Fruit of the Spirit

 

Introduction

We will look briefly at the Fruit of the Spirit and see why many people attempt to interpret Galatians 5:22-23, with a lack of true understanding. I hope after one reads this article, you will understand the nature of the meaning of “Fruit” in these verses.

Individuals have stated, they have not grown in the Spirit enough to have all the attributes that each one is a growth process. However, from this study, one hopes one will see the true meaning of the “Fruit,” I believe it is also crucial that LOVE is the first one mentioned.

The Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 says,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law

Many people believe the Spirit gives each attribute separately for one’s spiritual growth. This concept is far from the truth. Heard among believers by statements such as these, “I am still learning patience, but I am getting there.” Satan wants one to believe this, but one must reject this concept for each point.

At salvation, our life becomes filled with the Spirit of God. Since now filled with the Spirit, we have all that one will ever need, and no fragments of Him as some would have us believe.

Now the question is, does the Spirit control us, or do we still walk in the flesh? When one reads in Galatians where it says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love,” please note the “fruit” is singular, not plural.

One should see from this list below that genuine love is singular with many resulting attributes.

Jesus gave us a new command to LOVE one another, not to have Joy for one another, or peace for one another, etc.

John 13:34 says,

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

If we truly “love one another,” then all the attributes of the Spirit will be in play 100% towards our fellow brother or sister in the Lord Jesus.

Galatians 5:25 says,

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

So, I say once more, The Fruit of the Spirit is Love, for you will not possess this fruit without LOVE. Walking by the Spirit is the only way to receive this love and its attributes.

The Fruit of the Spirit is Love

Within that LOVE, you will find these attributes:

LOVE is Joy

LOVE is Peace

LOVE is Patience

LOVE is Kindness

LOVE is Goodness

LOVE is Faithfulness

LOVE is Gentleness

LOVE is Self-Control

One has no attributes without—Love

Galatians 5:16 says,

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Walking by the Spirit will show the Holy Spirit’s love, and one will not be doing the deeds of self-desire.

It now becomes a matter of appropriating the power of the Spirit and allowing Him to live through one’s life. Our sin nature hinders His work, resulting in a misunderstanding of genuine love resulting in doing the flesh’s deeds.

When one stumbles and places the blame on little Spiritual growth, and in doing this, we are saying it is not our fault. We have given over to doing the deeds of the flesh, and the truth is not in us.

Results of the Deeds of the Flesh

Galatians 5:19-21 says,

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatries, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The deeds of the flesh bring about unhappiness only into one’s life, resulting in misery and despair.

Conclusion

Therefore, any individual with genuine love will have no problem showing all the love attributes because love controls their being.

Galatians 5:14 says,

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

1 Corinthians 13:4 says,

But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Genuine love can only come through the Holy Spirit into our lives if one allows this to happen. However, love is not silent when sin rears its ugly head but is bold and condemns the sin even while loving the sinner.

Be Filled with the Spirit

Sola Scriptura–By Scripture Alone

Sola Fide–By Faith Alone

Sola Gratia–By Grace Alone

Solus Christus–By Christ Alone

Soli Deo Gloria–Glory to God Alone

Copyright George L Gallant, ©2021

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995)

Gay’s Desire Their Homosexuality

 

Introduction

God did not create the gay person. The Homosexual’s desire to bellow that God created them this way is a lie from Satan, their father. For an individual can only have one of two fathers, it will either be God who is perfect or Satan, who is evil.

Biblical Evidence of NO Homosexuals Created

Genesis 1:31 says,

God saw all that He had made, and behold; it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.

God looked at all His creation, including both Man and Woman, and it was “very good.” There were no homosexuals created during those six days of the creative acts of God. Adam knew that Eve was unique from him and the same with Eve knew Adam was unique, which is just what God wanted.

Individuals Choose to be Homosexuals

Romans 1:18-32 says,

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

 

The Homosexual wants to place this responsibility and blame on God, but recognizing their actions is wrong in their heart. So, they believe that getting the government to pass laws in their favor will change God’s mind. It is typical of the Homosexual or anyone who sins to pass-the-buck on to someone else by saying it is their fault. In reality, the gay individual is to blame for all his or her problems. One can suppose gays would blame God for HIV or AIDS. These diseases arise because of their sinful homosexual actions, not God.

Homosexuals Try to Change the Rules

Hebrews 13:8 says,

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

The first rule of interpretation is the Rule of Definition. The original word says one thing, and this is where the homosexuals failed and tried to make it say something to support their way of life. The Homosexual will redefine words to keep his or her own belief. Yes, there is no definitive word for Homosexual in Scripture. However, the context of what is taking place is of supreme value.

God declared homosexuality a sin, and it continued to be a sin from the beginning. However, in just a few years, the homosexual community says this is an incorrect analysis of Scripture. They now say their interpretation of Scripture is correct and that they know better than past scholars.

Leviticus 18:22 says,

You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.

Leviticus 20:13 says,

If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their blood-guiltiness is upon them.

Romans 1:27 says,

and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural purpose of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error

The Scripture says it all, this individual; wants to be a homosexual.

God’s Love

Yes, God is love and wants everyone to be with Him in glory. God is also a just God and will not let sin into heaven. In the Scripture, God speaks more to evil than love. There is more devoted to God’s justice for sin compared to love. God hates all evil, and the homosexual lifestyle is a life of depravity. God is saying in His word that the gay lifestyle is a sin.

In 1 John 4:16, it says,

We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

In 1 John 3:24, it says,

The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

The Homosexual is not keeping God’s commandments and will suffer the wrath of God on judgment day.

In 1 John 2:3-4, it says,

By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Conclusion

The gay person is not abiding in God, and they know it. They practice their gay lifestyle only to fulfill their sexual desire, for they refuse to see the obvious. Unless they turn from this evil way of life and embrace Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross for them, they will die in sin.

Sola Scriptura–By Scripture Alone

Sola Fide–By Faith Alone

Sola Gratia–By Grace Alone

Solus Christus–By Christ Alone

Soli Deo Gloria–Glory to God Alone

Copyright Dr. George L Gallant, ©2021

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995)

The Holy Rebuke

 

Introduction

The catchall phrase today seems, “Don’t Judge Me,” particularly when that individual knows they were doing wrong. This article will attempt to kindle each Christian’s moral obligation when a brother or sister falls into sin. The Holy Scriptures teach we are our brother’s keeper.

1 Corinthians 5:10-13 says,

I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the Church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

 

Bear One Another’s Burdens

The Lord God puts forward a question to Cain by asking him where his brother was. Cain’s response was in two parts.

Genesis 4:9 says,

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know, am I my brother’s keeper?”

The first lie out of Cain’s mouth in response to where his brother was, Cain’s answer, “I do not know,” this was a bold-faced lie to the Lord. Cain knew his brother was dead by his hand. The Second part is, Cain is asking the Lord after he lies and says, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The obvious answer to this question is, yes, we are our brother’s keeper. God put forth this issue, “Where is Abel, your brother,” it shows one has a moral obligation to care for his brother and sister in the Lord by the word “where.”

According to Scripture, we are to bear our fellow Christian brother’s or sister’s burdens, as established in the book of Galatians’.

Galatians 6:1-2 says,

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each is looking at yourself, so you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and fulfill the law of Christ.

An explicit statement of what one must do if a believer stumbles is our responsibility to help and restore the individual’s fellowship with the Lord.

This issue is not just “Bear one another’s burdens,” but one’s attitude in helping his or her brother or sister. If done with a superior perspective of the helper, Helping will only lead to the same sin in the helper’s life; we must strive toward humility in being our goal in the sinner’s help on the road to confession and recovery.

One’s own heart must be in full fellowship with the Lord of Creation before any help benefits the individual they wish to assist.

 

Hand the Sinner Over to Satan

If a person refuses to repent, then there is only one course of action. He or she refuses, then removal from the fellowship and given over to Satan.

1 Corinthians 5:5 says,

I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 5:13 says,

But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

The Word of God is apparent in the continuance of an individual who plays with sin. The verses above teach an object lesson that its ultimate end is to restore the person’s soul to a correct fellowship with God or put them out of the communion if they refuse to repent. We are our brother’s keeper.

 

Bring Back to The Fold

After the individual’s punishment for a time, the fold must take back the individual if they have shown true repentance.

2 Corinthians 2:6-8 says,

Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.

Once the sinner repents of their sin, we must restore all rights and privileges. Sad to say, it is not this way because the person’s forgiveness is contingent upon their conduct, this excessive pressure on them not to perform for God but man.

 

Conclusion

James 5:19-20 says,

My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

We all are subject to falling into sin; we are all mortal beings with our strength only coming from the Word of God and if we are at it daily.

1 Peter 5:8 says,

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

The Church is people, so we must love each other, yet we still must punish the individual if they do not turn from their sinful ways. Good parents do this for their children to become productive, and honest people in society. God, will do the same for us because He is our Father and loves each one of us and wants us with Him in heaven.

The Church is weak today because they lack the courage to do what the Lord says in Scripture. We must return to first-century church teaching to be effective in the world.

Sola Scriptura–By Scripture Alone

Sola Fide–By Faith Alone

Sola Gratia–By Grace Alone

Solus Christus–By Christ Alone

Soli Deo Gloria–Glory to God Alone

Copyright Dr. George L Gallant, ©2021

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995)