the Scriptures in Tit 3:5-7: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us ... being justified [or saved] by his grace...”. Speaking of man’s works, Rom 11:6 adds, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work”. The reason man is incapable of doing anything to alter his eternal destiny is because he is spiritually dead, as Eph 2:1-3 describes. “Faith” is synonymous with the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is called “Faithful” in Rev 19:11: “he [Lord Jesus] that sat upon him was called Faithful and True”. What was the “work of faith”, or rather, “the work of Christ” that He so faithfully performed? Isa 53:11 reveals the answer. The “travail”, or “work”, that Christ did is to bear our iniquities and endure the punishment for sin - eternal damnation which the Bible calls the “second death” in Rev 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death”. Isa 63:1-5 acknowledges that only the Lord Jesus was qualified to atone for the sins of His people: “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me”. In John 4:34 we also find this statement, “Jesus saith unto them, My meat [food] is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work”. His perfect work was completed while on the Cross he uttered the words of John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost”. What was accomplished was the Atonement for the sins of all the elect. Christ was able to endure Hell with “Faith” in the promise to Him by His Father, that His soul would not be left in Hell and that His body would not be subject to “corruption”, or decay (Acts 2:25-28). Faith is the distinct property of the Savior. Keep in mind that Christ obeyed all of God’s Laws, the Bible, perfectly in thought, word, and deed, as Psa 40:7-8 indicates: “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart”. In other words, faith is a person, and a person has “substance”. Thus, the faith [*Refer to original KJV: Gal 2:16-20, Rom 3:22, Php 3:9, Rom 3:3, Col 2:12, Gal 3:22] related to eternal salvation, the Saving Faith, is the “Faith of”  Lord Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of [our] faith ! (Heb 12:2)

Tit 3:5-7 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified [or saved] by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Isa 53:11 “He [referring to the Father] shall see of the travail [or work] of his [Christ’s] soul, and shall be satisfied: by his [Christ’s] knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he [Christ] shall bear their iniquities.”

Acts 2:25-28 “For David speaketh concerning him [Lord Jesus], I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption [quoting Psalm 16:10]. 28Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.”

Col 2:11-12 “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

Php 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ [refer to original KJV], the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

• Faith “in” Christ - In Heb 11:5-6 we read, “… without faith it is impossible to please him [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”. We learned in an earlier lesson that the definition of faith related to salvation in Heb 11:1 points altogether to the Lord Jesus Christ as God the Son and the Word of God made flesh. God is only pleased with His work. He is pleased with His salvation program that is centered around the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, as Gal 2:16 “a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ” and 20 insist “I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”. So, in light of what we have been discussing in the Bible, how does one “get” faith? And this is a both a fair and crucial question. Rom 10:17 teaches, “So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. The Bible is the setting, or backdrop, by which one can hear with “spiritual ears” the words of eternal life. You might recall how frequently the Lord Jesus made the statement as found in Mat 11:15, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear”. So the Faith of Christ is a Gift according to Eph 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith [the faith of Christ]; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”. After salvation we are given “faith” along with the other eight fruit (or “products”) of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, according to Gal 5:22-23: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance”. Moreover, believers are exhorted to “walk [or live] by faith, not by sight”, as 2 Cor 5:7 admonishes. In our discussion of faith I cannot emphasize enough the place of prominence and supremacy that is held by the Bible, the Living Word of God. The example of the conversion of Timothy, Paul’s protégé, as 2 Tim 3:15-17 declares, should reinforce the total preeminence of the Scriptures, not only with respect to salvation, but in every area of our lives. We are to depend entirely upon the Bible by trusting each sacred word implicitly and by seeking divine motivation to be obedient to what we learn.

Gal 2:16 and 20 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified… I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

2 Tim 3:15-17 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, [or God-breathed] and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect [or complete] throughly furnished unto all good works.”

• We Walk by faith, Not by Sight - This verse 2 Cor 5:7, has been all but abandoned in our modern, “Christian culture”, which sadly highlights a plethora of sight-based “gospels” that feature healings, visions, miracles, and financial prosperity. Faith is defined in Heb 11:1 as, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. What one sees physically does not produce faith. From Rom 8:24, We learn that one is “saved by hope”, but it is not something we can see physically and if we see something physically, there is really no need for hope: “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it”. 1 Pet 1:3 speaks about being “begotten again” (or “born again”) to such a glorious hope: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again [born again] unto a lively [or living] hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”. In other words, faith is a person, and a person has “substance”. Thus, the faith related to eternal salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ! What is it that a child of God hopes for? 1 Cor 15:19 stresses the importance of a “living hope”: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable”,  for each believer who anticipates spending eternity – not just a few years on this earth – with the object, or substance, of his hope, the Lord Jesus Christ: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Tit 2:13) . 2 Cor 4:18 also mentions the difference between “things not seen” and the “things which are seen”. The “things on the earth” are the things which can be seen – or temporal things: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”. This verse, like Heb 11:1, indicates that “the things which are not seen are eternal”. If we are a true Christian, things that are eternal in character should grip our minds and hearts and motivate us to greater obedience, as Col 3:1-2 asserts: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Heb 11:7 “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

Heb 11:9 “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.”

Heb 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac [figure of Christ] shall thy seed be called: 19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.[Isaac figure of Christ, Gal 3:16]”

Heb 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”

Rom 4:1-5 “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

JOY - Fruit of the Spirit

• Joy of God - God chose His people that He might indwell them throughout eternity. The fellowship with God is broken when man sinned. God restored the fellowship again through the atoning work of Lord Jesus Christ. The good tidings of great joy that the “angel”, or messenger, announced in Luke 2 is referring to the Gospel of salvation that God joyfully performed: “unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”. God goes to great lengths to emphasize the “joy” that He would ultimately experience in Lord Jesus after enduring the wrath of God. Christ sacrificed Himself upon the “altar of God” with exceeding joy for each child of God, as seen in Heb 12: “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame”. God and the heavenly host rejoice over a sinner that repents: “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10). We even read about God Himself singing with joy over His body of believers in Zep 3: “he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing”.

Luke 2:10-11 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

Heb 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,  despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Zep 3:17 “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save,  he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

Luke 15:7, 10 “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance… Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”

Jude 1:24-25 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

• Joy in God - This same joy God posses towards his children would also be the precious possession of every child of God. True believers are governed by the “fruit” (or product) of the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives. Each believer has been given “joy” as a fruit of the Spirit, which is a direct result of the incomprehensible salvation that God has granted. While the Unsaved find joy in the pleasures and riches of this world, a believer in Christ’s Kingdom finds Joy in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost as Rom 14 points out. Also a believer finds Joy in the Word of God as Jer 15 points out: “thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart”. Those who have been born from above will experience the ultimate pleasure – knowing God Himself. Neh 8 declares, “... for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Isa 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

Gal 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Rom 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat [food] and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Jer 15:16 “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.”

Rom 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

• Joy Everlasting - For those who have become saved through the power of the True Gospel, there is much joy in their lives as they serve their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ: “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isa 35:10). Also, it seems that in our day one hears little about the trials and persecutions that believers have historically faced. Rather many are touting the harmful idea that the Bible promises physical well-being, financial prosperity, and political freedom as the unquestioned rights of each Christian. Nothing could be further from the truth! Indeed, Christians are called upon to suffer for righteousness’ sake, and never for evil-doing. After all, we are to pattern our lives after the Master whom we follow: “The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you”(John 15:20), “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). God uses trials and temptations in the lives of His children to test and strengthen their Faith. Jam 1 affirms that Christians can indeed rejoice in the midst of suffering: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (Jam 1:2-3). The true child of God can look forward with joy to spending eternity with His Lord and Master in the highest possible bliss: “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor 2:9)

Mat 5:11-12 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

1 Pet 4:12-16 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy . If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

1 Pet 1:6-8 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” 

Psa 100:1-5 "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

PEACE - Fruit of the Spirit

• Peace with God - As “the Prince of Peace” many people think that Jesus came to bring some kind of political or secular peace among nations or groups of people. But man-made wars, as the result of man’s sinful nature, and natural catastrophes will continue to take men’s lives on this earth right up to the moment of Christ’s return on the Last Day as Matt 24:6-7 states. Jesus dispelled all doubts about His purpose for coming to this earth in Mat 10:34-36: “I came not to send peace, but a sword”. God and His Word will in fact bring division and strife – even within families, the closest-knit social units in this world: “I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law”. This is due to the fact that salvation is on individual basis and it creates unequally yoked families. Why then is the Lord Jesus called “the Prince of Peace” in the Bible? Most people are unaware that a much more serious war than all the secular wars in the history of man put together is taking place right now. It is the spiritual war between God and rebellious mankind, as we read in Rom 8:7 “the carnal mind is enmity against God”. Jesus came to bring peace between God and His people. The peace that results from salvation is called “peace with God” in Rom 5:1 “being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. True believers have peace with God because of the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross that has “reconciled” them to God, as explained in 2 Cor 5:19 “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself”. In other words, if we have truly become saved, we are no longer God’s “enemies”, and our war with God has ended, as we read in Rom 5:9-10. Conversely, God has this to say about the unsaved in Rom 3:10 and 17-18: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one... And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Mat 24:6-7 “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours [reports] of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”

Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,  good will toward men.”

Mat 10:34-36 “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.”

2 Cor 5:19 “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation [the Gospel]...”

Rom 5:9-10 “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

• Peace of God - When we have become reconciled to God by salvation, God also gives us the “peace of God” as the fruit of the Spirit. Christians are not to be anxious or worried about anything. For example, we see this demonstrated in the account of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42. Martha was very worried about being a good hostess, and was “careful” (worried) and “troubled” (a word signifying uproar or tumult), but Jesus explained to her that her sister, Mary, had chosen that which was of supreme importance – to sit at Jesus’ feet and learn His Word. Oh, may God so compel us to recognize this comfort in the midst of our moments of anxiety and frustration – that we too, would rest at Jesus feet and learn from His blessed Word. That is the “one thing that is needful” for our lives. Not only are we not to be worried, we also learn this from Php 4:6, “... by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God”. Because of the assurance of the eternal salvation, Christians are to bring their concerns and petitions before the throne of Grace constantly. No matter how great our need, His inexhaustible grace is ever sufficient, plenteous, and overflowing as a mighty river. Also the believer’s life is to be a constant overflowing of thanksgiving for all of God’s daily benefits to him: “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving…”(Col 4:2). As the Christian learns to depend and rely more and more on God and to rest in Him alone, he finds the peace that Isa 26:3 speaks about, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee”. When we have the “peace of God which passeth all understanding”, our souls can rest quietly with God as we trust completely in Him with every aspect of our lives. May God give us His peace if we do not know Him today; and if we do, may He give us a greater and abiding trust to rest in His grace, in His strength, and in His power as He graciously works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Isa 32:17-18 “And the work of righteousness [salvation] shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” 

Luke 10:38-42 “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he [the Lord Jesus] entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Php 4:6-7 “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

• Peace with All Men - The war between God and man started in the Garden of Eden as a result of Adam’s sin; and because man is at war with His Maker, he is also at war with other men. Our sinful Adamic nature, with which every human being is born, is described in Jam 4:2 “[in Adamic nature] Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not”.  1 Cor 3:3 declares: “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions...”. After God saves a believer, Peace begins to manifest itself in the life of this individual who truly has become a “new creature” (or creation) in Christ. True believers are God’s “workmanship”, which means “the fruit (or product) of a workman’s labor”. We also see in Gal 5:22-26 that true believers are governed by the “fruit” (or product) of the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives. If, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace has reconciled us to God and set us apart to be His ambassadors, we are to proclaim this Gospel of Peace so that our neighbor might be reconciled to God too: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt 5:9). This is how we love our neighbor as ourselves. May God give us renewed zeal to be about His business. Blessed are the peacemakers and beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. 

2 Cor 5:18-20 “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

Rom 10:15 “And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

Gal 5:19-26 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Rom 12:17-21 “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

LOVE - Fruit of the Spirit

• God is Love - Let’s begin by looking at why the Bible claims that God is love. In essence, God is defining love by His very character. We get a glimpse in 1 Cor 13:4-8. Lord Jesus perfectly demonstrated these characteristics. The following verses illustrate some of the chief characteristics of love - longsuffering or patience, kindness, demonstrated by God. God carefully defines what love is in John 15:13: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”. Please note very carefully in John 10:18, that Jesus is asserting that this power to lay down His life and take it again is a commandment that He has received from God the Father. The reason this statement is so significant is that throughout the Bible God closely associates love with obeying the commandments, as we can see from John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” and John 15:10, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love”. God demonstrates the fact that He is love through His salvation program. In principle, God’s love for His elect began before the foundation of the world. Those who are the recipients of God’s gift of salvation were in total rebellion against God, “dead in trespasses and sins” and were “children of wrath” (Eph 2:1-3), before He saved them. Yet Rom 5:8 makes this wonderful statement, “But God commendeth [exhibits] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. Lord Jesus has not only forgiven the sins of every child of God by suffering the equivalent of an eternity in Hell on their behalf, but He has also fulfilled the righteousness of the law for them, by perfectly obeying the Bible in thought, word, and deed.

1 Cor 13:4-8 “Charity [Love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up 4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8Charity never faileth...”

2 Pet 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Eph 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

John 10:11,15,17-18 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 17Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”

Rom 13:10 “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

1 John 4:10 “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

• Love for God - Let’s begin by looking at a believer’s love for God. We read of Jesus’ response to a question posed to him by a scribe in Mark 12:28 “Which is the first commandment of all?” “...thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength”. This verse is indicating that we are to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our might. How are we to do that? This is an impossible situation as far as man is concerned because it's a matter of heart. After all, God describes the condition of an unsaved person’s heart very early in the Bible in Gen 6:5: “...every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”. We also know that man is spiritually dead from conception, as we find in Psa 51:5: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me”. In all candor, only the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is God in the flesh and perfect, had the capacity to love God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength. We see this very clearly in verses such as John15:10. Since the Bible makes clear that we must love God with our heart (that is, with our soul and spirit), the greatest miracle that God performs is to take a dead heart, or soul, and infuse it with His Word, which is eternal life, through His Holy Spirit. God’s Word penetrates people’s dead hearts or souls in order to bestow eternal life, as Heb 4:12 teaches. The Old Testament also uses the language of circumcision to illustrate the cutting that Heb 4:12 speaks about, as we find in Deu 30:6. When people have received eternal life, or salvation, in their souls, they have been made righteous as God Himself, and thus have been qualified through the sacrifice of Christ for their sins to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Deu 6:4-6 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart…”

Heb 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Deu 30:6 “And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.”

Eze 36:25-27 “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 26A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

Rom 2:29 “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

• Love for Neighbour - Next we want to look at a believer’s love for others, which the Lord Jesus explains in context with` the second commandment in Mark 12:31-33: “...Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”. Before we look at what it means to love one’s neighbor, we need to define what it means to love oneself: “...as thyself”. To love oneself is to desire that which is most beneficial – the highest possible good – for ourselves. And what could that be? The world would tell us we need a new house, a new car, a new job, a wife, a family, more money, a healthy lifestyle, religion, etc. Are these things really going to provide that which is of utmost importance to me? The Bible informs us in Mark 8:36-37, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul, Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” The reason God places so much importance on the soul is because it is that part of us that will last throughout eternity. Jesus gives us the answer in response to the lawyer’s question in Luke 10:29 “… and who is my neighbour?” by detailing the account of a man who was rescued after he had been robbed, beaten, and left “stripped” and “half dead”. This is a marvelous picture of unsaved man as we find in Eph. 2:1, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins”. Luke 10:33-34 demonstrates what it means to love our neighbor – it is to share the Gospel of Grace - that has power to resurrect the dead soul to eternal life, with them. The oil in this verse, typifies the Holy Spirit and the wine points to the Gospel, which God can use to heal our sin-sick souls. Loving our neighbor as our self implies being our brother’s keeper, which Cain refused to do. After God saves a believer, Love begins to manifest itself in the life of this individual who truly has become a “new creature” (or creation) in Christ, in whom the Holy Spirit indwells. True believers are instructed to mirror the kindness that God has shown to them by being kind to one another. It is the mission of every true child of God as 2 Cor 5:18 affirms. We surely should look after the physical needs of our neighbour and especially unto them who are of the household of faith, but we see a need that is greater than the physical need, which is the spiritual need. If we had even a tiny portion of true love for our fellowman, we would never want to see them judged in Hell eternally. We would want their spiritual wounds healed by salvation. We would want to give them 100% of the life-saving, life-giving Gospel of the Bible.

Gal 5:22-26 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. ”

Mark 12:33 “And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Rom 13:10 “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Luke 10:33-34 “But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”

Rom 5:10 “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

2 Cor 5:18 “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”

Luke 6:35 “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”

Gal 6:9-10 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

1 John 3:16-18 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”