Galatians 5:16-26
When we did our “Three Streams” series at St. Andrew’s last March during Lent it was Archbishop Foley Beach who spoke on the third “stream”, the Pentecostal/Charismatic stream – the Spirit-filled life. And as he spoke of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, he was clear in distinguishing the manifestations of the Spirit (speaking in tongues, healings, lifting hands, etc.) from the fruits of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. Today we have Paul’s famous listing of the fruits of the Spirit: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… (vv. 22-23a) See my comments in the link below and note that “fruit” is singular, not plural. That is, these nine characteristics are part and parcel of every believer’s life. It’s what God does for us as we actively seek Him – as we ask daily to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
As for the gifts of the Spirit, Paul lists a number of those gifts in at least three places – and in no particular order anywhere. Check out these lists in Romans 12:6-8, I Corinthians 12:28, and Ephesians 4:11-12. We don’t imagine any of those lists to be as complete and comprehensive as Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit that we read about today.
BTW, ask Carol to recite the fruit of the Spirit in Czech – this listing of the fruit of the Spirit was our memory verse for our Czech and Slovak kids the very first English Camp that we did with Mark Bruner. Memories…!!
See also: March 12 / Gal. 5:16-26
I am compelled by the reminder that the fruit of the Spirit is just that, a singular fruit, with many aspects of character that God is building into our core being, little by little.
It is reassuring to know God will bring this process to completion in us. I just wish fruit could ripen faster!!!
That is interesting, Carol. The Holy Spirit is nurturing in us a fruit of the Spirit with many attributes which just happen to be small reflections of those same attributes of our Lord and Creator. What a generous and loving God we have.
Apparently, Carol is wishing that the fruit of patience would ripen faster… 🙂
Hahahaha. That is very Shakespearean, John. The fruit of patience needs to ripen forthwith!
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