GOODNESS - Fruit of the Spirit

• The Goodness of God - At the completion of the first Temple and after Solomon’s prayer dedicating it, we learn this in the first three verses of 2 Chr 7, all the children of Israel “... worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever”. Indeed, God’s goodness as well as all His other divine attributes reveal His magnificent, glorious, and inscrutable majesty. His goodness is portrayed throughout the Bible in hundreds of verses. We know from Jesus’ words in similar verses in Matthew, Mark and Luke that only God is “good”. We read this in Mark 10:18, “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God”. Of course, by that statement Jesus did not mean that He is not God. Jesus is identifying Himself as God and the Messiah. Rom 3:12 (which quotes Psa 53:1) also emphasizes that there is none good: “They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one” . God’s goodness is also uniquely associated with His mercy in a number of passages, like Psa 86:5, Psa 145:9: “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works”. Rom 2:4 immediately helps us to see the reason for this: “... the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance [or salvation]?”. Not only is God inherently good, but He bestows His goodness upon His creatures, and salvation is the highest expression of His infinite goodness, as Jam 1:17-18 insists. Salvation is the greatest gift anybody can receive because no human being deserves it. In fact, we deserve the opposite, which is eternal damnation. Isa 52:7 announces the greatest demonstration of God’s goodness as found in the Gospel – that is, the whole Bible: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”

Jam 1:17-18 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18Of his own will begat [made us born-again] he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

Psa 86:5 “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”

Psa 145:8-9 “The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”

Psa 107:1 “O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

• God’s Goodness Repents Him of the Evil - God Himself does not repent, or change His mind, according to Num 23:19: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” and 1 Sam 15:29: “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent”. Now on the surface, this can be a bit confusing. Didn’t God “repent” when He did not bring judgment against Nineveh? It is not the repentance in Ninevites that brought out Goodness in God but it is the goodness of God that worked repentance in Ninevites. The first point we have to come to grips with is that even before the foundation of the world, God had planned to save the Ninevites. This was very difficult for Jonah to comprehend. Why would God show this degree of kindness and mercy to such rebellious, wicked individuals and sworn enemies of Israel? Note what he says in Jon 4:1, “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry”. However, God was also teaching Jonah an “object lesson”, even as He did with Peter many hundreds of years later about His plan to save a people for Himself which included both Jews and Gentiles. In Jonah’s case, it involved a gourd which God had graciously provided to shield Jonah from the burning sun which was beating down on him in Jonah 4. God’s answer to Jonah in Jon 4:9-11 helps us see God’s love as the motivating force behind this wonderful salvation account, even though God had warned of impending judgment previously.

Jon 3:10 “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented [comforted] of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not”

Jon 4:9-11 “And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?”

Exo 33:19 “And he [God] said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”

Rom 9:15-16 “For he [God] saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.”

Joel 2:12-13 “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.”

• God’s Goodness Lead us to Repentance - Rom 2:4 makes this beautiful declaration: “…the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance”, which is synonymous with salvation. Rom 2:4 emphasizes God’s sovereign power and grace to save His elect people: “Or despisest thou [speaking about at unsaved man] the riches of his [God’s] goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance [or salvation]?”.  God’s Goodness is closely is associated with God’s mercy as we have seen in Psa 86:5: “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee”. Psa 52:1-7 paints a similar picture of human depravity and God’s goodness, despite of man’s rebellion. God is merciful to His elect and saves them because of His goodness; and He works all things “together for good” in their lives, as we read in Rom 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. Heb 13:21 brings out the incomprehensible reality that God is working to accomplish His divine will in the lives of His people: “Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ”.

Psa 52:1-7 “Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. 2Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. 3Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. 4Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. ”

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.”

Heb 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

• The Fruit of the Spirit is Goodness - We need to understand that God must first raise us from spiritual death before we can be “good” and “upright” in God’s eyes. Psa 65:4 pinpoints how God “draws” a person to salvation and is another beautiful illustration of God’s mercy in making His people as holy as Himself: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple”. Only those whom God has saved can “be good” and “do good” in His eyes because their sins have been paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross; and whatever “good works” they do is only because God is working in them to accomplish “His good pleasure”, according to Php 2:13: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”. Eph 5:9 and Gal 5:22-23 gives us an excellent description of “goodness” as one of the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23). With the continual work of grace – the operation of God – in the Christian’s life, God gives to those who are “new creatures in Christ” – this command in Jam 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves”. If God has saved you, He will give you an earnest and ongoing desire to do His will, as set forth in His Word, the Bible. God’s people will receive His “goodness and mercy” all the days of their lives – which is forevermore: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” (Psa 23:6). Salvation is life eternal and, once received, can never be lost or taken away: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Php 1:6). Eph 2:7 gives us a glimpse of what God has planned for believers in eternity future: “That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus”.

Luke 11:9-13 “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?”

Eph 5:8-11“For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

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

2 Chr 6:41 “Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests [the children of God], O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints [the children of God] rejoice in goodness.”

GENTLENESS - Fruit of the Spirit

• Agape Love [God’s Love] is Kind [Gentle] - The second characteristic of love in 1 Cor 13:4 – kindness or Gentleness: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up...”. We see that God is “kind” to even unthankful and evil people [all of us sinners] in 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”. Neh 9:19 illustrates God’s constant, protective and faithful care for His Sheep, despite of their rebellion: “Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go”. Jer 32:18 illustrates both God’s mercy and God’s justice: “Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and  recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name”. God in His magnanimous kindness grants an individual divine, eternal  pardon and reconciliation as Psa 103:3-4 declares: “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies”. The Hebrew word for “mercy” is checed (H2617), is also rendered as “kindness” or “lovingkindness”. The Hebrew word for “everlasting” is olam (H5769), and both words appear together in almost 60 verses.

Neh 9:16-17 “But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments, And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not. 18Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations; 19Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.”

Isa 54:8 “In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting [H5769] kindness [H2617] will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.”

Isa 55:3 “Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting [H5769] covenant [or Gospel] with you, even the sure mercies [H2617 lovingkindness] of David.”

Jer 31:3 “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting [H5769] love: therefore with lovingkindness [H2617] have I drawn thee.”

Psa 103:17 “But the mercy [H2617 lovingkindness] of the LORD is from everlasting [H5769] to everlasting [H5769] upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;”

• Kindness toward Us through Christ Jesus - In Eph 2:4-10 we read about God’s wonderful mercy, which in Greek is eleos (G656) and expressed His love by sending the Lord Jesus to be the only Savior: “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ”. All the God’s Kindness we have seen above typified, or pointed, to “the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus”. Heb 10:16-18 [also Psa 103:3-4, as we have seen above] emphasizes the total forgiveness that God bestows upon those whom He has elected to save from sin and eternal damnation: “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin”. God, not only magnified His Word: “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou [God] hast magnified thy word above [as] all thy [God’s] name” (Psa 138:2) but also  cleanses the elect with the “washing of water by the word [the Gospel]” through the salvation process because of His “kindness and love” for His people, as we read in Tit 3:3-7: “after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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”. Isa 63:9 speaks of God’s care for the nation of Israel (as they typify the true children of God): “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel [or messenger] of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old”. Man’s spiritual deadness requires that God do all the work needed to regenerate man’s dead soul, including drawing the man to Himself, as Jer 31:3 asserts: “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee”. Because God does all the work of Salvation, all the glory must go to Him, as Jer 9:24 proclaims: “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD”. There is only one kind of boasting that meets with God’s approval – it’s the boasting by believers about the mercy of God for His glory, as we read in Gal 6:14: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

Eph 2:4-10 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Tit 3:3-7 “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 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 by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

• The Fruit of the Spirit is Gentleness - Those to whom God has graciously given the gift of salvation do not, in any way, merit such eternal kindness and blessing nor can they claim any credit for it. In Eph 4:32: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” and Col 3:12-13: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”, true believers are instructed to mirror the kindness that God has shown to them by being kind to one another. Following the pattern of their Master, those who are part of the eternal church are equipped with the fruit of “gentleness”, or kindness. We will look at one of Jonathan’s sons, Mephibosheth, to whom King David showed much kindness in 2 Sam 9:3-8 and 13. David loved Jonathan dearly, and in the historical context he desired to express that in a tangible way to Saul’s relatives. He wanted to “shew the kindness of God” to “any of the house of Saul”. King Saul was Jonathan’s father and David’s former enemy. This is a beautiful representation of the biblical injunction to “love your enemies”. May the Holy Spirit empower us to exhibit patience, kindness, and the good kind of zeal in our lives for God’s honor and glory.

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.”

2 Sam 9:3-8 and 13 “And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar. Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?. …So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.”

Psa 40:11 “Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.”

MEEKNESS - Fruit of the Spirit

• I [God] am Meek and Lowly in Heart - “Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass” (Mat 21:5). Meekness is a wonderful reminder of the two-fold description of the Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, Who said in Mat 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls”. We must bear in mind that when the Lord speaks of Himself as “meek” and “lowly”, we are talking about eternal God the Creator, His Eternal Majesty, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords! “Who [Jehovah God] humbleth [shaphel:H8213] himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!”. Here we see to what extent Christ had to empty Himself of His divine glory as He humbled Himself by taking on a human nature: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Php 2:6-7). In order to be the only Savior for sinners the Lord Jesus had to first take on a human nature. Secondly, he had to become sin, as 2 Cor 5:21 so emphatically announces: “For he [God the Father] hath made him [God the Son] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”. Thirdly, He had to suffer the equivalent of spending eternity in Hell for every single child of God: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Php 2:8). The Savior not only epitomizes the very essence of humility in His life but in His death as well as He suffered the equivalent of eternal damnation in the “lake of fire” for each of His elect people. In Acts 8:30-35 we are faced with the account of the Ethiopian eunuch who asks Phillip to explain a passage in Isa 53: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away”. These passages substantiate the infinite degradation that the Lord Jesus subjected Himself to in experiencing the shame of sin and the “lowest Hell”.

Acts 8:30-35 “And Philip ran thither to him (eunuch), and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”

Php 2:5-11 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

• God Giveth Grace unto the Humble - The Hebrew word for “meek” (‘anav:H6035) is found some 26 times, and is generally translated as “meek”, “humble”, “poor”, and “lowly”. Num 12:3 affirms: “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth”. We should remember that Moses is a great “type”, or representation, of the Lord Jesus. One of the main themes in the Bible is the pride of Satan and man, which underlies all sin. The contrast between pride and humility is found throughout the pages of Scripture; and one such example is the historical parable of the Pharisee and the publican, found in Luke 18:9-16. Notice in verse 16 that the Lord pinpoints “little children”: “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer [allow] little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God”, who in their naiveté represent those who have become “children of God”. We see the same “little children” in Mat 18:3: “And [Jesus] said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”. Also Mat 21:5 that declares, “Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass”. The two donkeys pictured here represent the true believers who have been made “meek” or “saved” by their King. He sits upon them as He rides triumphantly into Jerusalem, typifying the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev 21:2-4). To “sit” is figuratively associated with “ruling”, or “reigning”, as Christ most certainly does over His eternal church. 

Psa 138:6 “Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly [shaphal:H8217]: but the proud he knoweth afar off.”

Psa 34:18 “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

Psa 149:4 “For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.”

Luke 18:9-16 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [or saved] rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 15And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer [allow] little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

• The Fruit of the Spirit is Meekness - Lord Jesus indeed manifested a “…contrite and humble spirit…” In turn, those whom God has elected to salvation will be “humbled” and will be “made contrite” as God gives them a new resurrected soul and saves them by His grace and for His glory. Before salvation God has to “break us down” spiritually, and humble us because by nature we are so proud and arrogant as we disdain God and His Word, the Bible. Jer 44:10: “They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers”, relates to the rebellion of Judah and Jerusalem in the historical setting, but figuratively it explains what is transpiring in our day with the institutional churches and denominations, putting themselves over the authority of the Bible, which sadly are under God’s wrath. God “revives”, or “makes alive”, “… the spirit of the humble, and… the heart of the contrite ones”: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isa 57:15). Thus, the “humble” are God’s elect. The trait of humility, which the Savior so perfectly demonstrated, is also found among His people, as the indwelling Holy Spirit produces the fruit, and they reflect His character of being “…meek and lowly in heart…”. 1 Pet 5:5-7 speaks of each Christian as being “clothed with humility” and highlights the essence of someone who is a true child of God. Eph 4:2: “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;” and Col 3:12-23 admonishes believers, to pattern their life after their Master. Notice how God associates “humility” with the “fear of the LORD” in Pro 22:4 “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life” and Pro 15:33 “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility”. The Lord hears the prayers of the humble: “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:” (Psa 10:17). God the Holy Spirit indwells the new Christian in his newly resurrected soul. In this wonderful new relationship (which the Bible likens to marriage) the child of God is both taught and led by God in the Scriptures. May God give us the grace to walk more humbly and more obediently before Him.

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.”

Jam 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble [meek].”

1 Pet 5:5-7 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” 

Col 3:12 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”








  

Worship God in Spirit and in Truth

• Thou Shalt Worship NO Other God - Man was originally created in the image of God and privileged to enjoy the highest blessing imaginable – that of knowing God intimately, fellowshipping with Him, and serving Him perfectly. The image of God was completely shattered, and Adam and Eve were spiritually separated from God, when man sinned and died spiritually. Even though he lost the fellowship with God after the fall of Adam, the need for worship is indelibly stamped upon his nature; thus we find people regardless of their race, culture, or social status who are deeply religious, even if this means embracing atheism or agnosticism. God illustrates this reality in Acts 17:23: “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship ...”. Hence man’s need for worship also became perverted as Rom 1:25 underscores: “worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator”. Exo 34:14 declares “For thou shalt worship no other god”. This is a fundamental truth of Scripture; and yet, as we realize who this God is, and how glorious His characteristics are, and we stop to contemplate His indescribable majesty, we are awestruck over and over again. Is it any wonder the Bible poses the rhetorical question in Exo 15:11, “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”. By nature none of us have this fear of God as we have previously learned from other verses, such as Isa 29:13. This is a similar statement to what we find in Mat 15:9 where the Lord Jesus declares, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men”. The doctrines of men, the love for the material things of this world have become man's idols. Eze 33:31 sadly emphasizes the same truth.

Acts 17:23 “For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

Rom 1:25 “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

Exo 34:14 “For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:”

Lev 26:1 “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.”

Matt 15:7-9 [quoting Isa 29:13] “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

Eze 33:31 “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.”

• Worship God in the Spirit - When we see the extent to which God is worshipped in Heaven, how careful we must be to worship Him on earth as He demands. So, how do we do that? In John 4:23-24 the Lord Jesus defines what true, or biblical, worship entails and those who practice it: “the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth”. But what does it mean to worship the Father in spirit? The Bible differentiates between the “spirit” and the “flesh”. To be “in the flesh” is not merely defining one’s physical existence, but is a statement of one’s spiritual condition – to be unsaved. On the other hand, to be “in the spirit” refers to someone who has become saved by the will and Word of God. If one has not been born “of the Spirit”, they are, by biblical definition still “of the flesh”, and hence they cannot worship God in spirit nor in truth. The fellowship with God's Spirit have to be restored, by rebirth. That is the only type God can accept from a human being, and only those who have been born “from above” have been qualified to worship God in the manner He prescribes as Php 3:3 affirms. We know that the “circumcision” in this verse is spiritual in nature because it is associated with true worship in which only “Spiritual Jews” or in other words, genuine Christians can engage, as Rom 2:28-29 indicates. Moreover, we are instructed in Deu 30:6, “And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart”.

John 4:23-24 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

John 3:6 “That which is born [natural birth] of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born [born-again] of the Spirit is spirit.”

John 6:63 “It is the spirit that quickeneth [or makes alive]; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”

Rom 8:5-6 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Rom 2:28-29 “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 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.”

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.”

Php 3:3 “For we [born-again believers] are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

• Worship God in the Truth - Rom 1:25 states the nature of the fallen man, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie [or “the” lie], and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen”. Notice the emphasis that God is placing on “lies” and “changing the truth” in both these verses as man attempts to promote his own ideas and lusts. This passage is really an indictment against all who would attempt to “work” their way into Heaven. But notice that they do so while using a “form” of godliness – not genuine godliness, which is salvation – but merely a “form” of knowledge or a “form” of the truth of the law. In other words, what is missing is the spiritual reality, or substance. This is why 2 Tim 3:5 tells us that those who have “a form of godliness” are “denying the power thereof”. The “power” in view is the Greek word dunamis from which we derive our English word “dynamite”. It is God’s creative power of salvation by His Word, as we read in Rom 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...”. We also just looked at John 4:23-24 that says: “true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth”. The phrase “spirit and truth” is referring to the Bible itself, as we can see from a passage like John 6:63: “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life”. The Bible teaches that God is Truth (as we see in John 14:6a, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…”); and the Bible underscores that it alone is the Truth, according to John 17:17b, “… thy word is truth”. God the Holy Spirit is also called the “Spirit of Truth” in John 16:13-15. Worship implies Obedience and doing His Will. We could ask, “What is the will of God? And how does one “do it”? The fact is that the whole Bible declares the will of God. Moreover, a true Christian will want to obey what he learns from the Bible, as John 14:15 asserts, “If ye love me, keep my commandments”. Could it be that you and I might indeed be among that great throng in Heaven who will worship the Triune God throughout eternity, as Rev 4:13-14 so majestically asserts.

John 4:23-24 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

John 16:13-15 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me [Christ]: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine [Christ’s]: therefore said I, that he [the Spirit of Truth] shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”

2 The 2:13 “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification [to be set apart by God] of the Spirit and belief of the truth [the Bible]:”

John 9:31 “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”

Rev 4:13-14 “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.”

 

 

 

 

 

LONGSUFFERING - Fruit of the Spirit

• God is Longsuffering to Us-ward - Isa 59:2 reveals our true spiritual condition, our separation from God, that has been caused by our sin: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear”. It is important to remember that God has obligated Himself to punish sin, and that man is completely accountable to God for his sin because he was created in the image of God. As a just Ruler, or Judge, God must punish “sin”, which the Bible defines as “transgression of the law” in 1 John 3:4: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law”. Because God is extremely patient with mankind does not in any way diminish the fact that He hates sin and hates sinners: “God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psa 7:11). He absolutely will judge and punish all who are not His children: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2 Pet 2:9).  Unbelievable as it sounds, forgiveness first originated with God Himself although we have rebelled against him: “To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him” (Dan 9:9).  The Greek word for “suffereth long” in 1 Cor 13:4 “Charity(Love) suffereth long, and is kind” is also translated as “patience” and is closely related to God’s forgiveness. The “longsuffering”, or patience, of God can be readily seen throughout the Bible. The fact that God “went with” the rebellious Israelites, as He led them for 40 years through the wilderness, is indeed a picture of the longsuffering nature and lovingkindness of such a magnanimous God! 1 Pet 3:20-21 speaking of the ark, representing God’s salvation program, demonstrates God’s longsuffering. Actually, it is astounding that God is so patient with rebellious man, He is patiently putting up with mankind and their sin in order to save His people, His elect people.

Num 14:18 “The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”

1 Pet 3:20-21 “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure [water = the Gospel] whereunto even baptism [the washing away of our sins] doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”

Rom 9:20-23 “…O man, who art thou that repliest [disputes] against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath [non-elect or unbelievers] fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy [elect of God or believers], which he had afore prepared unto glory.”

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 [of the elect] should come to repentance.”

• Put on therefore, as the Elect of God, Longsuffering - We learn in Rom 2:4 that God’s “goodness” and “longsuffering” leads His elect to repentance: “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”. As we look to the Bible to learn about this wonderful forgiveness that God has provided, may we be compelled to examine our own hearts to see how we stand before God. Have we received His incomprehensible forgiveness? If we have, are we sharing the Gospel of Christ with others so they, too, may also come to know His marvelous forgiveness? “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 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. Now 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” (2 Cor 5:18-20). God admonishes believers in Col 3:12-15 and Eph 4:2 “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;”, to pattern their life after their Master, as in the parable of the wicked servant in Mat 18. With the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, God admonishes us to be patient, likewise, towards one another by reproving, rebuking, exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

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.”

Col 3:12-15 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”

Col 1:11 “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.”

2 Tim 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

Matt 18:21-35 “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

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.”