The Fruit of the Spirit Is Love

The word “fruit” is a very interesting word. In Scripture the word is used in various ways. The word is used in both a literal sense, referring to actual fruit, such as when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden “fruit” (Gen. 3:6), and a spiritual sense, in which it is used in three different ways.

First, “fruit” refers to the action of holy living, such as our praise to God. Romans 6:22 says that because of your salvation in Christ “you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” In other words, the “fruit” of salvation is holy or righteous living. Hebrews 13:15 adds, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Righteous living breaks forth in praise to God, which is part of the active “fruit” of salvation.

Second, “fruit” refers to addition and growth. When we lead unbelieving friends to salvation in Christ or we help fellow believers to grow in their faith, it is said that we “bear fruit.” In John 15:16, Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” The thought here is that you should lead others to faith in Christ and then help them learn to live faithfully in Him. In that way your “fruit” remains. It is the same as when Jesus told His disciples to “make disciples of all the nations… teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Third, “fruit” is used as a metaphor for the character of believers who live by the power of the Spirit of God. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (NASB). Together, this is the “fruit” produced by God’s own Spirit in the lives of His faithful people. These nine characteristics of faithful people are referred to as a singular “fruit.” The truth here presented is that the “fruit of the Spirit” is always produced in its entirety in every believer.

Walk into any church and it will soon be obvious that not every believer is fully developed in all the “fruit of the Spirit.” This is to be expected. Not all believers have been a part of the body of Christ the same amount of time. Each of us begins to experience this “fruit” when we come to Christ by faith. But that is only the beginning. The longer we live by faith, the more we will see these attitudes show themselves in our lives. It is a growing process that all of us go through.

You will notice that even though all nine are part of one “fruit,” love is obviously the dominant attitude. Paul begins, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love…” (Gal. 5:22). Love encompasses all attitudes of the “fruit.” In the Greek, the word for love is agape. True agape love, the love of God poured out in our lives, is certain proof of our salvation. When we begin to love others through the very love of God Himself, we prove our salvation and we begin to show and develop all of the “fruit of the Spirit.” 

In that way, love leads to joy, which leads to peace, which leads to patience, and so on, but the Christian life begins with love. First, the love of Christ poured out in our lives. Then, the love of Christ bursting forth through our lives touching the lives of others. Truly “the fruit of the Spirit is love.” As Paul commanded, “Walk in love” (Eph. 5:2). Let the love of God daily pour out from your life. Amen.

The Authority of the Word

When Jesus had finished His Sermon on the Mount, He came down and large crowds began to follow Him. The message He had just given was what gained Him that following. The fact that He spoke with authority commanded their attention. So over the next few chapters in Matthew we are presented with case after case of events where Jesus demonstrates His authority—authority over disease, over nature, over demons, over sin, and over death. These were His credentials—the credentials of the Messiah. Through them He claimed victory over sin and death, and He set a clear vision for His followers.

In Matthew 8:5-13, a centurion came to Jesus on behalf of his paralyzed servant. Yesterday being Father's Day, I thought I would look at this story because this servant boy was like a son to the centurion and the centurion was like a father to this servant. The emphasis of the story is on the power of the Word of the Lord. By His command He healed the sick. In response to this man’s show of faith, Jesus teaches a lesson on faith. The fact that this faith was demonstrated by a Gentile and not a Jew, probably did not sit well with those who heard it.

The story deals with a very unique occasion, because the request is made by a Roman soldier on behalf of his servant. The focus is solely on the authority of the spoken word. The centurion understood the power of authoritative commands, and he recognized Jesus as one who had that power. This prompted Jesus to express His amazement at this man’s faith, a faith that was unequaled in all of Israel. So we have a story about healing, but even more so, a story about faith, the faith of a Gentile. As the story unfolds this man's faith is revealed.

Jesus is in Capernaum, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is the town where Jesus made his “base of operations.” It was a good-sized place, a natural site for fishing, which is why Peter made his home there (and perhaps Jesus stayed with him). But it was also on the main road that led from Damascus in the north down past the Sea of Galilee, through the hills to the Jezreel Valley, and then over to the coast through more mountain passes to connect with the coastal highway to Egypt. It was a main thoroughfare for caravans and traders, as well as the military.

Since Capernaum was a significant city on the main highway, it had a military presence. That accounts for the presence of the centurion. A centurion was, as the name suggests, a military officer who commanded a hundred men. So there was a sizeable military unit stationed there.

So begins the story: “Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him saying, ‘Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented’” (vs. 5-6). In the original Greek, “servant” literally means “a young child.” The same story as recorded in Luke 7:1-10, tells us that this young servant boy “was dear to him” (Luke 7:2). The centurion was afraid his servant would die.

A slave in Rome was nothing more than a material possession to be used and discarded at will. So this centurion’s love and compassion for his slave boy was rare and unheard of in Israel. Certainly this boy was like a son to the man. So his faith is lived out in love, seeking healing for the boy, as any loving father would do. No cost is too great for the sake of one’s son.

The young boy was suffering great pain. The disease was paralyzing, painful, and fatal. This man's prayer was for healing. This centurion was a seasoned and capable fighting man or he would not have been a centurion. He was a man's man. He was a soldier's soldier. Yet he felt compassion for his dying slave boy and he felt unworthy to approach Jesus personally. But Jesus knew his heart. He didn’t need a direct request, either from the centurion or from the Jews who came on his behalf. Jesus simply responded in love, saying, “I will come and heal him” (Mark 8:7).

The centurion twice called Jesus “Lord” (vs. 6, 8), indicating more than just a simple courtesy. He believed that Jesus is Lord. He believed Jesus to be the Christ. He believed that Jesus was indeed God and that He had the power to heal his paralyzed servant. Because the servant was too ill to be carried out to Jesus and because he felt unworthy to have Jesus come into his house, he said to Him, “But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed” (v. 8b). From the reports he had heard of Jesus healing power, and maybe from having witnessed some of the healings himself, he knew that distance was no barrier.

The centurion trusted both the authority and power of Jesus' Word. He simply had faith that Jesus could do anything necessary to accomplish His purpose. If that was healing for the boy, then Jesus would do it from wherever He was. He knew authority when he saw it, even in a realm in which he had no experience or understanding. He knew that if he had the power to make his soldiers and slaves do his bidding by simply giving them orders, Jesus’ supernatural powers could even more easily allow Him simply to say the Word and his servant would be healed. That was the power of Jesus' Word.

What great faith; unparalleled faith! “When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!’” (v. 10). Jesus, being the Lord of creation, knew all men's hearts. Still He was amazed at how this Gentile soldier showed more genuine faith in Him than He had found “with anyone in Israel” (v. 10; NASB). Those who had less opportunity to know God's truth—the Gentiles “from east and west” (v. 11)—would show greater response to the gospel than God's own chosen people.

In answer to the centurion’s prayer of faith, Jesus reaffirmed the greatness of his faith: “Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.’ And his servant was healed that same hour” (v. 13). Oh what a little faith can do. Jesus said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you” (Luke 17:6).

If you have even a little faith like this centurion, live by it; act upon it. Trust Jesus and rest in the power of His Word. Take everything to God in prayer, knowing that Jesus loves you and cares for you. Trust that your faith is enough that Jesus will do "as you have believed" (v. 13). Amen.

The Good Samaritan

In Luke 10:25 “a certain lawyer” asked Jesus, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded with a question: “What is written in the law?” (v. 26). The lawyer replied, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and, ‘your neighbor as yourself’” (v. 27). Upon hearing this, Jesus said, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live” (v. 28). That raised another question from the lawyer: “And who is my neighbor?” (v. 29), an attempt to minimize his obedience by suggesting that only a few people qualified for his love. In answer, Jesus told what would become a famous parable: The parable of the Good Samaritan (vs. 30-36).

Jesus began: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead” (v. 30). I had the privilege several years back to travel through the land of Israel. I was on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho, though I was headed in the opposite direction, going from Jericho to Jerusalem. When Jesus said the man “went down from Jerusalem to Jericho,” he meant just that. Jericho is about 17 miles northeast of Jerusalem and eight miles west of the Jordan river, a short distance off the northern coast of the Dead Sea. It is about a 3800 foot drop in elevation from Jerusalem “down” to Jericho and the Dead Sea.

When Jesus said he “fell among thieves,” that was no surprise. Even today the road, though now paved, still curves this way and that, back and forth, through the wilderness of Jericho. It is rocky and treacherous, with many caves. Thieves hid in the caves, from which they would surprise the unsuspecting traveler. This was a common occurrence along the road to Jericho, making this a believable story for this lawyer.

Now the lawyer hears what amounts to a reversal of roles. The Priest and the Levite were devout Jews. He would expect them to be the “good guys.” But they refuse to help (vs. 31-32). Perhaps they were concerned with defiling themselves. Maybe they were simply in a hurry and didn’t want to take the time to get involved. Jesus doesn’t say. However, the Samaritan, a half Jew who compromised in religious matters, the one the lawyer would expect to be the “bad guy,” when he came by, he not only stopped to help but takes the injured man to a nearby inn and pays for his care (vs. 33-35). We are told the Samaritan “had compassion” (v. 33).

Apart from the unexpected reversal of roles, the story again was very believable. I am sure the lawyer pictured a certain inn along that road. Inns were scarce, but it is well-known that such an inn did exist in Jesus’ day, not far up the road from Jericho. I was able to visit the inn while in Israel. The closed-up structure standing there today dates from several hundred years later, but the ruins of the stables in the back date from the time of Christ, indicating that just such an inn stood in that very place when Jesus was telling the story. Perhaps this lawyer had even stayed there on occasion.

What does this story teach us? Jesus asked the lawyer, “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” (v. 36). The lawyer had to swallow hard as he said, “He who showed mercy on him” (v. 37). He couldn’t even name the Samaritan. Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise” (v. 37). Jesus was looking for absolute obedience. The neighbor here was not someone the Samaritan knew or even someone of the same race, just someone in need. The Samaritan knew how to treat his neighbor. When you truly love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and you love your neighbor as yourself, you will be available to help whoever it is that needs help. This is the kind of love that proves your faith in Jesus. Amen.

Run the Race in Christ

I have already written twice recently of the 2016 Summer Olympic games to be held Friday, August 5 through Sunday, August 21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This past Monday I referenced the games in general in my article entitled "So Great a Crowd of Witnesses," while back in April I spoke more specifically about the games this August in my article entitled "Fix Your Eyes on Jesus." Both times I referenced the Scripture in Hebrews 12:1-3, though approaching each time from slightly different angles and with more depth and detail this past week.

With this in mind, let me tread carefully into this same topic just as the Apostle Paul did, but from a different passage of Scripture. Let me begin with a lesson on the history of the Olympic games. The modern Olympics started in 1896. That was after a period of about 1500 years since the ancient Olympics had ended in about 394 A.D. It is unknown as to the exact time in which they began. Records date to about 776 B.C. They were originally held in Olympia, Greece. I had the privilege of visiting Athens in 1980 and saw the ruins of the ancient Olympic stadium. Some might say I attended those first games, but I'm not quite that old!

The athletes were honest for the most part, signing a pledge that they would not cheat and that they had followed all the rules of training. The judges all came from the region around Olympia known as Elis, because the Elean people had a reputation for fairness. The winners of the various events were awarded a crown made of olive leaves. Paul often referred to the games as an illustration of how to live the Christian life.

In 1 Corinthians 9:24 Paul says, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it." Here he refers to the idea of the Christian life being like the race run at the Olympic games. "All run," after proper training, "but one receives the prize." The idea is to live your life in Christ in such a way that you may obtain that prize.

Paul, however, holds out the possibility that, as those running the race of the Christian life, we might all be able to obtain the prize. He adds in verse 25 that "everyone who competes for the prize exercises self-control in all things." Why? Because, unlike the Olympic athlete who competes for a crown of olive leaves which is "perishable," we compete for "an imperishable crown" to be received at the end of the race in heaven.

Note how Paul tells the Philippians that even he is not yet perfect in his Christian life. He says, "But I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me" (Phil. 3:12). He continues, "One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (vs. 13-14). He adds in verse 16, "To the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind."

In other words, live by the rule of Scripture, just as athletes train by the rules of their games. Discipline yourself to spend time daily in the Word of God, to know it and to make it the rule of your life. Spend time in prayer, getting to know God personally. Ask God to develop in you a life like that of Christ. Ask Him to guide you in all things through the Holy Spirit who indwells you who believe on Jesus.

If you trust Jesus as your Savior, and look to Him and Scripture to guide your life, you can finish the race that is set before you and receive the imperishable prize God has reserved for you. Paul tells us, "Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing" (2 Tim. 4:8). Amen.