I may not see in front of me, But I can see for miles around when I look over my shoulder, and Lord, it`s clear. You`ve brought me here, So faithful every step of the way. What can I do but follow you, For You are the Way, the Truth, the Life, And You`ve promised never to leave me, My Savior, my friend, From beginning to end.
I Am Found In You
by
Steven Curtis Chapman
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
One fruit and one Spirit; remember that! The Bible gives plurality to the sins of mankind. Not all of us have the same sins, so when the Bible talks about sins, it uses a plural form, such as the “acts of the sinful nature”. Not everyone of us is going to tell a lie, not all of us are gossips, and not everyone is addicted to pornography. But, the Bible is singular when it talks about the “fruit” of the Spirit. There is one fruit and one spirit. All Christians have it, and all Christians are to bear it.
Having said that, if you are a Christian, if you are truly born again, then you have within you the Holy Spirit of God. He came to take up residence in your life the moment you accepted Christ as your Savior. Therefore, you have what is necessary to exhibit ALL the “fruit” of the Spirit. Now that we have the introduction out of the way, I want to talk this weak about the elements of that fruit we hold within our heart.
The first one Paul mentions is love. Paul says elsewhere in Scripture (1 Corinthians 13) that the greatest gift of God is love. God is love, and, if we are to be like Him, then we too will learn to love. As this MST appears on your computer, most of the United States is celebrating the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The thing I like most about this great Christian was that he was first and foremost a man of God. He was a third generation preacher and loved to tell the Good News. We remember that he spoke about racial equality and pilgrimage, but the heart of his message was love. He wanted people to love one another.
Can I ask you a question? Would your life be characterized by others as one of spreading love? Are you a loving person? Do you love people regardless of their background, the color of their skin, or their social prominence in the community? Do you love people the way God loves you?
May I give you some homework? Dust off your Bible and read 1 Corinthians 13! Read how God’s Word defines love. Then examine your life to see if you fit the definition. (I’m going to do the same!)
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