The Spirit's Orchard

Galatians: A Study of Christian Freedom

Lesson 18:  The Spirit’s Orchard  Galatians 5:22-25^_

Paul presented a dark picture when he introduced the "works of the flesh."  Now, he presents another picture, one with promise and hope.

If the “works of the flesh” may be described as “obvious,” in the sense that they are so-often seen, these virtues are rarer, harder to find in human behavior.  As we look at this passage I think we will appreciate the beauty of the Spirit’s orchard.

²² By contrast, Clearly Paul is inviting his readers to contrast these two lists. Think of how ugly that first list is, how beautiful this list is.  Paul invites us to ask, What kind of person do I want to be, the person who exhibits the characteristics on the first list or the person who exhibits the characteristics on the second list? If you want to be known as a “first-list” person, you don’t have to do a thing; if you want to be a “second-list” person, Paul will show the way.                 

the fruit of the Spirit is

The qualities of the first list are the out-workings of who we are in an unredeemed state, sinners, estranged from God, doing those things we ought not to do and leaving undone those things we ought to do.  The qualities of the second list result from the supernatural working through our personalities.  The Holy Spirit working within us creates these qualities.

Let me deal with an issue passages like this raise.  It involves a question philosophers and theologians have been debating for centuries:  Can we be good without God?  That is, are we capable of being morally upright without some acknowledgement of God?

Of course, we could argue from the outset that “the works of the flesh” condemns those attempting to be good without God from the outset.  In its broadest sense, “idolatry” implies a wrong view of God and certainly any view of God that denies God’s  existence or God’s right to our allegiance, is, Biblically speaking, a wrong view.  As such, by definition, they cannot claim to be good.  Of course, some might say this is just sophistry, a clever or not-so-clever word-game to avoid the fundamental question.  Can we be good without God?

It goes without saying that there are good (kind, merciful, patient, generous) people who have no apparent recognition of God or practice no religion, so far as we know.  At the same time, there are those who openly deny the existence of God while being good neighbors, better neighbors, sometimes, than professed believers.  Of course, those philosophers and theologians are quick to point out that these individuals may be living in ways that do not fit the implications of their worldviews. 

Beyond this, we have to keep in mind that some of these qualities Paul lists have theological or spiritual dimensions, that require faith in God.  We’ll see that as we go through the list.  In other words, while some atheists may be better neighbors than some theists, when we look at the virtues Paul describes as “the fruit of the Spirit,” we have to say that none of us can be this good without God.

Remember, when Paul speaks of “the fruit of the Spirit,” he uses the singular.  This is not a fruit bowl filled with a variety of fruit, depending on the season.  The expectation seems to be that each of these virtues will be present when the Spirit is working in our lives.

Let’s take a closer look.

love, Many see this virtue as the one out of which all the others grow.  We have already defined love in an earlier lesson.  We said it was a benevolent good will that actively seeks the good for another.  We desire to see that good worked out even in the lives of those who have determined to be our enemies.  The person who claims to always demonstrate this kind of good will toward others without the help of God is either the most remarkable person we might ever hope to meet or is utterly self-deceived.

joy, One translator renders this as “exuberance about life.”  Certainly that is part of what Paul has in mind.  But there is more in mind here.  It is a condition linked to the character of the gospel.  Fourteenth century English reformer John Wycliffe defined the gospel this way:

Euangelion (that we cal the gospel) is a greke word, and signyfyeth good, merry, glad and joyful tidings, that makyth a mannes heart glad, and makyth him synge, daunce, and leep for joy.

We have this joy because God is at work in our lives to accomplish what we could not accomplish on our own—our salvation. 

Wycliffe says the gospel inspires those who receive it to “synge.”  Christianity has a rich musical heritage generated, in part, by the good news of the gospel. 

Then, too, this joy has enabled countless Christians to hold onto their faith in the most difficult of circumstances.  We need to remember that joy, unlike happiness, is unrelated to our circumstances.  Consider what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians.

 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. (I Thess. 1:6)

Of course, the great example of this is Jesus.  Though he faced opposition during his ministry, he knew joy.  Consider this moment when he saw hints of God working in the lives of his followers.  Luke 10:21 tells us that when those followers reported success on their first mission tour “Jesus overflowed with joy from the Holy Spirit.”  Ultimately, his joy was linked, not to outward signs of success—there weren’t any on Calvary, but to the knowledge he was following the Father’s will.  The writer of Hebrews encourages believers to be inspired by Christ’s example:

…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross… (Hebrews 12:2)

Does Paul mention joy at this point because he sees it threatened in the Galatian churches?  The joy that should have marked their fellowship was being threatened by the conflicts and divisions that appeared to be growing in the church.  Then, too, their joy was being threatened by the false teachers who were calling into question the basis of their salvation.  If so, he may have seen that these things were also threatening the next Spirit-generated virtue he mentions. 

peace, This is another virtue linked to the saving work of Christ.  Paul would write the Romans, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith (been declared righteous by faith), we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  The New Testament sometimes speaks of peace reflected in an untroubled heart (John 14:27) and of peace reflected in harmonious relations with those from whom we might ordinarily be estranged (Eph. 2:14).  Whatever other peace the Christian may know is rooted in that peace, peace with God. 

I shared Joseph Thayer’s definition of peace with you a few months ago but it bears repeating.  This Greek scholar says peace is "...a conception peculiar to Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot.”

This peace should have kept the Galatians from falling for the false teachers’ spiel, put their fleshly thinking seems to have interfered as they began to ask themselves, “Is there something more I should be doing?”

With these three virtues—love, joy, and peace—firmly established in our hearts, our relationship with others will be different as these next virtues suggest.

patience, That’s a good translation but you have to appreciate the Authorized Version’s “longsuffering.”  Another translations has “an even-tempered forbearance.”  Not, bad but it just doesn’t beat “longsuffering.”  Whatever word we use, we know that patience is a quality that is hard to achieve.  Yet, it is so much needed in our lives as Christ’s People.

We need it as we do the work of evangelism.  There have always been obstacles to persuading people to believe but in an age where it has never been easier to communicate our message to millions, it is equally easy for the opponents of the gospel to get their message out.  We need patience.

We need it as we teach.  Whether we are teaching children or adults, teaching can be challenging.  We know it can be tough teaching wiggling pre-schoolers but, today, we are facing more and more adults who have no understanding of the basics of the Christian message.  Even worse, so many of them have been given the wrong idea of what Christianity teaches and who Christians are.  It demands patience to “unteach" so many things.  Think of Jesus:  for three years he taught the disciples and on the eve of the crucifixion, they still didn’t get it, still didn’t understand what he was about.  Talk about needing patience.

We need patience in our relationships.  Whether we are dealing with a neighbor, a fellow church member, a co-worker, our children, or our spouse there are times when we need patience.    More and more of us are finding that we need patience, not only with our children, but with our parents, especially as they age and face the challenges that brings.  All of this, by the way, assumes there will be times when these people need patience with us.

I could go on but I’d risk talking too long and you might lose patience with me.

kindness, With “kindness,” Paul introduces a series of virtues that demand outward expression.  It’s possible to argue that “love, joy, peace, and patience” are all qualities we might be able to possess without outwardly expressing them (though, the fullest definition of “love” implies action).  That’s not so with “kindness” and the remaining virtues Paul lists.

Having said that, we need to look closer at this word and the next generosity because they are complementary.

“Kindness” translates “chrēstotēs” and speaks of treating someone with “gentleness,” as used in several translations.  “Generosity” (from agathōsynē ), in the NRSV, is not a bad translation so much as a limited one. “Goodness,” found in several translations, is better.  But keep this in mind, when we display our generosity by giving to some charity like the Red Cross or the United Way, our objective is to do good.  

Here we can begin to see how these words complement each other.  Each has “good” as an objective.  “Kindness” (chrēstotēs) seeks the good of another through a soft or gentle approach.  “Goodness” (agathōsynē) often takes a sterner approach.  As R. C. Trench says, it includes “qualities by which doing ‘good’ to others is not necessarily by gentle means.”

Jesus is our example.  Think of how he is portrayed in the encounter with the woman caught in adultery; after her pitiless accusers leave, he lifts her to her feet and says, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.”  Or think of his dealings with the tax-collector, Zacchaeus; Jesus changes this outcast’s life by treating him courteously and having lunch with him. Now, contrast that with his dealing with the unscrupulous money-changers in the temple; he drives them out.  But his actions still have good in mind: He wants to keep the poor worshippers from being cheated, restore dignity to the temple, and recall the nation to true worship.

[On this Fathers’ Day, we should remember how much parents need to know when to be “soft” and when to be “stern.”  We need the wisdom of the Spirit.]

faithfulness, The Authorized Version’s “faith” is a proper translation of the word “pistis” but so is “faithfulness.”  To a degree, given Paul’s effort to impress upon the Galatians the message of justification by faith, rather than works, the first might fit.  But given the specific context, the second meaning seems better. R. E. Howard says,

Throughout the New Testament pistis relates primarily to the believer’s complete dependence upon the work of Christ.  However, these fruits of the Spirit are ethical virtues dealing primarily with interhuman relations.  Pistis does, in a few instances, have the ethical meaning of “faithfulness,” which is obviously how it it so be understood here. As such it depicts loyalty, trustworthiness, and dependability.^_

This faithfulness, according to The Message, is seen as “we find ourselves involved in loyal commitments.”  In a sense, it complements “patience” because the same situation that demands our patience may also call for this kind of stick-to-it dependability. 

²³ gentleness, This a word Jesus used early in his ministry when he said, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”  It is sometimes, translated as “meekness.”  The Greek word praus, was sometimes used for a horse that had been tamed.  It is strength under control. 

William Barclay describes this quality as it works itself out in life:

It is when we have [meekness] that we treat all with perfect courtesy, that we can rebuke without rancor, that we can argue without intolerance, that we can face the truth without resentment, that we can be angry and yet sin not, that we can be gentle and yet not weak.

Jesus would use the term to describe himself, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and humble in heart:and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” 

and self-control. When we looked at “the works of the flesh,” we saw that several implied loss of control.  If the “meek” are the strong who keep their strength under control, here is that self-control as a product of the Spirit’s work within us.

Do you remember Matthew’s account of Jesus being arrested in the garden?  Peter tries to prevent it but Jesus stops him.  He says, “Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us and he would send them instantly?  But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?’

With the cross looming before him, Jesus shows self-control.  Because of his self-control, we can know salvation.  Later writers would appeal to Christ’s self-control to encourage Christians to face insult and provocation without retaliation.

Paul ends his list with an understatement.

There is no law against such things. I can picture Paul’s tongue firmly planted in his cheek as he says this.  After all, what kind of culture would make these virtues illegal?  Paul’s comment invites us to use our imaginations as we make some observations.

Observations

Imagine a transformed world.  Think of “the works of the flesh.”  Many of our laws have been enacted to restrain the unbridled expression of those traits.  Imagine a world where division, feuding, rage, jealousy, envy, and even selfishness were replaced with kindness, patience, trustworthiness, benevolence, and thoughtfulness. Imagine a world where you did not fear for the safety of your daughter or son walking across the campus late at night, a world where the holiday highways would not be made dangerous by drivers who knew “when to stay when” but wouldn’t.  That would be a transformed world.  But that is  a world transformation no legislature or parliament can produce.

This is a transformation possible only as individuals “walk with the Spirit,” as they open themselves to the work of the Spirit to overrule their natural tendency to rebel against God, their inclination to think only of themselves, and their eagerness to plunge into self-destruction in the name of freedom. 

The Bible nowhere allows us to imagine that this present world will ever know a time when the rebel flags will forever be lowered, when our daily lives will reflect the reality of the words we have looked at today.  Still, there have been times when we’ve caught a brief glimpse of what it might be like.  Like Camelot, they have existed for “one brief shining moment,” but they have existed.  No, not all over the world but in small communities of faith.

Shortly after the Day of Pentecost, when the church was born, that band of new believers experienced a transformed way of life. Listen to Luke’s description:

 Acts 2:43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

  This didn’t last long but long enough for believers to look back with yearning for such times to be known again.

At the beginning of the 20th century, in some of the little Welsh mining communities, the Holy Spirit moved; a great awakening came and life was temporarily transformed.  So many people were converted that jails, once filled with drunks on Saturday nights, sat empty and judges were told there were no cases to be tried. 

We can’t legislate this into reality, but we can pray for the fruit of the Spirit to be flourish in our churches.

Imagine a different picture.  Last time I talked about the picture of Dorian Gray and behind the facade there is an ugly portrait reflecting the fallenness of humankind, a picture of what we might be but for the grace of God.

Today we have looked at a different picture.  But whose picture?  I’ve given you several hints.  As we look at these virtues Paul calls “the fruit of the Spirit,” we see a picture of Jesus Christ.  He revealed each of these in his life and ministry. 

It is a reminder of what the Spirit wants to do in our lives.  The Spirit wants to reproduce the character of Jesus in our lives. 

In Ephesians 2:10, Paul says we are God’s “workmanship.”  The word can be translated as “work of art.”  Think of all the artists who have produced paintings of Jesus through the centuries.  Each is different but when you look at them you recognize Jesus.  In the same way, when we allow the Spirit to produce this “fruit” in our lives, we will possess different personalities, different temperaments, different styles, but when people look at us they will recognize Jesus.

Will we let the Spirit do his work?