Study Guide PA R T 2
Contents Lesson Six: The Fruit of Kindness........................................................................ 1 Lesson Seven: The Fruit of Goodness................................................................ 8 Lesson Eight: The Fruit of Faithfulness.............................................................14 Lesson Nine: The Fruit of Gentleness............................................................... 20 Lesson Ten: The Fruit of Self-Control............................................................... 25
Notes for Group Leaders Throughout this guide you will see notes labeled “Discuss” in the margin, featuring questions you can use if you are going through this study with a small group or Bible Study class.
Written by Dr. Jimmy Jeffcoat Editing/Layout/Design: Ken Roach ©2021 Frazer Church 6000 Atlanta Hwy. | Montgomery, AL 36117 334.272.8622 | www.frazer.church Unless otherwise noted, scripture references are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Lesson Six: The Fruit of Kindness SUMMARY: We will look at the concept of kindness as expressed in the life of a Christian. We will look not only at individual acts of kindness, but also at how kindness can be expressed by the whole Christian community. LEAD-IN QUESTIONS: 1.
Who would you consider to be the kindest person that you have ever known – how did they express their kindness?
other words, they are of the same kind. Adam and Eve are both made in the Image of the God, and literally made from one another.
The word kind is used again to define groupings later in Genesis when Noah is commanded by God to preserve 2. Are there ways that kindness can be abused? animals from the flood. “Take with you seven pairs of Explain what you mean. all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of 3. How can the Church, as a corporate body, demon- the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and strate kindness? female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the 4. What are the best ways that we can practice kindness earth.” (Genesis 7:2) The word, as previously noted, at home, at work, and in public? differentiates species from one another according to their common characteristics
Defining Kindness Several dictionaries that take the word “kindness,” and simply turn it in on itself. Some say, for example, that kindness is the act of being kind. That doesn’t give us a whole lot to work with, so let’s first look at the broader definition of the word, kind. Merriam-Webster defines kind, first, as: “a group united by common traits or interests.”1 So, in this case, kind refers to bunching things according to common traits. We might say that all people with blonde hair, or all left-handed people, are of the same “kind.” We can also classify abilities according to their kind. If we have a group of musicians, we can say that they are of the same kind, and so on.
The second definition of “kind” in Merriam-Webster is “of a sympathetic or helpful nature.”2 Several passages of Scripture fit with this concept. For example, in the familiar “love chapter” in his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul says that “love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.” In his letter to the believers at Colossae, Paul indicates that Christfollowers should have numerous godly qualities such as “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” (Colossians 3:12) Likewise, in the latter part of his letter to the Ephesians, he instructs the believers to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) Clearly, kindness is a character trait that God expects to be visibly operating in His people.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines kindness as: “the about other The Bible speaks of this act of classification as well. In quality of being generous, helpful, and caring 3 people, or an act showing this quality.” Vocabulary.com the Genesis creation story we read, “Then God said, ‘Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, defines kindness as: “the quality of being warmheartsympathetic; and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with ed and considerate and humane and tendency to be kind and forgiving.”4 Thus, the words the seed in it’… And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth kind and kindness are centered around the qualities of living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things being “humane and sympathetic, or generous, helpful, and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’” (Genesis and caring.” This will be the direction we take as we 1:11,24) Here, “kind” defines the groupings of animals try to figure out how kindness looks in the life of the and vegetation according to their type or species. Christ-follower. As the story continues, God does not find a suitable mate for Adam; none of the other creatures are of the same “kind” as Adam. So, God takes a rib from Adam and forms the woman, Eve. The two words for man and woman in Hebrew are Ish (man) and Ishah (woman), With these definitions in mind, let’s look at some expressing the physical link between the two humans. related synonyms to see how kindness is expressed When Adam sees Eve, he proclaims, “This now is bone in life experience. The word, humane, for example, is of my bone and flesh of my flesh.” (Genesis 2:23) In intriguing. The core of the word “humane” is the word,
Humane
1 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kind 2 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kind 3 https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/kindness 4 https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/kindness
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Helpful
“human.”5 When we say a person is humane, we are saying that they are being “human” when they are being kind. Being sympathetic and caring, to be kind, is what human beings should be like, at their very core. To act The other word used in our definition of kindness is without sympathy or concern for the circumstances of “helpful.” Once again, the sense of being helpful is that of others is to be ‘un-human’ or inhuman – something that taking some type of action. To help someone is to take is not normative in human community. If you wonder their situation onto ourselves— to attempt to resolve why it bothers you not to give money to that man or whatever is creating a problem for them. Thus, simply woman standing in the middle of the median or on the feeling bad for someone in need is not kindness if we corner of an exit even though they are a stranger, you do not take action to help. I can’t be kind merely as an observer. Kindness, by definition, is the response that are simply experiencing how natural it is as human I make to the circumstance or person towards which I beings to feel an urge to be “kind to our own kind,” to am addressing my concern. care for the needs of others simply because they are Let’s return to that person that I see panhandling by human beings just like you. the highway. If I really care for what happens to them, Don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that we are always if I really feel the need to be kind to them, I must ultiexpected to stop and give money to random people mately act on that concern in some form or fashion. If who beg. There are helpful and unhelpful ways to I choose to resist or ignore my concern, then I will pay respond to the needs of others. I am saying, however, an emotional price in one way or another. If I choose that human beings for thousands of years have felt that to give money, I may feel a sense of relief even if I truly being considerate, sympathetic, and compassionate are believe that they will use that money in an unhelpful qualities that we have inherited from “our kind,” and way in their life. I have acted on that concern, so I these actions are seen as natural to us, and perhaps don’t feel “inhumane” anymore. If I choose to look even expected from us. the other way, or even to smile and nod, I will likely feel a twinge of guilt as I pull away from them to head on to my destination. That guilt may only last for a few D I SCU SS moments, but my “humanity” will tug on me for a time.
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Sympathetic
As we think about To be sympathetic, another synonym in our definition the two definitions of kindness, is to feel concern and identification with of the word others who are in need. If I am sympathetic towards “kind,” do you someone asking for help, then I am moved by their plea, find that there is and whether I act on it or not, I am concerned for them. a certain “kind” of person whom you Likewise, to be caring, is to be brought into involvement find it easier to be with the individual or group, beyond simply being aware of kind towards? their condition. If I care about what happens to someone,
then I have a more personal response to their situation. If I am simply aware that people are being mistreated by others, I take no responsibility for their condition. However, if I care about the situation, it quite often leads to some type of action or response from me.
The most radical form of kindness would be for me to attempt to engage in that person’s life in such a way as to relieve the circumstances that brought them to that position in the first place. This is often the role of the institution more than the individual. Churches with benevolence programs often deal with individuals who are “down on their luck,” or “victims of the system.” Though no church has unlimited funds for this sort of thing, some have chosen to take on the work of helping individuals find their way back into the normal life experience of work and residential living.
This choice to get involved can be quite daunting and can lead to financial commitments that are sometimes Consider a less emotional example. Let’s say that I really quite large. When I worked in a large downtown church believe that global warming exists, and that one of the in a major city, there were several large churches that reasons is because of all the plastic that is just being had benevolence funds that they injected with new thrown away after one use. Maybe you, like me, are a cash each month. In most cases, all their newly funded little bothered by the volume of single-use coffee pods money was gone within two weeks of the beginning of that are simply thrown away after the cup of coffee each month because of the large volume of requests is finished pouring. Simply being aware that there is for help with utilities, prescription drugs, housing, gas, a problem does not necessarily move me to action. or any number of other needs. However, let’s add to our hypothetical situation that In these situations, it could easily feel like the little boy I really care about my role as an individual consumer. with the finger plugging the hole in the dam, while a Chances are my caring will result in me trying to find thousand other holes need plugging all around him. some way to recycle plastic, or to eliminate plastic On the other hand, we might also be reminded of the products from my consumption as an individual or story of the little boy who found a beach full of starfish family. The point here is that caring about something and began throwing them back into the water one at makes that thing personal, and usually results in some a time. When he was told that his actions didn’t matter type of action or activity that will address that concern. because he couldn’t possibly throw them all back, he 5 The Oxford Dictionary confirms that the word humane was a late Middle English form of the word, human. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/humane. The Online Etymology Dictionary says that in the 1500s the words humane and human were used interchangeably to mean “pertaining to a human being,” or “having qualities befitting a human being.” https://www.etymonline.com/word/humane
responded, “it matters to this one.” Though we can’t heal every broken life, we might just be able to be “helpful” enough to permanently heal the one. For that one, our kindness will have made an ultimate difference.
towards restoring relationship with Him through faith in Christ. (See Romans 11:22).
God’s kind nature leads Him to focus great effort on reaching out to those who are lost and distant from Him. Of course, kindness doesn’t always begin with life-chang- This kindness is further manifested in His willingness ing gestures; it often begins in the manner that we treat to continue loving the very ones who hate and reject people in our everyday lives. We can be kind to the His love. When, by God’s grace, a person realizes that waiter or waitress who works our table rather than treat God is being kind and loving to them despite their best them as an object. We can show kindness by visiting efforts to reject Him, the result will be repentance, and shut-ins or nursing home residents to show the people from that, restoration of relationship with God. there that they still have importance in our lives. We God has been demonstrating this kindness from the can show up for Serve Days at our local church, or take beginning of His relationship to humanity. In the story on a volunteer role sponsored by our local Christian of humanity’s Fall, which we know so well from Genesis community. We can be kind by taking meals to a family 3, Adam and Eve chose to follow the guidance of the that is bereaved, or who has experienced a natural Tempter who led them to doubt God’s good will for disaster. We can even join groups that go out to help them. They disobey God’s direct command and choose others in relief efforts both nationally and internationally. self-interest over their relationship with their Creator. The critical point is that “kindness” is not a state of mind, Spiritual death (and, eventually, physical death) were it is an attitude put into practice. Remember, Jesus the result of this rebellion, just as God had warned taught us in the Sermon on the Mount that actions them. Nevertheless, God showed mercy and concern originate in thoughts. Therefore, if I hate someone, or for them. He covered their nakedness and remained if I despise them, though I may not physically kill them, in contact with them, as evidenced by His interactions my heart would just as soon them be dead, and Jesus with Cain and Abel, and the Patriarchs who followed. equates this with murder (see Matthew 5:21-22). In He did not give up on us but pursued His eternal plan a similar sense, if I have kindness in my heart (to be to bring us back into relationship and restore us to Life humane, sympathetic, caring, and helpful), then from through His Son, Jesus Christ. that heart will come actions that express those attitudes and emotions in tangible ways.
The Poor and Righteousness
God is a God of Kindness When we talk about the nature of God, we often think of the greater, more “impressive” traits such as omniscience (God knows all things), omnipresence (God is everywhere at once), or omnipotence (God is all-powerful), or even transcendence (God exists above and beyond the entire created universe). However, Scripture places a premium on the kindness of God. Indeed, our salvation is dependent upon our response to His kindness. Luke 6 contains Jesus’s so-called Sermon on the Plain. Like he does in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his listeners that they must be willing to love their enemies and to do good deeds to others, because in doing so they are imitating the love of God. Jesus promises that those who behave in this way will be known as the “sons of the Most High God,” because they are acting like God the same way a son acts like his father. Jesus explains that God the Father is “kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” (Luke 6:35) In other words, to act like God we must show kindness towards others regardless of how they respond to our care and concern. Paul explains the end goal of God’s kindness in his letter to the Romans: it is meant to lead a person to repentance. (Romans 2:4) God can and does act with “severity” (stern justice) towards those who persist in evil. However, He intentionally shows kindness and mercy to those who deserve judgment, in hopes that it will generate gratefulness in their heart and lead them
Because God is kind, He desires for us to become kind as well. Therefore, He is not satisfied with outward acts of religion if they are not accompanied by attitudes and actions of kindness towards others. Therefore, Scripture consistently teaches that kindness to others is a way to measure the quality of one’s righteousness. In the book of Proverbs, kindness and righteousness are inextricably linked: “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.” (Proverbs 21:21) Notice how kindness is linked to being righteous, and how both are required to experience honor and a fulfilling life. This kind of righteousness is contrasted with mere religiosity in writings of the Old Testament prophets. Take for example the Lord’s words spoken by the prophet Amos: “I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them … Instead, let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:21-24, which incidentally appears on the Civil Rights Memorial in downtown Montgomery, Alabama). Later, the Lord introduces His prophecy of judgment with the following words: “Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land.” (Amos 8:4) He goes on to describe the Day of the Lord that will bring judgment down upon the land. For them, judgment day will find them lacking because they didn’t care for the less fortunate, and even destroyed the lives of those who were defenseless.
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DISCUSS What does Christ expect us to do about the needy in our cities and in our churches? How could our church take on the plight of the homeless, or those in generational poverty? What Scriptures would you appeal to support your position?
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Likewise, the Prophet Micah wrote, “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:6-8) The lesson here is that justice and kindness must be our model for living in the world, and a proper relationship with God begins in humility before Him. Most importantly, these character traits do not properly exist apart from one another. Justice begins in our treatment of those without power; kindness is revealed in our care for the poor and needy; and humility must be the defining character trait of the heart that loves the Lord. If these traits are not present then we can make infinite numbers of sacrifices, and the result will be the same – rejection by God.
In the New Testament, the importance of showing kindness to the poor and less fortunate is shown in the letter of James. There the writer criticizes the church that favors the more refined members over the poor and D I SCU SS disreputable who make us uncomfortable. (James 2:1-7) Perhaps the strongest teaching on this subject is Jesus’s Why do you think Jesus makes parable of the Goats and Sheep, found Matthew 25:31-46. the point in the At the time when the Kingdom of God is fully revealed, parable of the Jesus tells his listeners, all the nations will be gathered Sheep and the before the Lord for judgment, and “he will separate Goats that neither people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep nor the the sheep from the goats.” (32) Jesus describes the goats realized criteria that will be used for that judgment: “Then the they were being King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are kind or unkind to Christ himself? blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’” When the sheep respond, they ask the King when it was that they had done all these things. His response: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (25:40, NIV) The goats will then be separated out because they are the ones who did not show kindness when they came across people who were in need.
Not Works-Based Salvation It is critical that we understand that salvation is not earned through acts of kindness. John 3:16 still holds true: “whoever believes in me will not perish, but have eternal life.” Salvation is still by grace alone: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God — not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8) And the pattern of living as a Disciple of Christ has not changed: “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless, I live, yet not I, Christ lives in me. And the life I live in the flesh,
I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:19-20) Remember, we are studying the fruit of the Spirit, not the root of the Spirit. Spirit-led kindness is a result of what happens after we received the salvation which Christ secured for us and begun our walk as Christ’s disciples. For the Christ-follower, the evidence of Christ living in them is the way that they relate to the people around them and particularly those less fortunate than them. This pattern of living must become so ingrained in us that we are no longer even aware that we are doing it. Returning to the parable of the Goats and Sheep, Jesus tells us that both groups ask the King the same question: “When did we do (or not do) this?” In the case of the righteous, they cared for the needy as a matter of common practice (unconsciously), rather than from a planned pattern given to them by some organization. Let’s sum up what we have discovered to this point. God’s pattern of involvement in human affairs is to shower us with kindness that is meant to call us into relationship with Him. His kindness is then distributed through us to the world around us so that others will be brought into a saving relationship with Him as well. The next question is, what are some of the practical ways Scripture gives us to begin putting kindness into action?
Kindness in Old Testament Law In the sections of the Torah (Law of Moses) dealing with relationships, God places a high value on righteous concern for the needy. Helping the poor is normative for the People of God. God is concerned with all human beings: those who seek relationship with him and those who reject Him; those who have resources to supply their own needs and those who don’t. God places the provisions for the needy right in the middle of his requirements for handling relationships with our neighbors. In the following Scripture passages, the term kindness may not be used, but the concept of being sympathetic and helpful is evident. The book of Leviticus is about how Israel could live in holiness so they could dwell with a holy God. Holiness included ritual purity and prescribed worship, but it also included commands like this: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22) Not only is this rule stated more than once in the book of Leviticus, but the statement of authority, “I am the Lord,” is added to emphasize that providing for the poor and the needy is essential to God’s identity, so it must also be central to the identity of God’s People. Israel was not to limit this kindness to their own “kind”— that is, it was not only for other Israelites. It also included those living in the land as visitors and foreigners. God commanded them: “When an alien (non-Israelite) resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.
The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the Kindness in the Church Fathers citizen among you; You shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord Around 125AD6, the Christian philosopher Aristides wrote an Apology (an argument in defense of someyour God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34) thing) addressed to the Emperor Hadrian (76-138) to A foreigner could have been a slave from another nation, explain the Christian tradition, and to prove to him that or a person living with the Israelites for a particular Christianity was a religion should be supported rather time. The point is that they are not members of one than persecuted. In this work, he explains that Christians of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. In other words, this is not only take care of the needs of their own people, not an immigration policy issue; it is a human being but also help needy pagans as well. “When they see issue. The Israelites were being taught that everyone a stranger, they take him in to their homes and rejoice (even those not under the Covenant) deserved to know over him as a very brother ... And whenever one of that God loves them and that the people of God were their poor passes from the world, each one of them commissioned to prove it by the way they treated these according to his ability gives heed to him and carefully sees to his burial … And if there is among them any other people groups. that is poor and needy, and if they have no spare food, Elsewhere in the Torah, God provides creative methods they fast two or three days in order to supply to the to care for the poor and needy. He mandates that every needy their lack of food.”7 As strange as it may seem to third year the full tithe is to be brought to storehouses us, the kindness of burying the dead was often noted in every town in the land, and that the Levites (who as one of best things that Christians did for the poor have no land of their own), the resident aliens, the pagans in their communities. orphans, and widows can take as much of these stores We see this same sentiment in a letter from one of the as they need. (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) In the case of the Roman Emperors as well. The Emperor Julian the Apostate working poor who are barely surviving on their wages, (331-363 AD), an opponent of Christianity, wrote a letter God gives employers the rule that they are to pay them to one of his High Priests in which he described the way their wages at the end of every day so that they will be that Christians were advancing their cause through their able to take care of their daily needs. (Deuteronomy treatment of the poor. In it, he is lamenting the fact that 24:14-15) God’s instructions are so detailed that even the Greco-Roman religion is not doing as well as he their method of harvesting the crop is tied to the way would hope and notes the fact that it is the kindness of that the poor and needy are provided for. “When you Christians that is attractive to non-believers. “Why then reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in do we think that this is sufficient and do not observe how the kindness of Christians to strangers, their care for the the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left burial of their dead, and the sobriety of their lifestyle has for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the done the most to advance their cause?”8 Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings.” In the Early Church document, The Didache (80-90 (Deuteronomy 24:19-22). AD), the believers are cautioned to take care of those God does not leave any wiggle room with regards to who call upon them for help. “You shall not turn away Israel’s responsibilities to the poor – they have leverage from him that is in want, but you shall share all things in God’s eyes. “If there is among you anyone in need… with your brother, and shall not say that they are your do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your own.”9 Clement, known as the third Bishop of Rome, needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, wrote a letter in 96 AD that made it very practical: “Let willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever the rich man provide for the wants of the poor; and it may be.” (Deuteronomy 15:7) God notes that if the let the poor man bless God, because He has given poor cry out to Him due to injustice, then He will take him one by whom his need may be supplied. Let the not by [mere] words, but up their cause against those who oppress or neglect wise man display his wisdom, through good deeds.”10 them. The Lord makes it clear that we will always have ample opportunity to do good to the poor, and thus, we Over 200 years later, Basil of Caesarea wrote several are expected to respond to their needs. “Since there homilies (short sermons) that addressed the need for will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I taking care of the poor. We can only touch on a few therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor of his points, but he made a persuasive argument for and needy neighbor in your land.’” (Deuteronomy 15:8-11) why we cannot look the other way when someone is in need. “Let us listen to the apostle’s saying, “Let us Lest it seems that these policies are meant for Bible times not love in word nor in speech, but in deed and truth.” only, let’s look at the writing of the Church Fathers in the Let no one worry about his stewardship when he has early generations after the original Apostles were gone. obeyed God and supported his brother, for the Lord 6 CE for modern scholars 7 Apology, XV. http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/aristides-kay.html 8 Julian the Apostate: Letter to Arsacius. http://www.thenagain.info/Classes/Sources/Julian.html 9 https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm; 4:7-8 10 http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-roberts.html; chapter 38
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DISCUSS How could these ancient ways of caring for the poor be adapted and reintroduced today? Are we too big as a country and population? How could the spirit behind these rules shape the way Christians treat immigrants and foreigners within our nation, regardless of our views on the correct policies and procedures for becoming a citizen?
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counts action done to brethren as done to Himself. If you have given to the Lord, how can you not have confidence that you will receive from him?”11
Wesley was never a wealthy man and he began his practices of caring for the poor when he was a poor college student himself.
Basil challenges his listeners to be careful about holding For Wesley, holiness begins inside of us, but it is expressed on too tightly to their money. “The law contains many in the work that we do for those less fortunate than injunctions forbidding us to wrong our neighbor and many ourselves. He maintained that the Gospel of Christ was precepts directing us to be merciful and compassionate. good news of salvation that led to good works done in If either of these admonitions be neglected, the other society, and he outlined changes Christians should bring does not by itself justify a man ... God will have no part about in society. Wesley wrote, “Directly opposite to in avarice nor will the Lord be a comrade to thieves and [solitary or self-centered religion] is the gospel of Christ. robbers. He has not left us the poor to feed because Solitary religion is not to be found there... The gospel of He is unable to do this, but He asks from us, for our Christ knows of no religion but social; no holiness but own good, the fruit of justice and mercy.12 social holiness. ‘Faith working by love’ is the length and 14 Basil calls out Christians who lack of pity on those who breadth and depth and height of Christian perfection.”
D I SCU SS John Wesley stressed that, even if you give money to an institution or ministry to care for the sick, you should still make time to personally visit those in need. Why do you think he saw that as important in our journey to become more like Jesus?
beg for help in ways that may annoy us. “If, however, a The people in the early Methodist Societies and Classes poor man, scarcely able to speak from hunger, present who were responsible for taking care of the poor both himself to us, we turn away from him, a fellow man. within and outside the group were called the Stewards. We are revolted and we hasten to get away, as if we Wesley required the Stewards to be pleasant to the poor feared that by walking more slowly we might become even if they weren’t able to help them. “If you cannot involved in his misfortune. If he bow down to the ground relieve, do not grieve, the poor. Give them soft words, in shame for his unfortunate condition, we say that he if nothing else. Abstain from either sour looks or harsh is practicing hypocrisy. If, goaded by the last stages words. Let them be glad to come, even though they of hunger, he look us boldly in the face, we call him should go empty away. Put yourself in the place of a shameless bully, and if, perchance, he be clothed every poor man and deal with him as you would God in garments that are not torn (someone having given should deal with you.”15 His point, like that of Basil, is them to him), we drive him away as a greedy fellow that you cannot ignore the needs of the poor and needy. and swear he is feigning poverty. If he be covered with You may not be able to fix the problem, but you can, at rags that are falling to pieces, again we drive him away least, let them go home with their dignity. as ill-smelling. Although he may invoke in his pleading In Wesley’s sermon on “Visiting the Sick,” he explained the Name of the Creator and, although he solemnly that a person who is broke and unemployed is sick, just and unremittingly pray that a like misfortune may not in a different way. Both need our help to get better. He 13 befall us, he is unable to change our pitiless decision.” notes that some rich people have actually said to him that they haven’t met any poor people. He responds that, “One reason that the rich, in general, have so little sympathy for the poor, is because they so seldom visit them.”16 If we get out of our insulated lives and meet Finally, moving from the Fathers of the Ancient Church those less fortunate than ourselves, we will find that to the Father of Methodism, we will do well to study our empathies for the poor will rise significantly. how John Wesley viewed the subject of helping the poor. Wesley was totally committed to taking care Wesley also argues that we should never be embarof the needy inside his own ministries. He did this in rassed to ask for money to help the less fortunate. “To several innovative ways. He provided medicines to beg I am ashamed; but never be ashamed to beg for those in need so that they weren’t unduly burdened the poor; yea, in this case, be an importunate (highly by the costs. He learned to treat minor medical issues persistent); do not easily take a denial.”17 He expected himself so that patients with less severe physical issues Christian leaders to be so certain that kindness to the would not have to pay the costs of seeking a doctor. He poor is essential to the gospel that they will never be provided a library of quality books to read so that his embarrassed or reluctant to ask believers to contribute. people wouldn’t have to purchase them for themselves. Wesley closes out this sermon with some timely advice He created opportunities for the poor to earn wages on our view of the poor: “Let our conveniences give such as employing poor widows to do sewing for the way to our neighbor’s necessities; and our necessities Methodist Societies. It is important to remember that give way to our neighbor’s extremities.”18
Wesley on Kindness
11 Basil of Caesarea, De Beneficentia: A Homily on Social Action attributed to Basil of Caesarea. https://www.jstor.org/ 12 Basil of Caesarea, On Mercy and Justice. https://sites.google.com/site/stbasilasceticalworks/on-mercy-and-justice 13 Basil of Caesarea, Homily 21. https://sites.google.com/site/stbasilasceticalworks/homily-21 14 John Wesley. Preface to Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1739 15 John Wesley, Journal selection for June 4, 1747. The Works of John Wesley, Abingdon, vol. 20, p. 176 16 John Wesley, “On Visiting the Sick.” The Sermons of John Wesley: A Collection for the Christian Journey, ed. Kenneth Collins and Jason Vickers. (Abingdon, 2013). 349. 17 Ibid. 351. 18 Ibid. 352.
Wesley insisted that every age group and gender should get involved, because all can contribute something, and all can benefit from the grace that is released into our lives when we follow the commands of Christ in this way. Thus, in the early days of the Church and of the Methodist movement, sincere Christians were known for finding
practical ways to show kindness to the poor. They did this, not because of a social philosophy or political theory, but because they had experienced the kindness of God towards themselves, and they were motivated by the love of God and empowered by the Spirit of God to show that same kindness to others.
APPLICATION IDEA: Make it your goal not to become calloused with regards to those individuals standing on the side of the road, or whoever represents the face of poverty to you. If you don’t feel right in giving them money, then pray for them. Help the church craft policies that give us the opportunity to effect change in the lives of the poor, the needy, the widows, orphans, immigrants and foreigners. Get involved with local missions from time to time so that you will continue to see those less fortunate than yourself and not become isolated from them. Remember the promise that, whatever you do for them, you are doing for Jesus himself.
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Lesson Seven: The Fruit of Goodness
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SUMMARY: In this lesson we will talk about the nature of goodness as it is seen in the actions of God, and the life of the Christian. We will consider goodness as a character trait that is imparted to us by the Holy Spirit, and consider whether it is possible for us, as Christians, to be truly good people. LEAD-IN QUESTIONS: 1.
If “evil” or “bad” is the opposite of good, what really makes a person good? Are there certain qualities that must characterize a person before they can be considered good?
2. Is goodness something inside of you; or, is it something that we do outwardly? 3. Can a person have goodness and still sin? 4. Can two people both be good even if they disagree on controversial issues? 5. Name one person that you have known (beside Jesus) whom you would say is truly good. What D I SCU SS made them good? How could you tell?
He shows His goodness by delivering us from our enemies; by preserving our life from death; by quickening (energizing) our spiritual life; by redeeming us from sin; and by keeping His covenants. In the church we often use the words, ‘good’ and ‘goodness,’ to express our understanding of God’s relationship to us. In some churches the minister says, “God is good,” and the group responds: “all the time;” then, the minister repeats, “all the time;” and the group responds: “God is good.” A popular worship chorus simply states, “God is so good; God is so good; God is so good, He’s so good to me.” In the contemporary worship song, “King of My Heart” (Sarah McMillan, 2015), the chorus is: “You are good, you are good, oh; you are good, you are good, oh.” Later, an additional refrain is added: “You’re never gonna let, you’re never gonna let me down – oh, you’re never gonna let; you’re never gonna let me down!” These songs remind us that we not only acknowledge Jesus as King in our hearts because of his position and power, but also because of his essential goodness and never-ending faithfulness. When God acts, or refrains from acting, it is based on His goodness, which guides His love for us.
How can we answer the What Does It Mean to Be Good? questions that arise about God’s In modern use we define the concept of good in many goodness? What ways, especially in English. Three uses for “good” do these ques- predominate: tions say about our faith – are we • A quality of behavior: “she is so good to her grandparents” (defining her behavior to her At times it is easy to affirm God’s goodness, but if we sinning by asking them? What can grandparents) are honest, at other times it is tempting to waver in our I do to help me faith in His goodness. We say out loud that “God is so through periods of • A quality of nature: “he is a good person” (defingood,” but then one of our friends dies from COVID, and ing the quality of his character) questioning and suddenly, we have our doubts about God’s goodness. doubt? • A quality of measurement or skill: “The scientist
is good at math” (defining a quality of measurement or skill needed to do the work)
The word “goodness,” on the other hand, is almost always focused on the qualities of a person. To have goodness is to have qualities that are good throughout the whole person so that the person seems to be a living example of the good. In the Old Testament there are two words that are most frequently translated as “goodness.” The one most often used is the general word, “tob” (also pronounced tov). It refers to anything that is good, pleasant, agreeable, of benefit, producing prosperity.
We say that “God is good all the time,” but we struggle with the fact that people still lose their jobs, women have miscarriages, widows lose their pensions, the innocent are treated unjustly, and the young die in accidents. Questions rise to the surface: Is the goodness of God true? Is He still being good to me when bad things happen in my life? I suspect that most of us have asked them at some point in our lives, and God does not mind us bringing our honest questions to Him.
God’s Goodness and our Free Will
To have a framework for understanding God’s goodness in the midst of suffering, we need to step back The other word that is occasionally translated as and look at our broader understanding of God’s Will “goodness” is “hesed” (with a guttural sound, like and human free will. In the late 1500s, the theologian “khesed”). This word refers to God’s goodness from the Jacobus Arminius took a stand against the concept perspective of the everlasting nature of God’s love. It of predestination, the belief that God decides ahead is translated often as God’s “steadfast love” or “loving of time who will be saved and who will go to Hell. kindness,” and it reflects a zealous commitment to Those who believe in predestination teach that human someone else’s good. When it is used to speak about beings have no say in their own salvation since God God’s relationship to humans, it often reflects the idea is All-Powerful. Arminians (those who followed the that God shows unmerited favor and undeserved teaching of Arminius, including John Wesley) argued kindness because of His Goodness, and not our own. that, while it is true that God is All-Powerful, the love
of God is such that He empowers humans to have free will, so that they can choose for themselves whether to receive God’s gracious gift of salvation. Because they reject predestination, Arminian/Wesleyans also reject determinism. Determinism is the belief that everything that happens to me is determined by God. Instead, we believe that some things are determined by God, but other things are allowed by God and are the result of human free will. Wesleyans believe that we have a real choice when it comes to morals and law. For example, if a person drinks until they are impaired in then kills a baby in an auto accident, a Wesleyan would not say that God caused or determined for that to happen. However, belief in free will does not remove the possibility that God may choose to intervene in human affairs through a miracle. But, as C.S. Lewis explained, if it is commonplace, it is not a miracle; by definition it should not happen often.19 Certainly, God can step into the politics and affairs of the human condition. What God did in bringing Israel up from slavery in Egypt, allowing them to take over whole portions of the Holy Land, and then allowing them to be taken into Exile, are all signs of God’s miraculous intervention into human affairs. Yet God’s own words show that those cases were unusual, and that He normally does not intervene so clearly in the governments of nations. In Acts 17:26-27 Paul explained, “From one man he [God] made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him.” Notice how God has overall control of history (setting “appointed times” and “boundaries” but within this He gives freedom to the nations to “seek him” and “reach out for him”). Paul goes on to say that those who chose instead to worship idols demonstrated human free will, which God allowed: “In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.” (Acts 17:30) There is a balance of truth here. Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” We are to expect and even ask for God’s intervention; nevertheless, if God’s Will is automatically going to be done in every case, there would be no need to pray. The critical point to understand is that just because we ask for a miracle, does not mean that God will give it. To repeat, it would not be a miracle if it happened all the time. If God were constantly overriding and undoing human free will, then our freedom would be a sham. If human decisions have no real consequences because God is always miraculously changing them, then our ability to responsibly choose to love God would also become meaningless. With this in mind, we can move forward with exploring what identifies God as “good;” and what characterizes “goodness” in a Christian. Let’s begin with the question of how we can make the claim that God is good.
God Is Good – All The Time
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Scripture simply assumes the Goodness of God. The writers of Scripture do not try to prove God’s goodness; they proclaim that He is good and tell us that we ought to honor Him for His goodness. Though this point of view is found throughout Scripture, it is stated most clearly in the Psalms. The psalmists mention either that God is good, or talk about the goodness of God, over and over. Let’s look at just a few examples. In Psalm 34, we have a psalm written after David has been hiding in the camp of the Philistines while King Saul hunts for him. Saul perceives David as a threat to his throne, and is hunting him in order to put him to death. David escapes, goes to the Philistine camp, and pretends to have lost his mind so that they will look on him as a novelty rather than as dangerous. While living amid his enemies to avoid another enemy, David maintains his faith in God, and speaks of Him this way: “O taste and see that the Lord is good (tob); happy are those who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8) For most of us, we would have real questions about God’s goodness under such anxiety and pressure, but David is confident of God’s goodness, and declares it even DISCUSS while on the run. We see a similar storyline in Psalm 27. This psalm is full of statements of confidence in the middle of great threat to David’s well-being. The threats appear to be all around, but his confidence that God will deliver him is unshaken. “When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—my adversaries and foes — they shall stumble and fall.” (2) He continues: “Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.” (11-12) With all this chaos going on around him, David, nonetheless describes God in this psalm as his light, salvation, stronghold, shelter, and tent of covering. He ends the psalm with these words of hope and encouragement: “I believe that I shall see the goodness (tob) of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (13) David’s life is full of tension and threats that could easily take him out, and yet, David tells himself (and, by extension, us as well) to wait on the Lord, because his goodness will one day be revealed. Hundreds of years later, the prophet Nahum echoes this sense of God’s protective concern for those who trust him. During the Exile, while God’s people are under the oppression of their enemies, he writes: “The Lord is good (tob), a stronghold in a day of trouble; he protects those who take refuge in him.” (Nahum 1:7) Once again, it is notable that when things seem to be their worst, these writers talk about how good God is, and how he will eventually reveal that goodness to us if we can be
19 C.S. Lewis, Miracles: A Preliminary Study. (Harper Collins: 1947), 54-57.
Have you had an experience when you had to “wait on the Lord” but after that period of waiting you saw the goodness of the Lord in a fresh way?
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D I SCU SS In what ways do we tend to take the goodness of God in Creation for granted? How could more gratitude make us more aware of God’s goodness?
patient and have trust. They are not speaking about God from a place of calm or peace, they are talking about God’s goodness right in the thick of difficult times. God is good; His goodness is everlasting, even if I don’t see it yet in my life or circumstances.
Goodness Comes from Being Good
If we believe, in our heart of hearts, that God’s very nature is good, and that His goodness will be expressed in our lives–if not now, at some point in the future – then we can ride the turbulent waves of life’s circumstances without being overwhelmed or destroyed. If, on the other hand, our belief in God’s goodness is based on temporary circumstances and feelings, then we will never find peace for our souls. Life will not allow it.
To see how this works in practice, let’s do two quick Case Studies of how Jesus defines “good” by analyzing these stories found in the Gospels.
When true goodness emanates from (comes out of) a Let’s move from these stressful situations to calmer person, it is because the interior of that person is good. circumstances. Psalm 145 speaks of the general nature The person is simply expressing what they actually of God, and the way that His goodness is revealed are — it is not an act or a performance. throughout his creation. The psalmist tells us that “the In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus made it quite clear Lord is good (tob) to all, and his compassion (mercy) that outward, physical sin begins within the human is over all that he has made.” (145:9) In this case, what heart (more specifically, our mind). Thus, sin manifests defines His goodness is His compassion (mercy) as itself outwardly only after it is conceived within us. As evident in all that He has brought into existence. In a result, our guilt for sin comes from how we think and Psalm 119, a psalm noted for the way that it expresses reason. Thus, most of us would agree that a person is the joy of living under the laws and statutes of God, not to blame for wrongful actions if they have no idea the writer says confidently, “You are good (tob) and do what they are doing, or if they are forced to do somegood (tob); teach me your statutes.” (Psalm 119:68) The thing against their will. Because there was no ability to Psalmist clearly believes that God’s laws (“statutes”) are reason out truth, or because they were not allowed to not a burden but rather reveal His goodness. work from their own free will, they will not be assigned Thus, the writers of Scripture see the goodness God blame for their actions. So, even though their actions when He creates, when He rules over His creation, when may be abhorred, and may have evil results, they are absolved from guilt for the reasons we just mentioned. He protects us from harm, and when He restores us. However, their point is not that we label God as good In the Old Testament sacrifice system, one set of sacrifices because He does what we want Him to do for us, but were for unintentional sins. If someone did things that rather that God has inherent goodness that comes out caused damage to others, but their actions were not in all His actions. God is good and what He does for us done intentionally (they happened by mistake or from lack of knowledge), then God required a sacrifice to be simply reflects the Person that He already is. made because another person or animal was harmed, Understanding this truth should have a dramatic impact but it did not have the gravity of an intentional sin. on the way we evaluate life experiences. If something bad happens to us, it is not because God is not good; it In another part of the Old Testament Law, God spoke to is because the world is in a fallen state, and bad things Moses about designating “Cities of Refuge” within the come out of that condition. When God does something territory of each of the tribes. If someone accidentally good for us, it is not because He is somehow trying to killed a person, the victim’s family members had the earn our good opinion of Him by helping us. He acts right to demand “eye for eye” justice and would likely out of His own eternal love and the good purposes of come after me to get their retributive justice (“pay His will. So, whether something good or bad happens back”). God provided cities where individuals who to us, we should be clear that God’s goodness will be were unintentional “man-slayers,” could find haven. As long as they remained in that city, the victim’s family expressed towards us, either by giving some blessing was prohibited from coming in to take vengeance. to us, or by overcoming something that has harmed us. Once again, killing demands justice, but because the In the book of Revelation, Jesus speaks of those who heart of the transgressor was not evil, God’s mercy are “overcomers.” Repeatedly, he refers to those who provided relief. “overcome” during trials and troubles. One of the most So, as Jesus explains it in his Sermon, sin begins with a important spiritual truths we can learn is that being an sinful heart and mind, and then results in an evil action. overcomer does not mean that my difficult circumstances If this is true about sin and evil, then it stands to reason are miraculously removed, but rather that with God’s that goodness is rooted within us as well. What makes help, the circumstances have no power to defeat my an action good is the source from which the action walk with Christ or destroy my faith. arose – the good heart (or good intention).
Now that we have considered the goodness of God, what does that look like in the life of the common believer? How is it manifested through us to the world around us?
Case Study #1 In Matthew 12 (also Mark 6 and Luke 9), Jesus and his Disciples walk through a field on the Sabbath, and his Disciples begin breaking off pods from the grain and eating them, thereby breaking the Pharisaic Law that defined plucking grain as work (a form of harvesting),
which was prohibited on the Sabbath. When Jesus is criticized for not chastising his Disciples, he responds that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath,” and notes that “the Son of Man” (a title he uses for himself) is “Lord of the Sabbath.” Appropriating this title to himself would have infuriated the Jewish scholars since God created the Law of the Sabbath in the first place (Matthew 12:8). Later that same day, Jesus enters the Synagogue and actually seems to pick a fight by deliberately healing on the Sabbath. In the synagogue he encounters a man with a withered hand, and Jesus turns to the Pharisees and asks them whether it would be against the Law to heal him on a Sabbath day, the day of mandated rest. The Pharisees don’t bother to answer him, but the unspoken answer was that he should be healed on any other day than that one. The Pharisees would rather let a man continue to suffer with a withered hand, rather than have him healed in a way that broke their concept of Sabbath rest. Jesus calls them all hypocrites because he knows that if any one of them had a donkey stuck (threatened with death) in the mud of a pit, they would pull the animal out of the pit, Sabbath or not. And yet, they had no mercy on a man standing right in front of them who was suffering from a defect that prevented him from earning a living or taking care of his loved ones. So, having asked the question, and received no answer, Jesus heals the man anyway. Immediately following this act of healing, the people bring to him a man who has a demon, and he heals his affliction as well. The Pharisees pronounce that Jesus is the Prince of Demons and thus has the power to command them to leave the man. Jesus defeats this fallacy by arguing that “every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” (Matthew 12:25)
demon was cast out, the commoners wondered out loud that this must be the Son of David (the Messiah) that they had been looking for.
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Take Away: the person’s interior (heart and mind) determines the value of their actions. Actions arising out of an evil heart are not praiseworthy to God, regardless of what the world thinks. On the other hand, actions arising from a heart in proper relationship to the Lord are always pleasing to God, and more importantly, will always bring glory to God (not us). The Pharisees tried to manage morality through strictly enforced legality, but coerced actions can never have true worth in God’s eyes.
Case Study #2 A similar scenario is related in John 9. Jesus and the Twelve Disciples encounter a blind man who is begging at the Temple on a Sabbath. This man has been blind from birth, and the Disciples immediately assume that his affliction was a judgment from God (a form of determinism, the belief that everything that happens to us is directly caused by God, as discussed above). They ask Jesus whether it was the man or his parents who had sinned to bring this blindness upon him. Jesus said that it was unrelated to the man or his parents, but that actually this tragedy would end up bringing God great glory. Jesus then heals the man’s eyes.
DISCUSS
What do you think motivated the Pharisees to be so When the people who know about his blindness see committed to their the man, they are astonished, and ask him who did this own ideas of what for him. He tells them that “some man came by, spit it meant to keep the Sabbath that and made mud, and then applied the mud to my eyes. they would judge When I washed my eyes out, I could see for the first Jesus even for a time.” (John 9:14-15) When asked where the man was, miraculous act of he replied honestly that he didn’t have a clue. healing? Do you So, they take him to meet the Pharisees – the leading see any similar motivations in scholars of the Bible in this day. As could be expected, your own heart?
He then adds a second argument which is that you don’t some of the Pharisees immediately condemned the see good actions (casting out demons) coming out of a healing because Jesus worked on the Sabbath. Others depraved nature (evil heart). He uses a metaphor of trees said that he couldn’t have done the healing were he and fruit to make his case that goodness is expressed not from God. in the actions coming from a person with a good heart The Pharisees speak to the parents of the formerly blind (and mind). He explains to his listeners that you can’t man to make sure that he was born blind (a genetic get good fruit from a bad tree, nor can bad fruit come effect, not an accident). They ask about his condition from a good tree. What he wants them to understand and ask them how he got his sight back. The parents is that what makes our actions and choices, good or affirm that he was born blind, but they don’t know how evil, is what is inside of us. If we are good inside, the healing took place. evidence will be proven by our actions. Likewise, if we are evil inside, then what comes out in our behavior and The Pharisees go back to the formerly blind man, and actions will be evil. As he puts it: “A good man brings question him once again, telling him that he needs to good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and glorify God for healing him, because the man he credits an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up for the miracle is just a sinner, and should not get credit in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is for the miracle. The formerly blind man answers, “I don’t full of.” (Luke 6:45) Thus, we will not be judged by how know if he is a sinner or not – I just know that I couldn’t we act on the Sabbath day, but on what is inside of us see before, and now I can.” (9:25) that caused the act to take place. Likewise, healing a The Pharisees ask him a second time to tell them how the man with a withered hand, or casting out demons is, by man did the healing, and the man becomes frustrated. definition, a good work that comes from a good heart “I’ve already told you how it happened,” he says, and regardless of what day it is on. In fact, the common then puts in a jab: “Do you also want to become his people who saw the miracle got it right rather than the disciples?” (9:27) This angers the Pharisees, so they Pharisees (who ought to have known better). When the accuse him of being a follower of Jesus. In contrast, they
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claim that they are disciples of Moses. They know that God spoke to Moses, but they do not know who Jesus is. The healed man declares, “This is amazing – you don’t know where he comes from and yet he could open my eyes. We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners but to those who are close to him and worship him and do his will. And there has never been a case, in the history of the world, of a man being healed who was born blind. He could not have done what he did if he wasn’t from God.” The Jewish leadership respond by expelling the man from the synagogue because of his insolence.
wisely. The other individual is a bank robber, who has taken money from the victims whom he murdered. The hospital has no idea where the money came from, but is thankful to have a million dollars to help take care of people. In both cases, good results come from the donations, but the robber’s action was clearly not holy. We might even go so far as to say that if the hospital knew how the money was acquired to give them, they should refuse to receive it. The money is the same, the outcome is the same, but the source is different, and ultimately the heart of the giver is radically different.
To close out the story, we read that Jesus comes looking for the man, and asks him if he believes in the Christ. The man asks who this person is. Jesus then plainly tells him that he is that One. At this point the man does the unthinkable: He worships Jesus (clearly, he thinks that Jesus is God; no Jew would worship a mere human).
Luther and Wesley on Righteousness by Faith
Take Away: The Pharisees are stuck in a deterministic view that everything which happens must be God’s will, so they assume the blind man is a sinner. Jesus instead sees that continuing the man’s blindness is not God’s will, and so he takes action to heal the man, thereby revealing the good purposes of the heart of God. Jesus sees that God is good, so he does good to others. The Pharisees think that God is only concerned about keeping Sabbath rules, so they wrongly condemn Jesus as a sinner, when in fact they are the ones sinning by opposing God’s goodness.
Martin Luther was not the only great saint who experienced an increased fear of God before breaking through to an understanding of salvation by faith. What do you Having looked at these two case studies in goodness think is meant by expressed by Jesus, we must turn to the question of the line in the old how you and I can experience God’s goodness. In hymn, “Amazing Matthew 19 (as well as Mark 10 and Luke 18), a man Grace,” that reads comes to Jesus with a question: “‘Twas grace that taught my heart to “Good Teacher, what must I do to receive eternal life?” fear, and grace my The response from Jesus is notable: “Why do you fear relieved”? call me good? No one is good but God alone (only).”
Can we be good?
One of the real heroes of the Christian faith was Martin Luther (1483-1546). He began life as a devout Catholic, and when under threat of death vowed to become a monk. Luther believed at that time that eternal salvation was earned by living a life that was good enough to be acceptable by God. The Roman Catholic church offered many ways to add merit through spiritual acts of service and means of grace, and these, he felt, would help him acquire the necessary purity and goodness to be acceptable to God. But Luther had a tremendous fear of God’s righteousness and had no confidence in his ability to please God. He spent hours in the Confession Booth trying to dredge up every sin and sinful thought, lest one keep him from attaining his goal of Heaven. He knew that God the Judge would find fault with him, and he would face God’s wrath, and all his hopes would be dashed.
One day, while teaching Psalm 22, he ran across this verse: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me?” He suddenly realized that those words, spoken by Christ on the cross, reflected a Savior who had suddenly taken upon himself the weight of all of our sins. “He who knew no sin became sin,” as Paul put it. (II Corinthians 5:21) Luther was saved because he realized that everything needed for his salvation was done by Christ – his only responsibility was to have faith in those actions. He came to realize Jesus is alerting the man by implication, “Be aware, that we are saved not by being perfect, but by faith in if you are calling me good, you are calling me God.” the Perfect One who paid for our imperfection. Luther Many might interpret this passage to mean that it is began to teach that none of our actions can ever be impossible for humans to be good, since only God is considered good apart from faith, because even our good. Yet elsewhere, Jesus clearly calls other human best acts of service were motivated by self-love and beings “good” (for example, Matthew 5:45, 12:45). So, self-preservation so that the heart was not truly right. what does Jesus mean here? Thus, as we have said repeatedly, the heart’s condition In Galatians 5:22, our primary Scripture for this series, is the determining factor in our goodness. we are told that one of the nine fruit of the Spirit is that of “goodness.” Each of the fruits are manifested So – we are brought back to our original question – how by us because the Spirit of God lives within us. Thus, can we be good, if only God is good? How can we be to have goodness, we have to have the Spirit, and good if goodness depends on the heart, and our hearts without the Spirit there can be no true goodness. As are not pure? we saw earlier, our actions cannot be defined as good The real truth is, you cannot be something that you are if they originate in a heart that is not good. Consider not. Even if you pretend to be that thing, the cost will a hypothetical example: Let’s say that two individuals be too great, and eventually you will be perceived to each give $500,000 dollars to a hospital for children. be a fraud. So, we need to have no pretensions about One of the individuals is a long-time employee of a the subject matter. The only way we can be good is to bank, and she has saved up this money by investing have more God in us! I will become good as I allow the
Lord to work in my life to such an extent that I become more and more like Him. Let’s return to Martin Luther. Luther believed that we are saved by faith, and at that moment in time, God sees Christ as our replacement. We are named as righteous or holy or pure because Christ stands in our place, and he is all of those things. This was a great first step: Understanding that the goodness of Jesus can become ours in the eyes of God.
This is not to say that sanctification will be easy or painless. When we ask the Lord to make us truly good, to be holy, it requires our allowing Christ to apply his cross to every aspect of our lives. Like the little booklet My Heart Christ’s Home20 illustrates, Jesus will need to clean every portion of the house, not just the public areas. Sometimes it will cost us something – there are areas that we secretly cherish that may have to go.
One of the best metaphors for Sanctification that I have found in the book The Great Divorce, by C.S. However, Luther thought that after we came to faith we seen is 21 Lewis . In one chapter we come across a man who has would be simultaneously just and sinful — good in the a small lizard on his shoulder that keeps whispering to eyes of God, but still bad on earth. John Wesley took him. An angel comes to the man and offers to kill the faith one step farther. Wesley saw in the Scriptures, lizard, but the man makes various excuses, and just can’t “be holy for I am holy says the Lord,” and, “be perfect, bring himself to get rid of the lizard. The angel tells him therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” and that he can never get to heaven while staying in his “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes present condition, but the man can’t bring himself to and Pharisees, you cannot enter the Kingdom of let the angel kill his companion. Eventually, after more Heaven,” and concluded that God would never tell conversation, the man tells the angel to do whatever us to do something that we can’t actually do. So, he he wants. The angel responds that he can only kill the came to understand and preach the doctrine of Entire lizard if the man gives him permission to do so. Finally, Sanctification (Christian Perfection) to explain how we the man gives him permission, and the angel kills the can become truly good. “Sanctification” simply means lizard and throws it to the ground. Immediately the man the process of being made holy. “Entire sanctification” begins to change and grow, and becomes this huge, is what happens when the whole heart is made holy, so heroic looking man. And, to the observer’s amazement, that every part of a person’s life is filled with the love of God (remember, goodness comes from the heart). the lizard changes into a mighty stallion as well. The man jumps on the horse and rides off towards the Luther believed in Imputed Righteousness (we are mountains of heaven. The narrator explains that the declared righteous for Christ’s sake while remaining lizard had been lust that had always dominated the sinners), whereas Wesley defined the Christian ex- man. Lust, you see, is a poor imitation of love. The angel perience as Infused Righteousness (we are literally killed the lust, and the man became the person God becoming righteous through the work of the Holy Spirit made him to be, and his lust was exchanged for love. in us). What this means is that I should be becoming more and more righteous every year that I live as a The point Lewis is making is that much of what we Christian. I cannot make some excuse like, “I will always struggle with is defective versions of the true nature be a sinner.” This kind of thinking would underestimate that God wishes us to have. It is the cross of Christ the creative, healing, restoring power of the Holy Spirit that is the instrument to free us from the defect so that who lives within us. God does not expect us to fail at we can have the original God intended for us. Paul being holy – He expects us to succeed in becoming understood this, and explained it this way: “I have been holy, because He Himself has come to dwell within us crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in to carry it out. the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for This is the opposite of demonic possession, in which me.” (Galatians 2:20) When we learn to live the crucified an evil spirit seeks to control us by coercion and domi- life, we will become those heroic individuals we were nation. In contrast, the Holy Spirit invites us to willingly always meant to be. surrender to His love and then fills us with the power to do what is right. APPLICATION IDEA: This next week, take time to think about how you see your own goodness. How much are you allowing God to do through his Spirit in your life? Are there areas that need to be touched with the burning hand of God so that they become pure? Where is your goodness (in Christ) most visible to the world around you? Finally, is there anything that hinders people from seeing your goodness in Christ? If so, ask Christ Jesus to pour himself more fully into your life – this very day!
20 Robert Boyd Munger, My Heart Christ’s Home (Intervarsity: 1986). 21 C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce (Geoffrey Bles: 1945).
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DISCUSS Do you think it is an example of humility or of unbelief when people say, “I will always be a sinner”? Explain your answer in light of God’s promise to make us holy.
Lesson Eight: The Fruit of Faithfulness
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SUMMARY: In this lesson we will look at the concept of faithfulness. We will come to understand that faithfulness is about commitment and dependability. People in relationship together expect faithfulness, and it is at the foundation of the Christian’s relationship to God. LEAD-IN QUESTIONS: 1.
What are some synonyms of the word “faithful”?
2. When you think of the word, “faithful,” what comes to mind?
Faithfulness and Responsibility
3. Can a person be faithful to Christ and still have periods of backsliding? In other words, how dependable must we be, if we are to be considered faithful?
In the Scripture there are two ways to look at faithfulness. Both are connected to the idea of being dependable and trustworthy, but in two different types of behavior. The first type of faithfulness is related to being dependable with our responsibilities. Jesus gave several parables to illustrate that God expects us to use the time and resources entrusted to us profitably.
4. In what ways did Solomon, Peter, and Judas demonstrate a lack of faithfulness?
The Meaning of Faithfulness D I SCU SS Have you ever entrusted someone with money to invest on your behalf? What were your expectations of them? How does this relate to Jesus’s expectation that we be faithful servants?
marked by trustworthiness and following through on your commitments. It is not based on emotions or rewards.
Faithfulness is simply the quality of being full of faith — that is, someone whom others can put their faith in, someone who is trustworthy. The famous geyser at Yellowstone National Park is named Old Faithful because its eruptions are so predictable. The national park service says that “the famous geyser currently erupts around 17 times a day and can be predicted with a 90 percent confidence rate within a ten-minute variation.”22 It had likely been faithfully erupting long before it was discovered in 1870, and has continued to do so ever since that time. Using Old Faithful to help us define the term, we might say that faithfulness means dependability, continuity, or even longevity. Thus, something, or someone, is faithful if they continue doing the same thing, the same way, continuously, over a long period of time.
On one occasion, Jesus told the story of how a wealthy man gave out money to three of his servants. To one he gave five talents (a “talent” is an amount of currency ranging in value from two to seven million dollars by today’s standards); to another three talents; and to another one talent. These sums were given according to the capabilities of each of the servants. When the businessman returned, he asked them to give an account for what each had done. The first two had doubled their sums by shrewd investments. The rich man gave the same response to the first two servants: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful (or “trustworthy” in other translations) with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:14-30, NIV) However, the last one simply buried his talent until the owner returned, and then returned it to the owner. He was rebuked for being unfaithful—he failed to fulfill his responsibility to make a profit with what was entrusted to him. Jesus is encouraging his audience to get busy using their gifts and talents on behalf of the Kingdom of God. No one knows when the Master of this world will come to settle accounts, so we should be working to produce return on His investment in us. Faithfulness is shown in how we use our time and abilities to further the work of God in this world.
When I was growing up, if you had turned on your television at a certain day and time you would have heard the following words spoken as the sound of the William Tell Overture played in the background, “Hi-Yo, Silver! A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty ‘Hi-Yo Silver’...The Lone Ranger! With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto!” If you watched the episodes, it quickly became clear that Tonto could be counted on to track the outlaws, help the Lone Ranger In another teaching, Jesus speaks of the servant who think out the proper course of action, and then help win is the “faithful and wise manager” of the other servants. the fight against the desperadoes they faced as a team. “Blessed is that slave (servant or steward) whom his As a faithful companion, he always stood alongside the master will find at work when he arrives. Truly I tell you, Lone Ranger, and would never abandon or leave him he will put that one in charge of all his possessions.” when things got difficult (indeed, one wonders why he (Luke 12:41-48) Here again the emphasis is on being busy working for the Lord while we wait for His return. was called the “Lone” Ranger). We want him to praise us for our work, rather than From these and other similar examples we might say question us about our laziness. that faithfulness represents a commitment to someone or something regardless of the cost, and regardless of the benefits to the one who is faithful. Faithfulness is
Jesus explained that it is not the amount of responsibility we have been given, but the degree of faithfulness we
22 https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/oldfaithfulgeyserfaq.htm
show that determines our rewards in heaven: “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” (Luke 16:10-11)
and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Your threshing shall overtake the vintage, and the vintage shall overtake the sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and live securely in your land. And I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one shall make you afraid; I will remove dangerous animals from the land, and no sword shall go through your land. You shall give chase to your enemies, and they shall Faithfulness and Loyalty fall before you by the sword. Five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give The second type of faithfulness in the Bible is loyalty to chase to ten thousand; your enemies shall fall before God. Examples of loyal faithfulness include Moses or you by the sword. I will look with favor upon you and Samuel, while examples of disloyalty include Judas and make you fruitful and multiply you; and I will maintain Peter (although Peter repented and was forgiven). The my covenant with you.” (Leviticus 26:1-9) The same primary example of this kind of faithfulness, of course, is promises of being “fruitful” and “multiplying” that were God, as seen in His relationship to His chosen people, given to Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden before Israel. God’s loyalty is particularly striking because Israel was so disloyal to Him. They were unreliable Sin entered the world are here being given anew to and unfaithful, despite God’s continuous care for their the people of Israel, if they will only be loyal to God. well-being. Yet, what was the outcome as God’s Chosen People When things went in favor of Israel, the people immedi- began to live into these promises? No sooner did the ately abandoned their own God for all the gods of the people of Israel begin to settle into the land than they neighboring nations. It could truthfully be said of them, began the process of mixing the religion of the LORD “they could be depended on to not be dependable.” with the false religions of the neighboring people And yet, God offered them all the favor and blessing groups (what is called “syncretism” or blending). They continued to do the ritual and trappings of their own they could have imagined. religion, while adding to it the gods and rituals of the God promised the people of Israel as they were about to nations that they encountered. enter the Promised Land: “If you will only obey the Lord your God, by diligently observing all his commandments God knew they had been surrounded for 400 years that I am commanding you today, the Lord your God in Egypt by a pagan, polytheistic culture, and that the will set you high above all the nations of the earth; all nations all around them had similar systems of idolatry, these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, immorality, and injustice. God had carefully prescribed if you obey the Lord your God: Blessed shall you be in safeguards to keep them away from this temptation the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed to be unfaithful to God. For example, He commanded shall be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, them not to make treaties or intermarry with these and the fruit of your livestock, both the increase of pagan peoples, and to make sure that these nations your cattle and the issue of your flock. Blessed shall were pushed out of the land. The reason from God’s be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall perspective was simple. If they made alliances with the you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be neighboring nations, they were going to be exposed to when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies all manner of gods and goddesses, moral compromises, who rise against you to be defeated before you; they theological lies, and heresies. shall come out against you one way, and flee before Nevertheless, even though God miraculously delivered you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing them out of Egypt, provided for them through their forty upon you in your barns, and in all that you undertake; years of wandering in the Wilderness (neither their he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is sandals nor their clothes wore out during that time), and giving you.” (Deuteronomy 28:1-8) This is about as good promised them tremendous blessings, the people were a set of promises as imaginable to a people who are easily swayed to doubts and complaining whenever starting a new nation! Just stay faithful and everything circumstances became tough and threatening. They that you could wish for will be supplied by God. disobeyed God and did not displace the neighboring This was not the only time that these promises made to nations fully. As God had warned them, they soon began the people of Israel. When setting up the ritual system to adopt the pagan idols, false sacrifices, and sinful in Leviticus relating to sacrifices and the Tabernacle/ ways of their neighbors who did not know the true God. Temple, the Lord repeated the requirements and the The life of the people of God in the land is a sordid promises relating to them. “You shall make for yourselves tale of rhythmic movement from God’s blessings on no idols and erect no carved images or pillars, and you the people, to the nation’s betrayal of their faith, and shall not place figured stones in your land, to worship then their oppression by their neighbors. When things at them; for I am the Lord your God. You shall keep my got bad enough, the people of Israel would once again Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. reach out to God for help in humility and brokenness. If you follow my statutes and keep my commandments God would then exhibit His faithfulness over and over. and observe them faithfully, I will give you your rains He would raise up one hero after another (called in their season, and the land shall yield its produce, “judges”) to deliver them from their oppressors. God’s
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DISCUSS God showed His loyalty by rescuing Israel before He ever asked for their loyalty in return. Why is it important for us to remember that God always takes the initiative in our relationship?
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faithfulness was exhibited by never abandoning His people, and by saving them time and time again despite their waywardness and betrayal.
Israel’s Unfaithfulness
Here are a couple of case studies to explain how the Eventually, the unfaithfulness of Israel became so great concept of faithfulness played out in the history of Israel. that God handed them over to the greatest oppression by their enemies: He allowed them to go into exile in Case Study #1 – Joshua Babylon. Their temple was burned, their cities desolate, and their children taken captive. It seemed that the In Judges 2:10, we read, “Moreover, that whole gennation of Israel had come to an end. But all of this was eration was gathered to their ancestors, and another simply a prelude to God demonstrating His faithfulness generation grew up after them, who did not know the once again in an even greater way: By sending His own Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.” (1:10) Son Jesus to deliver them and the whole world from The next verses show how quickly the unfaithfulness of the people of Israel developed and grew. “Then the the oppression of Sin and Death. Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and Let’s take a closer look at how other portions of Scripture worshiped the Baals; and they abandoned the Lord, describe God’s faithfulness so that we can learn how the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out this translates into the life of us Christians as we seek of the land of Egypt; they followed other gods, from to live the Spirit-filled life. among the gods of the peoples who were all around them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. They abandoned the Lord, and worshiped Baal (storm god) and the Astartes (fertility goddess).” (2:11-13) As we have seen consistently, the character that is While Joshua and the Elders of Israel remained alive, expected from God’s people is simply a reflection the people of Israel remained faithful, but as soon as of the character of the God they serve. If God is the they died the Israelites began following after the gods model of faithfulness, then Christians should likewise of the neighboring nations. This says two things about be characterized by faithfulness. The framework for Israel: (1) they did not have a relationship with God with faithfulness was fashioned through covenants that any depth; and (2) apparently Joshua and the Elders God made with human beings, and particularly with did a poor job of transferring their faith to the children Abraham. That covenant was founded on a partnership of the next generation. A religion will last only so long between two consenting parties, and the stipulations as we transfer the commitment and training to the made between them were to be carried out in perpetuity upcoming generations. If we do a poor job of teaching (forever). The claim of Scripture is that God remained and mentoring, it can take only one generation to lose faithful to His promises, despite the unfaithfulness of the spiritual momentum of a people.
The Faithfulness of God D I SCU SS What challenges does the story of Joshua raise regarding our responsibility to the next generation? What challenges do we face in passing on the faith? How can we get this done?
Take Away: Religion is always one generation away from being lost. Every new generation must take up the torch God is faithful for countless generations: “Know therefore of faith. If there is no investment made by the previous that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who generation, then there will be no buy-in from the next. keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who Even though their parents had seen mighty miracles of love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand God in delivering them from slavery, and even though generation.” (Deuteronomy 7:9) His faithfulness never they had been blessed by God richly with the Land runs out but is continually renewed: “The steadfast promised to Abraham, they still fell away from God. How love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never dangerous does that make our own time in history, a come to an end; they are new every morning; great time when much of society is built on foundations that is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23) In fact, are not conducive (or supportive) to our following Christ Paul reminds Timothy that even “if we are faithless, and the spiritual traditions of our previous generations? he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (II Timothy 2:13) Like us, God cannot be anything other Case Study #2 – King Solomon than what He is, and thus it is impossible for him to be faithless; to do so would be to deny his very being. Solomon was considered one of the wisest men to have ever lived, according to Scripture. He looked promising And, as the saying goes: “the proof is in the pudding.” as a young ruler. After he was elevated to King, God God’s actions in history bear out the fact that He re- came to him in a dream and offered to him anything he mained faithful to His covenant promises. At the height wanted, and Solomon chose wisdom to rule. Because of the Kingdom of Israel, King Solomon acknowledged: he was so humble in his request, God also promised “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people to give him power, wealth, and fame. There was one Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word stipulation added to these promises: God asked him has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by to be faithful to His laws and statutes, and to remain pure in his love of God. Moses his servant.” Abraham’s descendants.
God certainly fulfilled His promises to Solomon. Through have to God. If we waffle in our allegiance to God, or God’s blessing, Solomon was able to extend his rule alternate between commitment to God and comprobeyond anything his father King David could have mise with idols of any kind, we lack faithfulness. And imagined. He experienced unprecedented political since longevity and continuity are characteristics of stability and economic prosperity. 1 Kings 10:21 indicates faithfulness, the Christian who displays faithfulness that gold was so abundant during his reign, that silver will remain trustworthy and dependable in their faith was not even considered valuable. Solomon became for the duration of their lives. the King who built the splendid Temple that became the Jesus explained the all-encompassing nature of following center of religious life in Israel. As for his wisdom: we are him: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever told that Solomon wrote over 3,000 proverbs, and over does not gather with me scatters.” (Matthew 12:30) a thousand songs. (1 Kings 4:32) He was said to have There is no place for compromise or moderation when been recognized for his wisdom by all the known world. it comes to following Christ. This is the same sentiment The Queen of Sheba came to visit him, and gave him the Lord expressed when several individuals told him tests to see how smart and wise he was. (2 Chronicles that they would follow him, but only after attending 9) Her assessment was that Solomon exceeded his to other priorities. His response is that “no one who reputation, and she said that his servants should be puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the thankful that they had the privilege of working for him. kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62) As the old song says, However, not all was not well in the house of Solomon. “I have decided to follow Jesus — no turning back, no Like the pagan kings around him, Solomon began making turning back.” alliances with the neighboring countries, and he sealed At times that Jesus seemed to try to scare off people these alliances with marriages to the daughters of the with his statements about the requirements needed to kings or high dignitaries: “King Solomon loved many be his disciple. On one occasion, when large crowds foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh… were following him, he stopped and challenged them from the nations concerning which the Lord had said with the disturbing message that unless they “hated” to the Israelites, “You shall not enter into marriage with (comparatively) their fathers and mothers, brothers and them, neither shall they with you; for they will surely sisters, they were not worthy of being his disciples. incline your heart to follow their gods”; Solomon clung Even today in many nations where Christianity is to these in love.” In the end he had 1,000 wives and socially unacceptable, new converts know that when concubines (the sheer numbers are staggering). But, they are baptized their family will disown them. Jesus’s the most unfortunate part of the story is that Solomon next words were even more disturbing: “If any want to did exactly what God had warned them would happen become my followers, let them deny themselves and if they made such alliances: He began to follow after take up their cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) Here the gods of his wives. “For when Solomon was old, we see that as a follower of Christ we must deny our his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and fleshly desires and take up our own personal cross to his heart was not true to the Lord his God, as was the be a true disciple. As Paul writes, “I have been crucified heart of his father David.” (I Kings 11:4) He even built with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ sites for them to worship their idols. who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live God was faithful to Solomon, but Solomon failed to be faithful to his God. He chose earthly loves and relationships over his relationship with Yahweh. Though Solomon was considered one of the wisest men in the world, he did not use wisdom when he lost his devotion to the God who gave him wisdom in the first place.
by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
So, what does faithfulness look like among Christians? How can we tell if someone is truly faithful or not?
One of the most important sacraments of the Christian church is meant to symbolize these truths. Being covered by the waters of baptism (regardless of the method) is meant to symbolize death and resurrection. Paul frames this point with a question: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” This is why Paul will later tell his readers that if they have died to sin, they should stop walking in sin – there is no compromise to be made between life in the world and life in the Spirit. Faithfulness to the Christian means that life completely changed when salvation came into their life. God has made a covenant with us through the blood of Jesus, and our part is to respond with faithfulness, being trustworthy and dependable in allegiance to Christ alone.
Faithfulness in the followers of Christ begins with the purity and consistency of the commitment that they
The Bible uses the analogy of the marriage covenant (See Romans 6, Ephesians 5). What man or woman
Take Away: Although wisdom is valuable, strength of mind alone is not enough to remain faithful. Faithfulness is ultimately a matter of the heart, and we must use our wisdom to guard our hearts or competing loves will pull us away from our faithfulness to God. Faithfulness means that we remain pure when we are surrounded by impurity. Faithfulness means that we can’t divide our hearts between God and all the other idols available to us in culture.
Faithfulness in Christians
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DISCUSS If the wisest man in the world could fall into compromise and idolatry, how can we stay safe in our faith? Where did Solomon ultimately go wrong? What do we need to do to avoid having the kind of ending that Solomon had as a spiritual leader?
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D I SCU SS What other stories of Christian martyrs are you familiar with? How might believers benefit from time studying these stories? (Note: persecution.org is one source of information about persecuted Christians in the world today.)
would enter into a marriage covenant with a partner who was sufficient to get you arrested, and to be arrested plans to remain married only as long as things go their was to be set apart for martyrdom. (We don’t have time way, or who is only half-hearted in their commitment to pursue the full story, but willingness to die for the faith to the marriage? The very language of the standard was so important to the Early Church that they had to marriage ceremony is the language of faithfulness. wrestle with whether to accept back into the congregation As we stand before a room full of witnesses, we say individuals who had, under torture, denied their faith. It vows to be dependable and trustworthy “for better or took some time for the Church to offer mercy to those for worse; for richer or for poorer; in sickness and in considered traitors (traditores) to the Faith.) health; ‘til death us do part.” Each partner assumes the faithfulness of the other, and believes that each of A Historical Example of Faithfulness them has taken stock of the costs that will be required of them, and, most importantly, has made the decision To close our lesson today, let’s look at the martyrdom of to keep those vows and promises for the rest of their Polycarp (69-155 AD), the Bishop of Smyrna (a city in the life. These vows are true regardless of the percentage area of modern-day Turkey). The story of his execution rate of divorce or broken marriages. They are vows is our “earliest known history of a Christian martyrdom, built to last – faithfulness is their foundation. the genuineness of which is unquestionable.”23 Polycarp was said to have known all the first Apostles and to have For the Early Church, taking up the cross deal was not been discipled by the Apostle John. During a time of a commitment to be taken lightly. As the Romans came persecution in the Roman Empire, soldiers were often to realize that the Christians were not merely a sect of Judaism, they saw the threat posed by Christianity sent out looking for leaders of the Christian movement to the absolute allegiance demanded by the Emperor. so that they could capture them and send them to Jews, for the most part, did not recruit others to their the Arena for execution. Polycarp’s church members religion. They were the chosen race of God, linked by begged him to hide from the soldiers, and so, for a blood, and thus, their relationship was fixed and needed time he stayed with another family in the countryside outside of the city of Smyrna. When his whereabouts no fresh additions. was discovered, the soldiers made their way to the Christianity, the Romans came to realize, was a different house in which he was staying. Instead of running animal entirely. Not only was their commitment to Christ away, Polycarp hosted the soldiers with food and drink. absolute, but they were also radically committed to Then, he asked them for the opportunity to pray before evangelizing others across all national, racial and ethnic leaving, and took time to pray for his congregation and lines. The Roman requirement to bow the knee to Caesar the whole church throughout the Empire. and proclaim that this secular ruler was Lord was not an option for true followers of Christ. The Jews also When he was taken into the Arena, the magistrate, who refused to bow the knee to Caesar and rather than kill apparently respected him, said that considering his old them, the Romans gave them permission to be different age, if he would just take an oath in the name of Caesar from the rest of the world. But Christians were recruiting and say, “away with the atheists,” he would be happy followers from every level of society (remember Paul’s to release him. Christians were referred to as atheists statement to the Philippians that there were followers by pagans because they had no visible “god” or idol that they worshiped. Polycarp turned this around the even in Caesar’s personal guard). other way; looking up at the crowd, he spoke directly To make matters worse, every person converted was to them, and cried out “Away with the atheists,” thus a person who now refused to submit to the authority dismissing their pagan gods as nothing. of Caesar over Christ. Every person converted refused to take part in pagan ceremonies, or to buy products that honored gods or goddesses. Most of the Christians began to boycott the gladiator events (many would soon be in them for execution) because of their brutality and the way that they appealed to the baser nature of human beings. Rome realized soon enough that this new religion was a threat to its very base of power, and it wasn’t long before the emperors began Empire-wide purges of Christians, and especially the leadership of the Church.
In this climate, martyrdom became a real possibility for disciples of Jesus. The word, “marturas,” in Greek means “witness.” To be faithful unto death became a chief way these early followers of Christ witnessed to his Lordship. When Rome began its program of killing Christians, they used the catch phrase “Caesar is Lord” as the weapon for identifying Christians. Refusal to make the statement
The magistrate then spoke to him again. He told him that he could be free if he would say, “Caesar is Lord,” and curse Christ. Polycarp’s answer has been honored throughout history for its courage: “Eighty and six years have I served him, and in nothing hath he wronged me; and how, then, can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?” The proconsul then threatened to throw him to the wild animals stored within the arena. Polycarp told him to bring them on – he would not change his position. The proconsul, seeing that he was not afraid of the beasts, then threatened to burn him at the stake. Polycarp told him that an hour of burning was nothing compared to the fire of “the future judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly.” He told the proconsul that he might as well get on with it; he would not back down.
The Romans then put his back to a stake and prepared
23 See http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/martyrdompolycarp.html
to nail his hands to it in order to hold him there. He told them that it was unnecessary; he would not try to get away. They lit the fire, and to their amazement, though the flames rose high around the stake, he wasn’t consumed by the fire. They spoke of a smell like burning bread or incense coming from around him. Finally, the proconsul commanded a man to stab him with a dagger to kill him. When he did so, Polycarp’s blood put out the fire, and the crowd marveled at the difference between the death of pagans and Christians.
Summary We have seen God’s uncompromising, unwavering faithfulness to keep His covenant promises. God’s ultimate faithfulness was revealed when He took on flesh and died for us while we were yet sinners. In response to God’s faithfulness, what does our
faithfulness look like? It looks like the life and death of the martyrs (“witnesses”), who chose to make a commitment to Christ Jesus that would tolerate no compromise, not even at the threat of torture and death. It looks like Polycarp who served Christ in purity and dependable service all his life, and at the age of 86, when he was threatened with death by fire, refused to declare Caesar as Lord. He happily chose to die for Christ rather than deny him or replace him with an idol of this world. To be faithful certainly means that we, as Christians, need to utilize our time and talents to honor the Lord, and to influence others for Christ. But, more importantly, it means to serve Christ faithfully, without compromise, in good times and bad, regardless of the benefits gained or lost, for as long as we have breath and life. That is what it means to display the fruit of faithfulness today – that is our challenge and task!
Application Idea: This week, ask the following questions of yourself: Am I using my time and gifts well in serving the Lord and his Kingdom? What more could I do to be a “good and faithful servant” in the eyes of my Lord? Secondly, do I have an all-or-nothing faith? Have I given my life so fully over to Christ that I could say with Paul, “I am crucified with Christ, and I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me?” Though I may not be a literal martyr for my faith, do I have the faith of a martyr? If you find your faith lacking, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal more of Christ’s faithfulness to you, so that you can be filled with more of him and to allow his faithfulness to strengthen your faith in return.
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Lesson Nine: The Fruit of Gentleness SUMMARY: In this lesson we will be looking at the concept of gentleness, and what it looks like in the Spirit-filled life. We will find that it is not the negative trait of shyness or weakness, but a trait that reflects sensitivity and concern for others. We will also discover that it is critically important for Christian leaders. of the road. So, he headed over to the trees, telling 1. How does our current culture view the words “gentle” his companions that he was going to “preach to our or “gentleness?” If someone is called gentle, is it a sisters, the birds.” As soon as he began to preach all the compliment or a negative assessment? What about birds alighted on the ground and remained motionless while he walked among them. They did not move or the older term “meek” or “meekness”? fly away until after he finished with a blessing offered 2. How can God be both gentle and an omnipotent, for them. These are just some of many stories that are righteous judge at the same time? told concerning the gentle nature of St. Francis, and the way that he touched both humans and animals. 3. In what kinds of situations would you most want someone to call you “gentle”? LEAD-IN QUESTIONS:
4. How can gentleness enhance the ministry of the church, both within the structure of the congregation and in our witness to the outside culture?
The Gentle Saint D I SCU SS How can teaching children to be kind to animals become a training ground for learning gentleness in their relationships with other people?
When I think of the word “gentle,” I immediately think of the great St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226). His nurturing heart and concern for others is part of his legacy to the world. His gentleness and genuine love for others is memorialized by the many hospitals named after him. He is noted for having founded the Order of the Franciscans and the Order of the St. Clares (the so-called Poor Clares, named for his dearest friend). Though starting out as the son of a middle-class merchant, Francis abandoned the secular world to spend his life as a mendicant (a beggar) who served the needs of others. The men who joined his order were not ordained as priests but rather were called friars (meaning “brothers”) who chose to leave the ordinary affairs of the world to serve God and their fellow brothers and sisters. St. Francis was gentle with others but hard on himself, seeking to kill off all sense of pride and self-love through strict religious practices. Later in life he was said to have received the stigmata, considered a mark of great spirituality in the Middle Ages, in which a person literally bleeds from the locations of the wounds of Christ.
Gentle Bear, Gentleman
In 1967, a television series began that lasted two years before going off the air. Entitled Gentle Ben, it was set in a Florida game preserve. The story was about the friendship and adventures of a young boy named Mark, and a 750 lb. black bear named Ben that Mark had helped rescue from poachers as a cub. The show brought out the contrast between a huge black bear and the word, “gentle.” If you have ever looked at the teeth and claws of a large bear, the word gentle, would not likely come to mind. Even looking at the pictures of the young actor, Clint Howard, laying on top of this massive bear (whose real name, by the way, was Bruno) feels uncomfortable. Yet the creature had been so trained that it consistently kept its power under control and demonstrated gentleness throughout the series. It is this contrast between strength and gentleness that we will be talking about throughout our current lesson. In our day, words like “gentleness” and “meekness” are often not used as a compliment. Unfortunately, the word has become associated with people who are overly sensitive, introspective, and easily hurt by others. We say we must be careful with a “gentle soul” so that we don’t accidentally damage them in some way. To describe someone as gentle is kind of to admit that the person is lacking in strength and fortitude. We think of a gentle person as a nurturer rather than a leader, and someone who cares more about treating people kindly than pushing or challenging them.
Francis was also famous for his gentleness toward animals. On one occasion24, he and his two companions entered the village of Cannara, and before beginning It is interesting to note that if we add one word as a to preach, St. Francis ordered the large number of modifier to it, it takes on a whole new meaning. How swallows gathered there to stop making noise. They often have parents told their son, as he was heading obeyed him and remained totally silent while he spoke. to the prom or out on a date, that he should be a The power of his message was so great that virtually “gentleman” that evening. The term seems to have an the whole village was ready to abandon the city and unwritten code attached to it: the young man is expected follow St. Francis. As he traveled down the road towards to show good manners (such as opening the door for another town, he noticed that an enormous number of his date), make sure that she is treated with respect, birds were perched in the grove of trees on the side and then have her back home at the agreed upon 24 See The Little Flowers of Saint Francis, (Trans. Heywood, 1906), https://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/lff/index.htm
hour – all this is related to the fact that a “gentleman” We may even find it easier to call God merciful and kind than to call him gentle. This is because, as we has integrity and honor. noted earlier, gentle has a modern-day connotation At one point in time, to classify a person as a gentleman of being meek, unassuming, and sweet, whereas we would mean that this was a person of distinction and know God to be powerful, righteous in judgment, and higher status in society. Etymology online25 says that uncompromising with evil. a gentleman is, “in a general sense, every educated
person above a laborer, an artisan, or a tradesman. However, we cannot ignore the fact that God is, in fact, An individual possessed of the conduct, character, described as gentle in Scripture. He gave a childless habits, and outward appearance, which belong, or are couple their very own son long after their child-birthing expected to belong, to person born and educated in days were over (Abraham and Sarah). He saved the family a high social position; a man in any station of life who of Lot from sure destruction as judgment came upon is possessed of good breeding and refined manners, Sodom and Gomorrah. He protected Joseph after he strict integrity and honor; kindness of heart, and such was sold into slavery, causing him to gain favor in every like qualities.” Dictionary.com26 defines a gentleman situation he found himself in, even a prison in Egypt. This as “a civilized, educated, sensitive, or well-mannered is the God who freed the people of Israel from slavery man.” So, the “gentle-man” held a place of elite status in Egypt with his mighty acts of power. This is the God in society, and the characteristics of this person were who tolerated the complaining and bellyaching of the related to class, good breeding, integrity, and kindness people of Israel in the desert, and then supplied them with manna from heaven and quail to eat so that they towards others. never went hungry in the Wilderness. He gave them Somehow, in our language we have gone from the idea water from rocks, and helped them to defeat armies that being a gentleman as a status to be sought after that came against them, even though they had been to the idea that it is a mild and weak person, someone slaves (not warriors) for 400 years. that we need to treat with sensitivity and care lest we hurt their feelings. In contrast, the Bible brings together But this is also the God who brought the plagues down the two concepts without one canceling out the other. on Egypt and finished by taking the life of every firstborn Scripture, for example, associates the gentle person child as he broke the chain of bondage in Egypt. This with someone who is meek and sensitive, and kind is the God who overpowered the nations living in the and tender; yet, at the same time, it also clearly depicts region of Palestine, so that his people could have a the gentle person as someone who has strength of place to live and teach others about the true God of the character, protects the needy, and is worthy of honor Universe (a task, by the way, that the people of Israel because of their great integrity. King David modeled failed to accomplish). And this is the God who sent his this combination of character traits. He was a sensitive people into Exile when they continuously followed after young man who wrote a great deal of poetry and the pagan gods of the nations all around them, and music (the Psalms) and played musical instruments in lived materialistic lives that mistreated and cheated a way that could calm the spirits of others. At the same the poor and defenseless. time, he was an amazing warrior who killed a giant, We often see the Shepherd metaphor used to describe overwhelmed whole armies of his enemies, and who the nature of the Lord and His actions. The most famous ruled a large Empire during his reign as king of Israel. example of this metaphor is in the 23rd Psalm, written Most would agree that Jesus embodies gentleness, by King David. In the Gospels, Jesus spoke of himself as and yet those who encountered him in the Gospels the Good Shepherd who makes sure that the sheep are invariably were struck by his tremendous authority protected and secure, and willingly gives his life for his and power. How do we explain this seeming disparity sheep. (John 10:11-18) Isaiah describes the all-powerful between definitions of gentleness? As we have seen God of Israel as a shepherd who tenderly gathers his repeatedly, the best way to understand any of the Fruit lambs (metaphorical reference to the people of Israel) of the Spirit is to see how it is demonstrated by God. Our into his arms and gently leads them. (Isaiah 40:11) role as Christians is to model our lives after our Lord, Perhaps a closer look at the overall flow of this text will so we would do well to see how this trait functions in make this choice of words even more insightful to us. Him before tackling the trait in ourselves.
At the beginning of Isaiah 40, God tells the people of Israel that their punishment for idolatry and evil ways (the Exile) is now finished, and they should feel comforted. The unchanging nature of the Lord is contrasted with human beings, who are said to be like grass and flowers Many times, we do not think of God as being gentle. that grow quickly, but just as quickly fade and die. By We have no issue with calling God a Creator of all comparison, Isaiah says, God’s Word lasts forever (6-8). things, a Judge of all people, a Transcendent Being Isaiah then turns to describe the power of God—how above all things, or using any of the Omni’s (Omniscient, He measured out all the waters of the earth in the palm Omnipresent, Omnipotent) to describe his nature. of his hand; He enclosed the mountains and measured
The Gentleness of God
25 http://www.etymology-online.com/gentleman 26 https://www.dictionary.com/browse/gentleman
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DISCUSS How would you explain God’s gentleness? Can God be gentle while at the same time sending people to Hell? Considering the way that God is portrayed in both the Old and New Testaments, how can we defend his character as being gentle? Explain your answer.
a woman, they say, who has been caught in the act of adultery. They throw out the bait to this upstart preacher – “Hey, Jesus, Moses wrote a law that said that a woman who commits adultery should be stoned, so what do you want us to do?” Now they have him, they think. If he tells them to let her go, then he will prove to everyone that he is a sinner who discounts the Laws of Moses. If he says to stone her, then he will come off as unmerciful and bloodthirsty. After looking To God, all the nations are like nothing, and less than down to write in the sand, Jesus straightens up and nothing, according to Isaiah. God is described as the tells them what to do: “Let anyone among you who is One who sits above “the circle of the earth, and its without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (vs. 7) inhabitants are like grasshoppers” to him (22). Again, After these words, he stoops back down and begins rhetorically God asks: “To whom will you compare me, writing with his finger again. (Several ancient authors or who is my equal?” (25) The answer is: no one! He surmise that he was writing the sins of the accusers then tells the people to look up into the sky and see on the ground.) One by one, the pious accusers of the the stars. It is God who created all of them, numbered woman begin to fade away until none of them remain them, and calls them by name – not one is missing. (26) behind to throw a rock at her. Jesus stands back up At the end of the chapter, we finish with those verses and asks her where her accusers are, and if anyone still so often quoted for inspiration: “Those who wait for condemns her. When she answers “no one,” he tells her the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount that he does not condemn her either. He then makes up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be a comment that we sometimes ignore: “Go your way, weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (31) and from now on do not sin again.” (vs.11) Jesus is not In the middle of this chapter that has such grandeur condoning her sin by not condemning her. Perhaps he and power associated with God, we are told that He can tell that the humiliation of the situation has already holds his lambs to his bosom, and gently leads them been sufficient to create a repentant spirit in her. Rather, forth. (11) It is here that we see the wonderful blending he tells her to stop sinning. Christ forgives us, but he in God of power and transcendence with gentleness also empowers us so that we will stop sinning and no D I SCU SS and tenderness. longer be a slave to our lusts and wrong desires.
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the hills throughout the earth. Isaiah then speaks of God’s incomparable wisdom: God created all things without consulting anyone. Rhetorically, Isaiah asks who directed the Spirit of the Lord or counseled Him in his plans; who gave Him the knowledge and understanding to bring this all about? (12-14) The answer, of course, is no one – God did it by His own power and for His own purposes.
If you imagine Jesus walking up and speaking to you, do you picture him as being The same dichotomy is played out in the Gospel stories gentle with you? of Jesus. Jesus honors a poor, elderly widow woman. Why or why not? He compassionately heals lepers whom everyone else
The Gentleness of Jesus
runs from in fear. Seeing the only son of a widow being taken for burial and knowing that his mother can’t take care of herself, he raises the man up from the dead for her sake. Jesus even uses the word, gentle, to describe himself as he tells those who are “weary and are carrying heavy burdens” to come to him. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,” he tells them, “for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
And yet, this is also the same Jesus who throws over the tables of the moneychangers and uses a whip on the people selling animals at exorbitant prices in the Temple. The same Jesus confronted the leaders of the Jews and stood up to the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites in front of all the many people gathered to hear him. (Matthew 23) The same Jesus causes horrible demons to cringe in submission before him.
Gentleness without Compromise In John 8, the Jewish leaders are looking for an excuse to arrest Jesus and do away with him. He is at the Temple teaching when the Scribes and Pharisees interrupt him by bringing a woman to stand in front of him. Here is
Jesus showed gentleness in his handling of this delicate situation. He didn’t point his finger or shout and threaten these men who were using her as a pawn. Nor did he speak harshly to this lady who was clearly guilty of breaking one of the Ten Commandments. He responded with gentleness to all parties involved in the incident. Even if he was writing the sins of the accusers in the dirt, he could have just as easily have stood up and called their sins out loud, thus publicly embarrassing the accusers in front of all the people within hearing at the Temple. His gentle response to the accusers gave them the opportunity to fade away with little repercussions. His response to the woman gently offered to her mercy while at the same time challenged her to live differently.
Gentle with Children Another example of Jesus’s gentleness is how he interacted with children. They were often present when he spoke in public, and he utilized them at times to make points about spirituality. When Jesus was asked by the Apostles to name who was the greatest among them, Jesus called a little child up, and told them that unless they became humble, like the little child, they could not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He then threatened his listeners by saying if they ever caused a little one like this to lose their faith in him, it would be better for that person to have died first. He added that these little ones have angels in heaven looking out for their interests, so be careful how you treat them. (Matthew 18:1-9) Another time, when the Disciples sought to
prevent parents from bringing their children to Jesus to bless them, Jesus responded, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:16-17) In an episode of the recent mini-series The Chosen, Jesus is seen camping out in a wooded area outside a city. One day a little child and her friend spot his campsite, and begin coming to visit him. Before long a whole group of children are coming to see him every day, and he begins teaching them things about God, such as the Lord’s Prayer. They are all disappointed the day that they come to his campsite only to find that he has left to begin his public ministry. Although this was speculative on the part of the filmmakers, it is consistent with what we see of Jesus in the scriptures. What a beautiful way for the writers of the show to communicate his gentle and meek nature, by showing how children would naturally have been drawn to him and enjoyed being around him.
Gentle Exorcist?
Holy Spirit, we are empowered to become gentle as he is gentle. We can engage in the world to bring calm to troubles and to show kindness to those who need a touch from God. Like Christ, we are not weak or reticent to engage with others; rather, our gentleness leads us to use our strengths for ministry with tenderness toward the needs of others. The world may mock and scorn our gentleness, but sinners in need of grace, those with child-like hearts, and those oppressed by spiritual darkness will be drawn to us as a source of healing, freedom, and blessing.
Gentleness in Leadership Gentleness is vital for all believers, but it is especially important for those in a position of leading or mentoring others. Paul repeatedly used the word to speak to church leadership in his letters. Gentleness is an effective tool in helping struggling Christians regain their strength in order to live the Christian life with integrity. Paul trained the young leaders Timothy and Titus to assist him in his work and help establish the churches that they planted. In his letters to them, Paul shares with techniques for dealing with the kinds of people DISCUSS that they will encounter in their work with churches. Can you think of
The last example that I would offer to us might not appear to represent gentleness at all. And yet, if the Oxford English Dictionary says that the meaning of gentle is For example, Paul writes to give Timothy advice on to “kind or tender; to make or become gentle, calm or handling confrontation. “And the Lord’s servant must not pacify,” I believe this story will show us another aspect be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, of the gentleness of Jesus. One day Jesus suggests to patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God his disciples that they should go across the Lake to the may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to other side. When they cross over, they are confronted know the truth, and that they may escape from the by a man who is tormented by a multitude of demons. snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to These demons cause him to live in the tombs, to howl in do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:25) Paul is warning Timothy agony, and make him have such strength that he breaks to keep his focus on restoring people, not on winning the chains that the citizens bind him with out of fear. an argument. We must choose to correct gently and Jesus casts all these demons out of this man and into carefully those who get off track so as to draw people a herd of pigs. After this miracle, the man is described toward Christ rather than run them away from Him. this way: “Then people came out to see what had Paul has practiced what he preaches to Timothy. In his happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found letter to the Thessalonians, he described his manner of the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the ministry with them as gentle. “We were gentle (Greek feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.” (Mark 5:15) word used here means ‘like a young child’) among you, The man who had been tormented and frightening was like a nursing mother taking care of her children.” But now calmed and pacified — the definition of gentleness. then, in his first letter to the Corinthians Paul shows Once again, we see that gentleness does not make Jesus that his gentleness does not prevent him from using weak — on the contrary, he demonstrates impressive his authority to discipline, if the situation warrants it. spiritual power. Rather, his gentleness is shown in his “What would you prefer?” he asks them, “Am I to come to willingness to spend a day crossing the lake to get to you with a stick, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?” this man, showing compassion on his pain and restoring (I Corinthians 4:21) his human dignity and freedom. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul writes: “I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ — I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!” Here Paul says that he acts like Jesus (meek, Paul tells us that when we have the Fruit of the Spirit humble, and gentle) when with them in Corinth, but, is in our lives (Galatians 5:22-3), we will be marked by also strong and aggressive, like Jesus, in his correcting gentleness. God is our model for this fruit — through His gentle, shepherd-like care of His people in the Old them when he is traveling. So, it appears that gentleness Testament, and ultimately through Jesus in the New does not preclude or prevent a person being able to be Testament, as well as the followers of Jesus. Since the assertive or aggressive when the occasion calls for it.
Gentle Christians
Spirit of Christ Jesus is living in us as the Temple of the
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Paul offers similar advice to the more mature Christians
another story in the Gospels that illustrates the gentle nature of Jesus? Explain your answer. What person best exemplifies gentleness to you – what does their gentleness look like in the way that they act and live?
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in Galatia: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1, NIV) The key is the use of gentleness with correction – most of the time people respond better to the tender touch than they do to harsh reproof. Note how, when Paul writes to the Ephesians, he uses the language of begging rather than command: “I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)
of the people.” (Hebrews 5:2-3) The key here is that as a priest (remember, we believe in the priesthood of all believers – every Christian is a priest) we must remind ourselves that we also struggle to live righteously, and often need forgiveness ourselves. This should inform our leadership in such a way that gentleness and mercy become the pattern for our correcting or redirecting. Finally, Peter’s advice on witnessing to our faith to a difficult adversary is a good place to end this lesson. He tells his readers to “always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil.” (I Peter 3:15-17) Once again, the purity of our lives gives us the right to make our stand, but the gentleness and respect by which we address our opponent gains us a hearing.
The stronger reproof is rarely effective unless you have gained the right to do so by having built a strong relationship with the person. Just “whacking” a person for their mistakes will usually bring up defense mechanisms, and cause retreat rather than repentance. The letter of Hebrews also cautions us to approach wayward, struggling Christians with gentleness. The writer first Gentleness, then, is a vital aspect of the Fruit of the notes that as priests it is our role to intercede on behalf Spirit, especially for parents, teachers, and other leaders of others. He then adds that such a priest is “able to who must instruct or correct others, and is the key to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he success in sharing our faith with outsiders. Perhaps we himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he should seek to be gentler in our everyday lives! must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those
Application Idea: Consider how people think of you as a Christian – especially any unbelievers who know you. Would gentleness be a term that they used to describe you? What about people whom you lead, teach, or mentor? If not, make this your prayer this next week: Lord, teach me to be gentle: Gentle in the way that I treat people; gentle in my reactions when things don’t go my way; gentle in my concern for those struggling as Christians. Fill me with the gentleness of Christ Jesus. Like him, may I come to be known for my gentleness!
Lesson Ten: The Fruit of Self-Control
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SUMMARY: In this lesson we will be talking about the connection self-control has with the power of our witness in the world. We will also talk about the fact that even though self-control is a Fruit of the Spirit, we are expected to do our part in utilizing it to manage our spiritual lives. LEAD-IN QUESTIONS: 1.
Can you recall the last time you felt out of control as a Christian?
2. How is self-control related to our public witness for Christ? 3. Have you ever witnessed or experienced damage done by a Christian who has lost their self-control? 4. Is it possible to teach myself to have self-control, or is this something that the Holy Spirit must give it to me? Explain your answer.
Defining Self-Control
Self-control should not be confused with self-hatred or self-rejection. The “self” is not something evil that must be controlled because it is bad. Rather, the human self is complex, consisting of spiritual, emotional, and physical drives and desires all mixed together. Paul refers to this in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” To function properly, there must be a proper order where the Spirit controls the mind and the mind controls the body. Thus, we can best show ourselves self-love by learning how to properly control ourselves.
Lack of Self-Control
As we’ve done throughout the series, let’s look at the words the New Testament writers used to define Arguably one of the greatest hindrances to evangelism self-control. Several different words are used in the is the lack of self-control among Christians. Anyone Scriptures to express this idea. They include being of who is been in ministry, or has been associated with sound mind, temperate, or exhibiting self-governing the church for any length of time, has likely had that principles in one’s life. The Greek word translated as cringe moment when they saw a Christian “act out” self-control in Galatians 5:23 (egkrateia), is defined because something didn’t go their way; or they got as “self-control, or the virtue of one who masters his mad about something or someone in the church; or desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites.”27 because they had a strong opinion that they wanted Paul uses this word to describe the kind of self-control to voice regardless of the damage it would do; or they exhibited by athletes in training to win athletic contests. mistreated someone who irritated them. In that moment, “Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to all the Christian love, all the sweet spirit of unity, and receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable all the attractiveness of Christianity went out the door. one.” (I Corinthians 9:25) Another word (sophronos), Truthfully, more damage has been done to the cause of often translated as self-control, is more related to being Christ by out-of-control Christians than any other area sober (serious and thoughtful), having a sound mind, of interaction with secular culture. The problem is that Christians seem no different than non-believers. They and being temperate (moderate). have the same level of morality, they react with the This concept of gaining control over one’s senses, desame anger, the same intolerance, and the same lack sires, or emotions is a consistent theme throughout the of patience as everyone else in society, undermining Scriptures. For example, while warning Timothy about their claim to possess the transforming power of the the kinds of people who will be around at the end time Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, sometimes non-believers (prior to Christ’s return), Paul gives a laundry list of the offer a better model of behavior than some Christians. kinds of wickedness that people will exhibit. He says that they will be “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers In contrast, faithful Christians throughout the centuries of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their have been known for their Counter-Cultural perspective parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, – an alternative view from Secular Culture on life, morals, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers and ultimate things. This was one source of the first of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of persecutions of Christians in the Early Church period. pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of Their unwillingness to participate in pagan customs, godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do and their decisions to boycott immoral pagan events with such people.” (2 Timothy 3:2-5 NIV) The word used made them the target of reprisals by the non-Christian here for “without self-control” is akratais. Thus, lacking public. Similarly, their refusal to acknowledge other self-control is one of the characteristics of the people gods as real caused them to be called atheists and threats to Roman culture. It is little wonder that they that we are told to avoid as the end time draws near. 27 Strong’s Greek Dictionary, εγκράτεια, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1466/
DISCUSS American culture puts a great deal of emphasis on “being yourself” and “expressing yourself.” How would you answer a critic who claimed that self-control is a bad thing because it stifles and restricts our “true self”?
were rejected by a society dedicated to pagan gods and to the immoral lifestyles associated with them. When Christians chose to be different from the rest of society, their moral integrity made the best argument for becoming Christian. Though persecuted for their faith, they did not strike back at those who rejected or talked bad about them, and their behavior was the model of Christ-like restraint and self-control. The distinct differences between pagan and Christian culture offered clear options to those seeking answers to ultimate questions about the meaning of life. Unfortunately for the church in the modern era, Christians too often take on many of the negative characteristics of secular culture. The result is that more and more people are turned off by Christianity, and culture moves further and further away from the moral standards that Christians desire to see in society. In sum, the Church struggles to differentiate itself from culture, and, to a greater degree than we would like to admit, the church members allow culture D I SCU SS dictate to them how they should order their lives.
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How should we respond to the losses that Christianity has experienced in recent years among some of the most visible leaders of the Church? How do we respond to those who question the value of a religion that seemingly can’t keep its heroes of the faith on the right path? How can we protect ourselves from experiencing the same failures that we read about in both Scripture and the media?
only one in four Americans is a practicing Christian28 as of 2020, down from 45% in 2000. Those who claim to be atheists, agnostic, or “none’s” doubled in size from 11% in 2003 to 21% in 2018.
Self-Control and Evangelism
Why are we looking at survey numbers while we are talking about self-control? Because Christianity is a religion that is based on evangelism and recruitment. The mandate to win people to Christ, passed down to the Church by the Apostles, originated in the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:19-20) The Holy Spirit was sent to the Church on behalf of Jesus to impart power to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth.” (Acts 1:8) The effectiveness of that witness is centered in the life lived on behalf of Christ in front of the world. The language of commissioning is clearly expressed in the writings Sadly, we see lack of self-control among both laity of Paul to the Church: “So, we are ambassadors for and clergy leaders. In the last years, we have had Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we several great Christian leaders and representatives entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. who have “made shipwreck of their faith,” as Paul puts For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, it in 1 Timothy 1:19. Whether it is the leader of a mega so that in him we might become the righteousness of church, a highly regarded Christian musician, or the God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21) As God’s representative, pastor of a local church, when the leadership of the His ambassadors, we are to be the righteousness of church falls into sin or loses their faith, the witness of God. Paul reiterates that our lives represent Christ to the Church is damaged. Although the damage can be the world in his letter to the Galatians: “I have been offset to some degree by the work of countless faithful crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christians, the opportunities for growth and expansion it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved are certainly hindered by these failures and losses. me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) In the It is also important to remember that this is not a new letter to the Romans, Paul expresses the power of that problem. The Patriarchs — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob crucifixion when he asks, “How can we who died to — all had moments of moral failure. Moses was excluded sin go on living in it?” (6:2) The premise of Christianity from the Promised Land for disobeying God. King David is that Christ died to save us from our sins that kept committed adultery and murder. King Solomon and us out of relationship with God. Having re-established most of the kings who followed him were unfaithful that relationship, it becomes the responsibility of the to God. One of Jesus’s own disciples betrayed him, Christian to be the evidence that the change can occur another denied him, and all of them failed him in his by living a life that is radically different from the world most difficult hour. We can learn two things from these that is largely made up of non-believers. past failures of leaders: First, the mission of God can and does continue despite human failures. Second, The way the Christian thinks, speaks, and acts is the however, there is a gravity to becoming a leader in the evidence of the difference between the Believer and church. James warned us, “Not many of you should the Non-Believer. become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you The Christian thinks differently. We have a belief in know that we who teach will be judged with greater a God who created and has personal interest in his strictness.” (James 3:1) Creation; in a fallen humanity in need of salvation; in We live in a time when the relevance of the Church the need to have a personal relationship with Christ has come into question in the public sector. Many have Jesus to receive that salvation; in forgiveness of sin and come to believe that the moral and cultural influence guilt through Christ; in the eternal life of the believer; in freedom from the control of sin; and in the power to of the Church is waning. overcome troubles and difficulties through the Christ. Demographic numbers bear out the fact that the Church is on the decline rather than growing in North America. The Christian speaks differently. We speak words of The Barna organization determined through surveys that life rather than death; we affirm rather than belittle; we build up rather than tear down; we claim victory in the 28 http://www.barna.com/research/changing-state-of-the-church/. The research for this data was collected among 96,171 surveys over more than 20 years. For survey purposes, Barna defined Practicing Christians as persons who identify themselves as Christian; agree strongly that faith is very important in their lives; and have attended church within the past month. These are pre-pandemic numbers, so they are not skewed by the effects of the pandemic on church attendance.
face of defeat; we use words that honor rather than embarrass their Lord; and we witness aloud to our faith. The Christian acts differently. We care for the lost, the hurting, and the helpless; we behave morally and socially different because of absolute devotion to Christ; we love other believers and find ways to love the community on behalf of Christ; we try to better the community in which we live, and thus stand up for righteousness in that community; and we model our faith in our families and the way we raise our children.
His point is that if you only concern yourself with the things in your control, then you can never be unhappy. He goes on: “Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things. Death, for instance, is not terrible, else it would have appeared so to Socrates. But the terror consists in our notion of death that it is terrible… Don’t demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.”
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To Epictetus, the way that we think about something When our beliefs, words, and actions are in sync, the is the only thing that affects our sense of satisfaction Christian church has the greatest growth and the or peace of mind. Nothing can bother us if we simply greatest impact on society. On the other hand, when refuse to allow it to bother us; we may not be in control but we can be in complete control the members of the Church fail to live up to their calling, of the circumstance, 29 of our response. the non-believing world tends to ignore or reject the Church’s effort at evangelism and recruitment. The philosopher, Epicurus (341-270BC), believed that the Although several factors can affect a Christian’s faith answer to life is to seek pleasure and to avoid pain. He and witness, it could be argued that self-control is the believed that the greatest pleasure is in philosophy and largest single factor that affects the ability of a believer the matters of the mind. To live in sensual pleasures is to fight through the temptation and struggles that come to live the life of a beast, but humans are meant for the with living a Christian lifestyle. Likewise, the ability to greater good of rationality. So, our thought-life should gain self-control has a direct proportional impact on be our primary focus. Epicurus writes:
whether the believer will have an effective and long- “For this reason we call pleasure the alpha and omega of term witness for Christ. a happy life. Pleasure is our first and kindred good. It is the starting-point of every choice and of every aversion, and to it we come back, inasmuch as we make feeling the rule by which to judge of every good thing…By pleasure we mean the absence of pain in the body and To better understand the unique contribution of of trouble in the soul. It is not an unbroken succession Christianity to the problem of self-control, it may be of drinking-bouts and of merrymaking, not sexual love, helpful to touch on what other Greek philosophers were not the enjoyment of the fish and other delicacies of a saying about self-control in the same ancient world luxurious table, which produce a pleasant life; it is sober in which the New Testament was written. Observing reasoning, searching out the grounds of every choice and the questions they were asking and the answers the avoidance, and banishing those beliefs through which proposed help us to see both what Christianity had in the greatest disturbances take possession of the soul.”30 common with them, and how Christian beliefs were Although Epicureanism has come to be known as uniquely different. the pursuit of pleasure without consideration of the
Philosophy and Self-Control
One group of philosophers, the Stoics, maintained that a person can only be happy if they take charge of their own thought processes. If how we think controls our state of happiness, thinking correctly becomes the key to our way of life. An example of this type of philosophy can be found in the writings of the Stoic philosopher, Epictetus, who died in 135 AD. His short piece on Stoicism titled, Enchiridion, is a good example of the way the Stoic way of life was to be implemented. Epictetus wrote, “Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions…But if you suppose that only to be your own which is your own, and what belongs to others such as it really is, then no one will ever compel you or restrain you. Further, you will find fault with no one or accuse no one. You will do nothing against your will. No one will hurt you, you will have no enemies, and you will not be harmed.” 29 http://classics.mit.edu/Epictetus/epicench.html 30 http://classics.mit.edu/Epicurus/menoec.html
consequences, this is not the theory of Epicurus at all. He, like the Stoics, felt that the highest good for every human being was to maximize their use of their rationality, and to live a life controlled by our minds.
Notice with the philosophers where the responsibility for our self-control is situated: According to Epictetus and Epicurus, we are to use our own reason to determine how we live, and what will make us happy. In other words, they claim that I can always be happy, if I just think the right thoughts. Paul and the other writers of the New Testament would agree that self-control is necessary for happiness, that part of self-control includes taking responsibility for how we respond to situations even when we can’t control the circumstances, and that we must choose to pursue higher goals than mere sensual pleasure. However, in these Greek philosophies, happiness, personal changes, and fulfillment are all dependent upon us. The difference between these systems and
DISCUSS Can you think of situations in which a Christian thinking, speaking and acting differently led to someone else becoming a Christian?
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Christianity is that they do not include the role of God or a spiritual dynamic in their pursuit of happiness and fulfillment. For the Christian, gaining self-control is not something we do on our own but something we pursue in relationship with Christ through his Spirit.
Self-Control and the Spirit
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The great variable that must factor into the conversation about self-control, moral righteousness, and our witness is the degree to which the presence of the Holy Spirit is active in the life of a believer. As we have seen with each of the fruit of the Spirit, the fruit originate in the Holy Spirit. So, the more that the Spirit is free to operate in the believer, the more visible the fruit will become in their life. This is particularly true with the fruit of self-control. And yet, having said this, the Scripture is also very clear that we must be a part of the process as well. We are expected to choose with our will to live a life characterized by self-control. This is best understood as a cooperative process, according to Scripture. We do not replace self-control with “Spirit-control,” but rather we develop self-control through the power of the Spirit.
How do you react to the thoughts of the philosophers mentioned here? Do you see a The writers of Scripture clearly believe that we can, reflection of these in fact, have self-control; it is within our reach. John ancient philoso- Wesley explained this belief in terms of an implied phies in the modpromise behind every command. That is, God would ern “folk wisdom” never command us to do something that we cannot we often receive possibly do; therefore, each command comes with an today about how implicit promise that He will give us the ability to carry to succeed in it out. This is true even for seemingly hard commands life by having a “positive attitude” such as “be perfect [in love] even as your Father in and “working Heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) hard to achieve our goals”? Can In Romans 6, Paul explains that we must choose to we control our offer ourselves to either Christ or sin. He says, “present own thinking, yourselves to God,” as if to say that it is in our hands emotions, and to make the move. (Romans 6:16) In a similar vein, Paul behavior to the later says that the way that we live is up to us, and that extent that the two we must either live by the flesh or the Spirit. “For those early philosophers who live according to the flesh set their minds on the suggest?
passion.” (1 Corinthians 7:9) In other words, if they are having trouble controlling themselves, then marriage is the better alternative rather than falling into sin. Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication (unmarried sex); that each one of you know how to control your own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God.” (4:4) Notice the language here – we are to control our own bodies in “holiness and honor.” In all these cases, the responsibility falls on us as Christian men and women to take charge of our own moral situation. Likewise, when the Apostle Peter is counseling his readers as to what they should do to escape the corruption of the world, he links faith to self-control. “For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7) Peter explains that when we pair knowledge with self-control the product will be endurance. This actually makes perfect sense. Self-awareness is a critical aspect of self-control – we are better able to control ourselves when we understand ourselves well. If I have self-control, I will begin taking charge of areas that are not being lived under the authority of Christ. As I continue to walk into this lifestyle, endurance will be the result because of the strength gained from each new conquest of those areas of weakness.
Moving into Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, Paul tells Timothy to encourage the women to dress modestly and to use self-control as they choose the way that they should look. (I Timothy 2:9) In speaking about the overseer or bishop of the congregation, he suggests that there must be no question about a bishop’s character, and among several other traits, the bishop must have self-control. (I Timothy 3:2) In talking to Titus about the families under his authority, he tells the young preacher to encourage the young men and women to exhibit self-control in their families and in the community. The things of the flesh, but those who live according to main reason that these patterns should be followed is the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” so that the believing community will not be discredited (Romans 8:5) Notice in the verse that we have a choice in the eyes of the public. (Titus 2:3-6) about how we “set” our minds. Again, in Romans 12, This brings us back to the beginning of this lesson. As Paul tells the believers to “present your bodies as a human beings we are to do the best that we can to living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is have good lives, and to take care of our loved ones. But your spiritual worship.” He follows it with the admonition, as Christians, that is not the only purpose we have as “do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed we live out our lives on this planet. We have also been by the renewing of your mind.” The language here called to be a community that recruits people to the puts the responsibility on us as believers. We are to Kingdom of God through our words, our moral lives, and present ourselves wholly to God, and we are not to our actions in community. We are called to be Agents of allow ourselves to be conformed to the world. Change through the power of the Holy Spirit. The very Paul not only speaks in general terms of our responsibility to participate in our own spiritual growth, but he also writes specifically about self-control. For example, when writing to those who wish to remain single to maximize their freedom to serve the Lord, Paul gives this advice: “But if they are not practicing self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with
nature of our calling makes us Counter-Cultural – we are different from the culture around us, and we are calling people out of it. Peter describes us as aliens living in a foreign land (1 Peter 2:11). If our lives are not different from the culture, then we have nowhere to bring the people we call. One of the ways that we will give the clearest evidence of our difference is in
our use of self-control to govern our lives. We are not like the rest of the world because we choose not to be – that choice is implemented by our self-control. That self-control, as Galatians 5:23 tells us, is empowered by the Holy Spirit. When this fruit truly becomes effective in the life of the believer, the power of our witness is taken to a whole new level.
and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:40) Paul expresses the same mindset when he wrote that “the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:14) So, living out the Fruit of the Spirit is merely living into the Law and Prophets as defined by Jesus and Paul. And the power to do this is found in living the life of the Spirit.
The challenge to each of us is whether we will take charge or not. God can accomplish His mission without us, but He has given us the privilege of being part of the process of bringing people into the Kingdom. Each of us is individually unique as a human being, and that uniqueness makes our role in the evangelism process specific to each one of us. As Paul indicated, we are like a body, and each part as a role to play. The hand cannot do the work of the eye, nor can the foot do the work of ear. Each unique part of the body plays a role in strengthening and expanding God’s Kingdom. For that reason, our role as ambassadors of Christ is both a privilege and a responsibility. Let’s all pray that God can use us to be part of the solution, rather than work around us because we are part of the problem.
This is a process that happens as we apply the Cross to the fleshly (non-spiritual) desires that oppose Christ in our life. Paul makes the point in his letter to the Romans, when he writes, “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13 NIV) The early part of this chapter says that the flesh (our sinful human tendencies and desires) is opposed to the Spirit of God, and we must utilize his Spirit to go after those fleshly desires to cut them out of our lives. Think of this like pruning your plants – you have to cut out what is not needed to allow what you need to grow out. We can never be the person God intends us to be if we mix the Spirit and flesh together. Just as God told the Israelites to not make treaties with, intermarry with, or follow the gods of the pagan nations around them in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), so spiritually DISCUSS the Christian must not compromise with the flesh but Have you had live entirely by the Spirit.
The Fruit and the Law
As we close out this last lesson on the Fruit of the As Christians, we have been called to step out from Spirit, we need to look at the statement at the end of society and be holy – set apart for God. That begins Galatians 5:23, “against such things there is no law.” and ends with the two most basic laws that exist – love Paul is explaining to us that when the Fruit are operating God; love neighbor. Each fruit of the Spirit is a building to the maximum extent in a person’s life, that person block on those two laws. Without this fruit lived out in is naturally living out the demands of the Law of God. the presence of non-Christian culture, the Church has The Spirit, then, goes far beyond trying to figure out the little hope to convert sinners to Christianity. “dos and don’ts” of the Christian life. I’m sure that all of us have heard someone say that they don’t believe in When we lack the Fruit of the Spirit, we diminish our the Church because it is all about laws and negative own spiritual quality of life, and we will find that being a commandments. In reality, the laws of the Old Testament Christian is a much greater struggle than it was meant are, in many ways, rational responses to spiritual truth. to be. “All in” is the catchphrase of the Christian. To If there is one true God, then rejecting idolatry and the blend flesh and spirit is to be miserable as a Christian. worship of other gods is automatically true. If loving To fulfill the Law and Prophets is to live the life of love, one’s neighbor is the primary truth, then not taking the which, to practicing Methodists/Wesleyans, is the life of an innocent person, or stealing from them, just sanctified life taught by John Wesley. Though one of the fruits of the Spirit is love, in the greater sense love makes practical sense. is the key element behind all the Fruit of the Spirit. The phrase “against such there is no law,” is expressing When we love God with our whole being, we will exhibit a truth found in several other locations in the New the rest of the Fruit that inform the way that we treat Testament. Jesus, for example, when asked to name the everyone else around us. When we love our God and one greatest Commandment, named two – to love God our neighbor, and the Fruit operate within us, then we with your whole being, and to love your neighbor as align ourselves with the Law and Prophets. There is yourself. He finished his answer by telling his listeners no better way to live! that “on these two commandments hang all the law APPLICATION IDEA: This week pray that the Lord will reveal to you where you have the least self-control in your life. Ask the Lord to reveal those times that your lack of self-control has hindered your witness. Submit them to the Lord and continue giving them to the Lord until you gain victory in them.
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the experience of being “half way” in your relationship with Christ—trying to keep certain religious rules, but not really giving God your whole heart? How did that work for you? Would you describe yourself as “all in” now?
