Summer in the Systematics – Pneumatology (Part 7): The Fruit of the Spirit

Transcript

JRS 70
The Fruit of the Spirit
8/10/2025
Selected Scriptures
Jesse Randolph

Good evening again and welcome back after a brief mid-summer hiatus to Summer in the Systematics. My family and I were able to take a little bit of a break this summer. A little post-baseball vacation that opened up the pulpit for Pastor Mike the last few Sunday evenings to ably and capably and wonderfully handle the topic of prayer. I’m catching up in those sermons myself and really appreciate what Pastor Mike has shared already.

Next summer we have actually signed all 3 boys up for baseball. Pray for us, speaking of prayer. And that might mean that we might even need a longer vacation after that season is over. So, Pastor Mike prepare for about a 6-week sermon series next summer.

Again, welcome back to Summer in the Systematics. We are back in the study of Pneumatology, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. By way of brief review, so far in our study of the Holy Spirit this summer, we’ve covered the Person of the Holy Spirit, the Deity of the Holy Spirit, the Old Testament Ministry of the Holy Spirit, the New Testament Ministry of the Holy Spirit, the Ministry of the Holy Spirit in Salvation and most recently about a month ago now, the Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Christian. In those two last messages in particular we did cover a whole lot of territory. Everything from the sealing of the Spirit to the indwelling of the Spirit, to the baptizing of the Spirit, leading up to our salvation or in our salvation. We also covered the various ministries of the Holy Spirit to the believer. Such as His assistance, His interceding, His convicting, His witness, His teaching, His guiding, His empowering, His sanctifying, and His filling.

Tonight, we’re going to be building on those last two, the Sanctifying Ministry of the Spirit, and the Filling Ministry of the Spirit. As we look at other aspects of the Spirit’s filling of the obedient believer, and other aspects of the Holy Spirit’s work in the believer as He sanctifies them. As He conforms them into the image of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our topic for this evening is THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. You’ve got 9 blanks on your worksheet there. Each represents individual aspects of the “fruit of the Spirit” mentioned in Galatians 5:22,23 which I’ve put up here on this slide. “But the fruit of the Spirit is (and now you have your 9 blanks there) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Those are our blanks. Now, you are probably wondering why we are starting on the back of the work sheet. The reason we have the blanks on the back is I want to take us all through some introductory material first, on the Spirit’s role, more broadly speaking in sanctification and growing us in Christlikeness. Then we’ll get into the discussion of the “fruit of the Spirit” proper, in the second half of the message. So, we’re going to start talking about sanctification by the Spirit more generally and then we’ll get into the fruit of the Spirit.

Let’s start here with a quote from Rolland McCune, who says that “Without the Spirit’s governance, no worthwhile and rewardable efforts are possible for a believer.” Now he’s reminding us that any spiritual growth that we experience in our lives as believers is on account of and attributable to the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that we’re able to give thanks in song and praise in our heart to God. Ephesians 5:18, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.”

It's through the Spirit that believers can exhibit joy, and unity, and gratitude in the assembly. Ephesians 5:19-20, we’re “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.” It is through the Spirit that we as believers, are receptive to the teaching and the preaching of the Word of God. I Corinthians 2:9-10, “But just as it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But to us God revealed them through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.” It is through the Spirit that believers demonstrate dedication to God and non-conformity to the world. Like in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore I exhort you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice. Living, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” It is through the Spirit that righteous character is produced in us. Romans 14:17, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” It is through the Spirit that we grow in Christlikeness. II Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

So, each of these is an aspect of being filled with the Spirit. Being controlled by the Spirit. Being guided by the Spirit. And as McCune again notes, “The Spirit filled life is an ongoing thing; it is the biblically normal Christian experience of walking with the Lord.”

Now the Biblical way to express what McCune is saying here is that as believers we are walking by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16, “But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Romans 8:4, “Do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Another way we see this expressed in Scripture is by keeping “in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk in step with the Spirit.” Those who are walking by the Spirit those who are keeping in step with the Spirit, those who are continually being filled with the Spirit, as we saw last time, are, with the Spirit’s help, “putting to death (Romans 8:13) the practices of the body.” They are being sanctified. They are growing in their obedience to God. They are growing in Christlikeness. They are growing in maturity. They are experiencing as I Peter 1:2 here says, “the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to the obedience of Jesus Christ and the sprinkling of His blood: (and then he goes on to say) May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

Here are a couple other passages that refer to the Spirit’s broader role in our sanctification. II Thessalonians 2:1, “We should always give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” Or II Corinthians 3:18 again, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
In other words, our growth in Christ, our sanctification as believers, doesn’t take place in a vacuum. We don’t sort of “will ourselves” toward being more sanctified or “will ourselves” toward being more holy, or godly or Christlike. Rather we need and depend upon the Spirit’s help. Our sanctification not only pleases God, and it not only brings God glory, but our sanctification comes from God. Namely God the Holy Spirit.

Our sanctification ultimately is empowered by God, through His Spirit. Another thing to note is that our sanctification is progressive. It happens over time as any imperfect believer in the room this evening can attest to, Amen? It’s progressive sanctification, not perfected sanctification. It’s not immediate. We’re not perfect. We aren’t in those glorified bodies yet. Sanctification happens over time. Again McCune, you can see who I was reading a lot of this week. He says “Spiritual development is an incremental process of continuous sanctification that is ongoing from the new birth to glorification. Spiritual maturity issues from Spirit control.”
Now I do love reading a lot of church history and in preparing for this evening’s message, I was able to dig out this quote from Justin Martyr. He was an early second century apologist and philosopher, he lived in the 100s. This is from one of his works called his First Apology. He speaks of the sanctification of these early believers in the early church in the 100s. He says “Those who once rejoiced in fornication now delight in continence alone. (another word for abstinence) Those who made use of magic arts have dedicated themselves to the good and unbegotten God. We who once took most pleasure in the means of increasing our wealth and property now bring what we have into a common fund and share with everyone in need. We who hated and killed one another and would not associate with people of different tribes because of their different customs, now after the manifestation of Christ live together and pray for our enemies.” He’s speaking of sanctification.

(This is the missing slide continuing on from Justin Martyr) and try to persuade those who unjustly hate us, so that they, living according to the fair commands of Christ, may share with us the good hope of receiving the same things [that we will] from God, the master of all.”

Go forward 15 centuries to John Owen, the English theologian of the 1600s. He says, “The growth of trees (he’s in the topic of sanctification here) and plants is secret and imperceptible, and discerned only in the effects and consequences of it; the most watchful eye can discern little of its motion;” In otherwards he’s saying you don’t really just stand and watch a tree grow, it happens over time, right? You come back and you see that it has grown, “and so it is in the progress of holiness.” Both men are describing in the second century and the seventeenth century respectively they’re both describing sanctification. What both men are pointing out is that sanctification again, it’s progressive, it’s gradual. And our sanctification, as we’ve seen from a Scripture I quoted earlier at its root is a work of the Holy Spirit.

It's not always so pretty, is it? Because working against the Spirit is our flesh. Though the follower of Jesus Christ is a new creature in Christ, II Corinthians 5:17. Though the Christian has been redeemed, they are still encased in flesh. We still have these bodies of flesh and we’re no longer dominated by sin. But those temptations do flare up from time to time and the flesh still fights to choke out the influence of the Spirit in our lives.

Look at how that’s expressed in Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you do not do the things that you want.” So, this text here is laying out the battle lines. The old man is squared up against the new man. And when the Spirit wins out, we see the “fruit of the Spirit,” which we’re going to get into here momentarily. But when the flesh wins out, we see what’s listed here, in Galatians 5:19-21, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.”

Let’s go through these just briefly, definition wise. “Sexual immorality.” Porneia. In context, this refers to illegitimate sexual intercourse of any form including, but not limited to, homosexuality. “Impurity.” There’s a sexual sense also implied here. In our day’s terminology, we’d say the word “dirty.” It’s referring to doing something dirty. Then you have “Sensuality.” That term describes a wild, unruly lifestyle. One that’s unrestrained, one that’s out of control. And then there’s “Idolatry.” Of course, in Paul’s day, he’s referring to stone or wood or bronze idols that are substituted for worship of the living God. But of course, today it could mean anything that we place on the altar of our affections that crowds out worship of the one true God. “Sorcery.” It describes the practice of magic and other “dark arts.” Spiritism, fortune-telling, astrology.

“Enmities.” That describes one who is marked by hostility, hatred, grudge-bearing, and generally being unloving. “Strife.” That trait is found in one who demonstrates a quarrelsome attitude. One who demonstrates a contentious spirit. The one who is demonstrating “strife,” quarrelsome, that contentious nature is one who is argumentative. One who is combative. They constantly have a chip on their shoulder. “Jealousy.” This is that self-centered spirit that despises people’s achievements or victories. This one goes all the way back to the days of Cain and Able, we know. “Outbursts of anger.” That’s the one who has the short fuse. This is the hot head. The one who is ultimately lacking in self-control. “Selfish ambition.” This is the one who steps all over other people to get what He wants. Moves them out of the way to get what he wants. This is the one who is ruled by a ruthless desire for personal gain at the expense of others.

“Dissensions.” This describes the one who is continuously bickering, feuding, and creating division within groups. Not content to sit on the sidelines, this one engages in dissension for the purpose of bringing attention to himself, this need to be the voice or the authority on a matter. “Factions.” The root meaning of that term describes one who willfully chooses opinions that go against established truth, and it doesn’t always have to be on theological matters. Like the fact that God is triune. It could be over other matters. Like continually insisting that 2+2 = 5, or that the earth is flat.

“Envying.” This is the sinful desire to possess what belongs to someone else; and in many cases, harboring ill will toward the person who has whatever it is you want. Because deep down, you think you should have what they have. Or that you deserve it. So and so got a nice car. A nice new car. That turns into “must be nice to have a new car.” That then turns into “I wish I had a new car.” That then turns into “I deserve a new car.” And then that turns into “they don’t deserve that new car.” And then you’re off to the races with envious thoughts. “Drunkenness.” It is of course the intemperate use of alcohol. “Carousing.” Also translated as “revelries.” Refers to the lifestyle of the wild partygoer who was given over to drunkenness and orgies and the like.

Now, it is possible of course for someone who is actually and truly saved to fall into any one of these sins. But it’s also impossible for any one of these sins to be characteristic of the life of a true believer. If any one of these sins is characteristic of the lifestyle of a person, what that is is evidence that they are unsaved. You can’t be fully given over to any one of these sins and call yourself with a straight face a follower of Jesus Christ. As Paul says at the end of this verse, Galatians 5:21, “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” That’s pretty straight forward.

So those are the deeds of the flesh; and that just sets up what we’ll get into in a moment here with the fruit of the Spirit. They’re set against each other in Paul’s context here in Galatians 5. Now, here’s the positive side. Let’s get into the fruit of the Spirit. If you haven’t already you can go ahead and turn over those worksheets, and we’ll start pretty soon here filling in these blanks 1 through 9.

But first, a few quotes to get us started here on the fruit of the Spirit. R.C. Sproul says, “the gifts of the Spirit (what we will get into next Sunday night) receive far more attention in our culture than the fruit of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit seem to be doomed to obscurity, hidden in the shadow of the more preferred gifts.” Now in the context here, what Sproul is referring to is everybody whether they’re on the sensationalist side of the scale or the continuation side of the scale, wants to talk about what can I do? How can I serve? What am I good at so that I can serve the body of believers. Usually with a noble purpose but not always. What He’s getting at here, and what we’re getting at here this evening is how much more important it is to reflect on who we are character wise. To make sure that we aren’t given over to the deeds of the flesh but rather are pursuing and living in and walking by the fruit of the Spirit.

Now despite Sproul, I rarely correct Sproul, actually I correct Sproul on theology quite a bit, but on grammar I don’t. Now he does here say the “fruits” of the Spirit. And the word “fruit” of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 is not plural, like he has it. It’s actually singular. It’s the fruit of the Spirit, which suggests that there is just one fruit of the Spirit, that it’s interrelated, it’s interconnected, it’s singular and it manifests itself in a variety of different ways like we see listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Because there’s singularity and unity of the fruit of the Spirit, more on this in just a second, what that means practically is that a Christian cannot divide up the fruit of the Spirit and say something like: “I’m loving but I’m not joyful.” The way we might go to the supermarket and say well I like oranges, but I don’t like bananas. You can’t do that with the fruit of the Spirit. You don’t get to divide up and pick and choose which ones you’re good at and which ones you’re not. Which ones you choose to exercise and which ones you’re not going to. You know I’m gentle but not kind is not a thing in the Christian life.

The Spirit of God is singular, and He produces a variety of different virtues in us which ultimately stem from His singular Spirit living in us. A.W. Pink states it nicely. He says, “These virtues are not like so many separate flowers in a bouquet, as the variegated petals of one lovely flower exhibiting different shades and forms. A rainbow is one, yet in it all the primary colors are beautifully blended together. These graces which the Spirit imparts to a renewed soul are distinguishable, but they are inseparable.”

Then A.T. Pierson here really stresses how these virtues work together as one. This singular functioning of the Spirit of God in the believer. He says, “Joy is love exulting, peace is love in repose, longsuffering is love on trial, gentleness is love in society, goodness is love in action, faith is love in endurance, meekness is love at school, and temperance is love in discipline.” Or here’s R.A. Torrey, “It is well to notice that these graces are not said to be the fruits of the Spirit but the fruit, i.e., if the Spirit is given control of our life, He will not bear one of these as fruit in one person and another as fruit in another person, but this will be the one fruit of many flavors that He produces in each one.” That’s well said.

Here is another thing to note, before we finally turn over those worksheets and start filling in these blanks. The fruit of the Spirit is the evidence of the Spirit’s control in the believer’s life and is evidence of the believer’s abiding in Christ. Remember John 15, Jesus tells His disciples there in the upper room scene, that if they abide in Him, if they persevere, this would be evidence that they truly had life. Here are our Lord’s words, in John 15:4-5, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit from itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

In the same context, Jesus would later say this John 15:16, “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would abide, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” So, our Lord’s teaching is clear. Every one of His followers will bear at least some fruit. It’s the inevitable evidence of the new birth.

For instance, for the Colossians 1:10, Paul prays that the Colossians would “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and multiplying in the full knowledge of God.” It’s his expectation that they will bear fruit. Again McCune notes that “A non-fruit bearing “believer” is a total anomaly. A Biblical, theological, and practical perversity. Such is in reality an unbeliever.” Any true believer, in other words, will produce at least some fruit. Some spiritual fruit as the Spirit conforms him or her progressively into Christ’s image.

More quotes. Pink says “the Spirit’s (here’s a great word) fructifying of the believer is the conforming of him into Christ, first in his heart, and then in his life. By nature, we are totally unlike Christ, being born in the image of Adam and dominated by Satan, far from resembling a beautiful and well-kept garden, we are like a barren desert, where nothing but useless shrubs and poisonous weeds are found. That is how we appeared unto the holy eye of God in our unregenerate state! It is only when a miracle of grace has been wrought in our hearts that Christ begins to be formed in us.”

Then John Walvoord notes that “The Christian controlled by the Spirit and empowered to do the will of God manifests a fundamental change in character. While his former sin nature is still present, it has been reckoned dead, and the new nature energized by the Spirit is producing the fruit of the Spirit.” R.C. Sproul says “We can be skilled preachers without the Spirit. We can be theological geniuses after the flesh. We can be silver-tongued orators apart from grace. But the only source of the fruit of the Spirit is the work of the Spirit within us.” And that’s really what we are going to look at tonight with the rest of our time as we get into this topic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. We’re going to consider that the sanctification through the Spirit. The progressive work that He does by producing in us the fruit of the Spirit.

Couple more now. I still haven’t got to point 1. I’m way behind. Gromacki, this is more on progressive sanctification. He notes that “Just as edible fruit is not produced in one moment, neither is the fruit of the Spirit. It is His fruit, produced by Him as His life flows through us.” One more on this topic. Wayne Grudem says, “The question is not, ‘Do I perfectly exemplify all of these characteristics in my life?’ But rather, Are these things a general characteristic of my life? Do I sense these attitudes in my heart? Do others (especially those closest to me) see these traits exhibited in my life?’” Progressive sanctification, progressive fruit bearing.

Alright finally, what we’ll do not is drill down, turning over those worksheets like for the 6th time, as we get to the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

(More quotes actually before I get to point 1. Like many more quotes. Again, one more preliminary. Can you image what it’s like to live with me. My wife gets all these like preliminaries. Just get the thought-out man, like can we have a conversation before you qualify it 12 times. Anyway, pray for her.)

The fruit of the Spirit ultimately is about growing in Christlikeness and Ryrie brings that out. He says, “It has often been pointed out that this fruit produced by being filled by the Spirit is a perfect picture of Christlikeness; and so, it is. Therefore, it may be said that one of the consequences of being Spirit-filled is the producing of Christlikeness.” R.A. Torrey says, “We have here (in our passage Galatians 5) a perfect picture of the life of Jesus Christ.” And both of these men are right. Because we see as much on the pages of Scripture. In fact, you can survey and catalog the Gospel accounts, and other mentions of Christ’s life in the New Testament epistles, and see that Jesus is the epitome, the encapsulation of the Galatians 5:22-23 fruit of the Spirit. In fact, what I want to do before I have you turn over again, is show you through these slides here how Jesus demonstrated perfectly in His life each of these 9 manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit.

He demonstrated love, Galatians 5:22. John 13:1, “Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John 15:9-10, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” Ephesians 5:2, “Walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” So, Jesus demonstrated love.

He demonstrated joy. John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” John 17:13, “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.” Hebrews 12:1, “Since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” So, He demonstrated love and joy.

He demonstrated peace. John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.” So, we have love, joy, peace.

Now we have patience. I Timothy 1:16, “Yet for this reason I was shown mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Christ Jesus might demonstrate all His patience as an example for those who are going to believe upon Him for eternal life.” II Peter 3:14-15, “Therefore, beloved, since you are looking for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.”

He demonstrated kindness speaking of fruit of the Spirit. Titus 3:4-5, “But when the kindness and affection of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy.”

He demonstrated goodness. Luke 18:18, “And a ruler questioned Him, saying, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.’”

He demonstrated faithfulness. Revelation 1:4, “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from the One who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead.”

He demonstrated gentleness. Matthew 11:29, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

And last He demonstrated self-control. Number 9 on the list of Galatians 5. I Peter 2:21, “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps, who did no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; who being reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.”

With that, at long last, we’ll start on this second half of our worksheets. Here’s our first heading. LOVE. Love is one of those communicable divine attributes which is central to God’s character. I John 4:8, “God is love.” This love of course was put on display at the cross which we commemorated this morning with communion. Where Jesus’ substitutionary death for us on the cross, provided and demonstrated the ultimate example of love. John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” This love enables believers by the Holy Spirit. This love flows out of the hearts of believers who by definition have been changed by the Spirit. Romans 5:5, “The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” This trait of “love” is the most called-for or called-upon “one another” trait or one another response in the New Testament. Colossians 1:8, “Who also informed us of your love in the Spirit.” Paul calls this supreme trait of “love” to be characteristic of a husband’s relationship with his wife. Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” And he also says of course that “Love never fails.” I Corinthians 13:8.

If you want a theological definition of “love,” it’s hard to beat this one from MacArthur and Mayhue. “Love can be defined broadly as the conscious, sacrificial, and volitional commitment to the welfare of another person, in obedience to God’s Word, regardless of that person’s response or what one does or does not receive from him or her, or what love costs one to give.”

Love doesn’t envy. I Corinthians 13, Love doesn’t boast. Love doesn’t delight in evil. Love doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness. Love doesn’t celebrate sin. No. Love tells the truth. Love rejoices with the truth. That’s I Corinthians 13:6, Love weeps. Love warns. Love admonishes. Love isn’t transactional. You know, you love me, and I’ll love you back. No, love is sacrificial. Love is others-focused. Love is modeled on the love that we’ve been shown by God through Jesus Christ. Love spurs us on to serve one another. Love spurs us on to pray for one another. Love spurs us on to share with the lost. And love spurs us on in the body of believers to love one another. To love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, in the Lord. If we don’t love one another, I John is very clear that we can really have no confidence that we’re even saved. I John 4:20, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” Pretty cut and dried and straight forward. So that’s love.

Next is JOY. Joy again from MacArthur and Mayhue. Just a broad definition here, “is a happiness based on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities.” Joy is this sense of well-being, unshakeable, divinely-inspired gladness, produced by the Holy Spirit in all those who know that it is right between them and their Maker. That it’s well between them and God.

Look at how that’s expressed in I Peter 1:8, “And though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” Joy isn’t the product of favorable circumstances, like when it’s Friday and you see the direct deposit transaction go through. No, true joy, Biblical joy is there even when you’re going through circumstances that are painful and even severely painful. Like when you lose your home in a tornado or you lose a loved one or you lose a friendship, or you lose someone you care about to death. John 16:20 says, “Truly, truly, (the Words of our Lord here) I say to you, that you will cry and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. Whenever a woman is in labor, she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore, you too have sorrow now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” Our Lord says to His disciples.

Of course we have this promise from I Thessalonians 1:6 and note what this joy is linked to. “You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit.” Joy is a gift from the Lord. That being so, we’re not called to produce it or manufacture it as though we could. Rather, we’re called to delight in and rejoice in the blessings we’ve already received.

That’s why Paul says Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice!” Joy is the product, ultimately, of the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 says “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Joy is lasting. True joy is lasting. It’s God-given, it’s based on eternal realities. Because of that, we can express joy, true joy, not only in good times, and we can say with III John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” But we can also have joy in trying times. Like James 1:2-4, “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith brings about perseverance. And let perseverance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

So, this joy, the kind of joy we’re talking about, the sort of joy the Bible commends for believers, followers of Christ, is not the momentary experience we go through when our favorite baseball team wins the World Series. My favorite baseball team won the World Series 23 years ago. If my joy was anchored in them winning it anytime soon, I would be a very dower man. I’d have a really hard time getting along in this life. But that’s not where true joy rests.

True Christian joy is a secure joy. A transcendent joy. A lasting joy. A joy that is born of true blessedness. Now, to be sure, unbelievers are able to experience positive things in their life, right? Unbelievers can experience positive emotions. Unbelievers can smile. They can put on a happy face in experiencing whatever happiness the Lord allows them to experience as unbelievers in this life.

But no unbeliever has ever experienced true joy because they haven’t experienced salvation. True joy is linked to having been made right with God through Jesus Christ. Ture joy is grounded in the Spirit’s work of producing that joy in us in light of this salvation that we’ve received.

Now I’m going to throw a quote up here that might offend some people. So, if you’re like a member of PETA or if you want to debate me about whether dogs go to heaven after the service, we can have that debate. But check out this quote from R.C. Sproul. Again, on grounding us in true Biblical joy. Brace yourselves. He says, “Warm puppies grow cold in the grave. The joy of salvation is forever.” Just block out the image of little Fido decomposing for a moment. But the point here is there’s something better, something deeper that the believer has. An unbeliever can have a warm puppy. Right? They can have a puppy that they tend to and love and care for and jump in their arms and they have the funeral for the puppy and do all that stuff. But true joy is found in salvation. Salvation through Christ.

The joy of the Spirit, in other words, is not seasonal. The joy of the Spirit has depth, it doesn’t decay, it will never leave us. True joy comes from knowing that we’ve been pardoned. Knowing that we have a right relationship with God through Christ and know that we have the hope of heaven. It’s not fleeting, it’s not temporary, it’s the real thing.

Thomas Watson, distinguishing between earthly joy and heavenly joy, true joy notes that: “There is as much difference between spiritual joys and earthly as between a banquet that is eaten and one that is painted on the wall.” That’s well said.

Here are a couple more passages that highlight the fact that Christian’s joy is unshakeable. Not driven by our circumstances but instead rooted in our identity in Christ. Colossians 1:24 Paul says, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and I fill up what is lacking of Christ’s afflictions in my flesh, on behalf of His body, which is the church.” He rejoices in suffering. Philippians 2:17, Paul again; “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.” Our hope is in the Lord who loved us, and who gave Himself up for us. Our joy is in the Lord and that joy can never be taken away. Why? Because Romans 8 tells us that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. So, we walk by the Spirit, we keep in step with the Spirit by demonstrating the joy of the Spirit. I would say that it is impossible to be a joyless Christian. You can be an unhappy Christian at different times in your life, and you need to recover your joy and be restored to the joy of your salvation. But to be truly joyless Christian is impossible.

Third, PEACE. We do live as some have pointed out recently in an anxious generation. It is one that’s obsessed with finding peace, whether that be finding one’s inner peace, or clamoring for world peace, and that treaties be made between waring nations. But ultimately those in the world will never be able to find peace. They are consigned, rather, to a hopeless life of anxiety, stress, worry, and fear as they run in that constant hamster wheel that never seems to end. That’s because real peace, true peace, lasting peace, is not a peace that the world cannot give. Rather, true peace can only be found again by having a right relationship with God, by trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Consider these words from Jesus to his disciples in the upper room. He says John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” As His followers, peace is what Jesus has given us. It’s true peace that He’s given us. It’s the peace which flows from our justification, which flows from our salvation. That’s Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Having been justified, having been saved, we have peace with God. Sproul again. I’ve read some of him this week notes that “The worst holocaust of history is the war between a Holy God and His rebellious creatures. For the Christian that war is over, once and for all.” That is highly reassuring. That’s an apt summary of the true peace which only followers of Christ can have.

We may stumble into sin and in doing so as we’ve studied in previous lessons, we might grieve the Spirit in doing so. But He will never again declare war on us, if we are in Christ. He will never take His Spirit from us if we are in Christ. All of that was taken care of at the cross and now we have true peace. The peace that the Spirit of God brings. What Ryrie calls “that tranquility which comes because one is rightly related to God.” That peace which MacArthur and Mayhue say, “Results in an ordered, settled, and undisturbed response to whatever life brings one’s way.”

This is a peace which no one can snatch away from us. This is a peace which surpasses all understanding. This is a peace which is infinitely more valuable than any so-called peace offering or peace solution that the world may offer. It’s not a peace that’s dictated by one’s circumstances. But instead, it’s a peace which can affirm and “amen” statements like these. Romans 8:28, “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” So, the people out there in the world that are crying for peace and they’re clamoring for peace, and they crave peace of various types. But if they don’t actually have the Spirit of God. If they’ve not put their faith in Jesus Christ, if they’re not reconciled to the God who made them, they will never experience true peace. True peace is only produced by the Holy Spirit in the heart of one who has put their faith in Christ.

Next is PATIENCE. This is that “evenness (as Ryrie notes) of character and action that never displays a desire for revenge.” This is a virtue that mirrors the character of God who is quite patient is He not? Exodus 34:6 he says to the people of Israel. “Yahweh, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, (another way of saying patient) and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.” II Peter 3:9 in the New Testament says, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some consider slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” The Lord most certainly is patient.

Through His Spirit working in us, the Lord cultivates patience in us as followers of Christ. Now the word for “patience” here in Greek is makrothymia. It’s translated, I think an even better translation, a more literal translation is “long-suffering.” Makrothymia, long suffering. The one who is long suffering, the one who is patient is willing to demonstrate self-restraint. The one who is patient refuses to retaliate reactively. The one who is patient endures injuries inflicted on them by others unfairly. The one who is patient does not feel compelled to exact revenge. The one who is patient can endure and will endure for the sake of Christ, painful situations. That word makrothymia describes one who is slow to anger. One who has the capacity to wait. One who doesn’t always pursue what’s expedient, fast, rapid. One who is focused more instead on storing-up treasures in heaven. One who has the ability progressively to forbear and to overlook offenses committed against him or her.

Paul demonstrated his own patience in his ministry to the Corinthians. II Corinthians 6:4-6, He says “but in everything commending ourselves as ministers of God, in much perseverance, in afflictions, in distresses, in hardships, in beatings, in imprisonments, in disturbances, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience.” James extolled patience in suffering. James 5:7-11, “Therefore, be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the soil, being patient about it, until it receives the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not groan, brothers, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. As an example, brothers of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count those blessed who persevere. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”

Peter reminded his readers of God’s patience before their salvation. I Peter 3:18-20, “For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, so that He might bring you to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, (I’ll dodge that one for tonight) who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.” Then II Peter 3:15, “Consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.”

Patience is an element of love. I Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous, does not brag, is not puffed up.” Because of that patience, because of its link to love, patience is to be demonstrated by all who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4:1-2, “Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” I Thessalonians 5:14, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

Let’s go on to the next one. KINDNESS. Some have translated this as “gentleness.” I again appreciate the definition by MacArthur and Mayhue. Kindness is “a tender, gentle concern for others that actively seeks out ways to serve them.” Both God the Father and God the Son of course, displayed kindness in saving us. Romans 2:4, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” Titus 3:4-5, “But when the kindness and affection of God our Savior appeared, He saved us.”

In turn, believers are to be kind toward one another. Ephesians 4:32, “Instead, be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has graciously forgiven you.” Then Colossians 3:12-13, “So, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; bearing with one another, and graciously forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord graciously forgave you, so also should you.”

Kindness involves a willingness to keep one’s power and authority in check. It involves a willingness to decline to extend the upper hand and lord one’s authority over others. Jesus demonstrated this kindness, in His case, perfectly. When He met various people who were weak and brokenhearted, He was tender toward them. Even in His rebuke of sinners He couched His words in kindness. Like here in John 8:11, “I do not condemn you either. Go, and from now on sin no more.” Kindness.

Next is GOODNESS. That word in Greek means “an uprightness of heart and life.” It refers to doing good deeds, actions, activities, for the good of another person, for another’s benefit. And this is true, goodness can be demonstrated even when there’s some sort of correction or confrontation that’s required. So, to give you a sense of the range of meaning of that word “goodness.” It’s obviously a very broad sounding and broad meaning word. Goodness can also be demonstrated by kindly raking one’s leaves, like your neighbors leaves in November let’s say. But goodness can also be demonstrated by giving a word of reproof or correction to a wayward brother or sister in Christ. Either one is good depending on the context.

Goodness is a relative term. Something or someone is good relative to some standard of whatever goodness is. The ultimate standard of goodness of course is God Himself. God is the standard of love. God is the standard of holiness and God is the standard of goodness. He’s the benchmark of what it means to be “good.” Which is why Jesus says in Luke 18:19, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”

Now God’s attribute of “goodness” is sharable, it’s communicable. Meaning, we are as His followers to emulate and demonstrate the goodness that he has shown us. Romans 12:9, we are to be “clinging to what is good.” Romans 12:21, “Not to be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Galatians 6:10, “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Ephesians 4:28, “He who steals must steal no longer, but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.”

We are getting to the end. FAITHFULNESS. Number 7. Faithfulness of course, is ultimately an attribute of God’s divine character. Romans 3:3, “What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief abolish the faithfulness of God?” God is faithful and for us as believers, we know as we read through the Scriptures that faith is a gift of God. God has implanted in us the faith that we now have in Jesus Christ. Not only is “faith” something God gives us, though “faithfulness” is the fruit of our salvation. We were once “foolish.” We were once “disobedient.” That’s Titus 3:3, but now we are “faithful.” Better said we now have the capacity, the true capacity, to demonstrate “faithfulness.” We now, with the Spirit’s help, as Ryrie says, are “buying up all the opportunities with every faculty given to us by God.” That’s his definition of faithful. Now we have the ability to, as we learn in Revelation 2:10, “to be faithful until death,” so that we will one day receive as Jesus says here, the crown of life

To be “faithful” practically speaking, means that, with the Spirit’s help, we have become trustworthy. Not only a person who trusts, but we are a person who can be trusted. Our yes means yes. Our no means no. We keep our word. We meet our obligations. We are faithful, loyal, and known for keeping promises. Faithfulness.

Next is GENTLENESS, also translated “meekness.” Not to be confused with weakness. Meekness, gentleness, this word in its original sense was used in certain secular ancient Greek sources to describe a gentle breeze or a tamed wild animal. The idea is of strength under control. Strength that is used for good, rather than for evil. Jesus said, in Matthew 11:29, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” He said in Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the lowly, (the meek) for they shall inherit the earth.” It’s the meek, it’s the gentle, it’s the lowly, who will inherit the earth. Paul also characterized Christ in this manner. He says II Corinthians 10:1, “Now I, Paul, myself plead with you by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ. I who am humble when face-to-face with you, but courageous toward you when absent!”

This Spirit-wrought trait of gentleness, meekness is marked by a submission to the will of God. Colossians 3:12, “So, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” It’s also marked by teachability. James 1:21, “Laying aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in gentleness receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” It’s marked by a consideration of and love for others. Ephesians 4:1-2, “I, the prisoner in the Lord, exhort you to walk worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” Galatians 6:1, “Brothers, even if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each of you looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” I Timothy 6:11, “But you, O man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, gentleness.”

Last one, number 9, SELF-CONTROL. The word here for self-control literally means “in strength.” Other places it’s translated as “temperance.” Self -control, temperance. It’s describing one who is truly Spirit-led. One who isn’t rude, one who isn’t pushy, one who isn’t violent, one who isn’t crude. It refers to one who has as MacArthur and Mayhue again note, an “inward restraint of appetites and passions resulting in a spiritual mastery that submits consistently to the greater cause of God’s will, not man’s.” Self-control is a highly prized quality of godliness. II Peter 1:5-6, “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness.”

Self-control is a must for anyone who aspires to the office of Elder. Titus 1:7-8, “For the overseer must be beyond reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of dishonest gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled.” Self-control takes discipline to cultivate. I Corinthians 9:25, “Not everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.”

A couple more quotes and then we’ll close. This is sort of a summary statement here from R.A. Torrey. He says “What a catalogue we have here of lovely moral characteristics. He’s speaking of Galatians 5:22-23. Paul tells us that they are the fruit of the Spirit, that is, if the Holy Spirit is given control of our lives, this is the fruit He will bear. All real beauty of character, all real Christlikeness in us, is the Holy Spirit’s work; it is His fruit; He produces it.” Then Ryrie says, “When the 9 words that comprise the fruit of the Spirit are fully defined, we will have a well-rounded picture of Christlikeness.” Amen.

Well speaking of which, the highest compliment I think I’ve ever ever heard paid was to a member of this body as he was dying nearly a year ago. And one of this man’s sons-in-law at his bedside said something I’ll never forget. He said that he could not remember a time when this man, now dying, had not demonstrated the “fruit of the Spirit.” Could you imagine knowing someone that intimately as blood, as family or in this case through marriage, where they see your warts, they see your scars, they see the real you, right? This man as he was preparing to meet Jesus had a son-in-law stand in front of a room of other believers, other children and grandchildren and point out and testify that he couldn’t remember this man on death bed, hadn’t exhibited at some point to some degree, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” What a legacy. Right? May we all strive to honor the Lord with our lives in that manner. Let’s pray.

Father, thank you so much for this chance this evening to work through a topic that I know is dense in one sense in which we have lots to cover, a list of 9 and definitions and cross references and Scriptures and the like. But ultimately as we just pointed out, what this is all about is growing in Christlikeness. Resembling our Savior, striving with the Spirit’s health to grow in godliness and holiness and live a life that is pleasing to our Savior. Help us as a church, as individual believers, members of this church and one another to live that way. To prayerfully consider where there might be deeds of the flesh that we are tempted to fall into and at the same time those works of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit, that we are called to pursue and to eagerly and earnestly pursue those. Help us to be honest with ourselves and with one another as we exhort one another, encourage one another and even if needed rebuke one another as we seek the betterment of each other in growing in Christ. I thank you for this dear body of believers. I thank you for the privilege it is to shepherd them week over week. And I pray that you would grow us this week to be a more holy and godly and Christ like body of believers. We love you and we pray all these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.