Jim Wilson's Blog, page 46

The Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness

 

“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” (Gal. 5:22–23).

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).

These two quotations are not surprising; gentleness is something we should expect from a loving God. However, the fruit and wisdom of gentleness are given to us, and God expects us to be gentle. Here are two examples:

“Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:25).

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15).

We are gentle with fragile things such as china figurines and with helpless things like newborn babies. We are not accustomed to being gentle towards enemies of the gospel and people who are belligerently anti-Christian. The fragile and the helpless engender a gentle response. We are afraid they will break if we are not gentle. This response is not a fruit of the Spirit. It is something the majority of people in this world have naturally. The antagonist does not evoke a gentle response, so we are not gentle with him. We do not care whether he is breakable.

When the servant of the Lord has the gentleness that is from above, he corrects his opponents gently. Like the other fruits of the Spirit, this gentleness is not something we can fabricate. It is given to us, and it is commanded.

God requires us to refute the opposition and yet not be quarrelsome. 2 Timothy 2:24–25 confirms this teaching: “and the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him, he must gently instruct.”

There is increasing opposition today to Christians and to sound doctrine. Elders must be able to refute those in opposition (Titus 1:9), but they must do it gently, kindly, and without quarreling. We can chooseto be gentle because we already have gentleness through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

The Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness

 

“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” (Gal. 5:22–23).

Faithfulness is God’s nature which He has imparted to us.

“God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (1 Cor. 1:9).

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

How do we apply God’s faithfulness in evangelism?

“This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor. 4:1–2).

We have been entrusted with the ministry of the gospel and the message of the gospel. We apply God’s faithfulness in evangelism by accepting the responsibility of the ministry and by not deviating from the message.

“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:18–21).

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

The Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Gal. 5:22).

“He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord” (Acts 11:24).

Barnabas was full of the Holy Spirit. He was also a good man. This is not surprising, since the fruit of the Spirit is goodness. Goodness is a characteristic of being filled with the Holy Spirit and a characteristic of effective preaching. In Acts 11, Barnabas preached, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Preaching the content of the Good News without being goodis contradictory.

“Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6).

If we are going to talk the good news, we must walkthe good news. How we live our day-to-day lives is part of our witness for Christ. Our lives are a gospel, read by everyone who interacts with us.

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Gal. 5:22).

Kindness is one of the greatest weapons in kingdom warfare. It is God’s principal instrument for leading people to repentance.

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you towards repentance?” (Rom. 2:4).

God used Paul to give Timothy instruction on how to witness and how not to witness:

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:23–26).

People do not usually associate the words “kindness” and “repentance.” Repent is considered a harsh word. But kindness and gentleness are God’s means of bringing people to repentance.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud” (1 Cor. 13:4).

“We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left” (2 Cor. 6:3–7).

If we are witnessing in power in the Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 1:5), we will be witnessing with kindness.

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

The Fruit of the Spirit: Patience

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Gal. 5:22).

Patience in evangelism starts with God: The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).

We think God is slow when He is just patient. He tells us to wait patiently too, because that means the salvation of more people:

“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:7–8).

In personal evangelism there is a time to plow, to disc, and to harrow the ground. There is a time to plant. There is a time to wait for the autumn and spring rains. Then there is a time to harvest. Everything prior to the harvest requires patience.

“When the harvest is ripe, patience is no longer needed: Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor” (John 4:35–38).

“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few’” (Mt. 9:37).

A common pitfall in evangelism is doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. We plant the gospel but dig it up every day to inspect its growth without waiting for the harvest, or we sit around immobile when the harvest is ripe.

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

The Fruit of the Spirit: Peace

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Gal. 5:22).

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you” (Lk. 10:5–6).

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).

Peace with God is the result of justification. The fruit of the Spirit is peace, and the first words we are to use in house-to-house evangelism are, “Peace to this house.”

We fight the spiritual war with the weapon of peace. Jesus said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place” (Jn. 18:36).

We do not use weapons of physical war in evangelism, and that is good. But we also do not consistently present the good news in peace, which we should. Many evangelists present the gospel with a belligerent attitude. Do not do that. The message of the gospel is reconciliation with God and peace for the world. The Prince of Peace went to the cross peacefully. The news of His death and resurrection should be presented peacefully.

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 1:2).

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Gal. 5:22).

Joy is difficult to contain. It overflows. Here is an example of what happened when David’s sin caused him to lose his joy: “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You” (Ps. 51:12–13).

Joy is attractive. When it is restored, sinners are converted. Before I received Christ, I was not happy, but I wanted to be. I saw men who seemed to be happy. They were not happy; they were joyful. I did not know the difference, but I wanted what they had.

If you are a Christian and are not joyful, you are under the chastening of the Lord because of unconfessed sin. Confess your sins and your life of joy will be a witness.

“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Heb. 12:11).

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Is. 12:2–3).

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

The Fruit of the Spirit: Love

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness” (Gal. 5:22).

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn. 13:34–35).

We are told to love our brothers in Christ. This love tells all of the non-brothers that we are followers of Jesus Christ. This is indirect evangelism. “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:39b).

Our neighbor may not be a Christian. We are to love him because he is a neighbor.

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Lk. 6:27–36).

We are also to love our enemies. Jesus tells us to love them and to express that love in these ways:

Do good to them.Bless them.Pray for them.Give to them. Lend to them.

·        Jesus does not tell us why to love our enemies, only that by doing so we will be imitating our Father. Romans 5:10 tells us what happened when we were God’s enemies:

“For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Rom. 5:10).

When we were enemies of God, He loved us. What was the result? We were saved. That is why we are to love our enemies—for their salvation.

When speaking at men’s conferences, I often ask this question: “How many of you came to the Father through 1) mass evangelism, 2) a local church, 3) family, 4) reading the Bible, 5) reading books, or 6) a friend?” Several men raise their hands for each of these.

Then I ask, “How many of you received Christ because someone loved you?” Nearly everyone raises their hand. The greatest positive emotion in the world is love, and the greatest love in the world is the love of the Father.

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 Jn. 4:8–10).

The greatest expression of love in the history of the world is the death of Jesus. So when we proclaim His death, we should do it with lovefor the person we are speaking to. Presenting the gospel to someone without loving him makes the good news sound like bad news. Even if you are knocking on a stranger’s door or sitting next to someone you do not know on a plane, decide to love him from your heart before you open your mouth. If God loved the world, then we can love one person through His grace.

Here is how Paul expressed loving and identifying with people:

“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:19–22).

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

The Fruit of the Spirit: Introduction

 

The fruit of the Spirit is true evidence that someone has the Spirit. It is possible to be baptized “into the name of the Lord Jesus” but not be baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. Water baptism is meant as a sign of salvation, but it does not save you.

The fruit of the Spirit is essential to evangelism. It is part of our arsenal of weapons which are not carnal. Without this fruit it is impossible to preach and pray in the Holy Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit is given to each new Christian at the time he receives Christ. It is the primary evidence of life in Christ. The Christian has it, and he is commanded to express it. If someone does not have the fruit of the Spirit, he is not a Christian. If he has it and does not express it, he is a disobedient Christian.

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships

Our Weapon: The Holy Spirit - In Preaching

 

"Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: 'Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is "the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone"'" (Acts 4:8–11).

It is possible to preach the gospel without being filled with the Holy Spirit. It is better to be scared enough to pray for a Holy Spirit kind of boldness. With Holy Spirit boldness comes power.

*Excerpted from Weapons & Tactics. To purchase, visit ccmbooks.org/bookstore.

How To Be Free From Bitterness and other essays on Christian relationships