The Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22-23

1. Love AGAPE - not an emotion or feeling, but a purposeful choice to seek the best interests and highest good of others. Undefeatable benevolence or goodwill. Agape love is outgoing, not inward looking.

1. Love We will love God, our brethren, our neighbor, and even our enemies. Matt. 5:44-45; 22:36-39; 1 Thess. 4:9   Love fulfills the law (Rom. 13:8-10). Love is the grace that gives true meaning and worth to our service (1 Cor. 13:1-3).

2. Joy CHARA - “joy, gladness” (Thayer), “delight” (Vine). Walking in the Spirit gives us true joy as we experience forgiveness and look to our future home in Heaven (1 Pet. 1:6-9).

3. Peace Peace with God (Rom. 5:1). Peace with our brethren (1 Thess. 5:13). Peace in the world through Christ (John 16:33). Peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7).

4. Longsuffering MAKROTHUMIA - “long wrath, long tempered” “Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish, it is the opposite of anger” (Vine). God is longsuffering (1 Pet. 3:20). Jesus is longsuffering (1 Pet. 2:21-24). We must be longsuffering (Eph. 4:2; Heb. 6:12)

5. Kindness CHRESTOTES - “the sympathetic kindness or sweetness of temper which puts others at ease, and shrinks from giving pain” (Plummer). The quality that makes other people feel at ease with you, knowing you will be kind and gentle with them. God is kind to all (Luke 6:35; Titus 3:4-7).

6. Goodness Closely related to “kindness” but emphasizes activity rather than approachability. Active kindness, benevolence, benefit towards others. Barnabas was good (Acts 11:23-24). Dorcas was good (Acts 9:36, 39).

7. Faithfulness PISTIS - often used to refer to belief or conviction, but it is also used to describe the quality of fidelity or trustworthiness. “the character of one who can be relied on” (Thayer). God is faithful (1 Cor. 10:13). Timothy was trustworthy (Phil. 2:19-22).

8. Gentleness (Meekness) “The ability to bear reproaches and slights with moderation, and not to embark on revenge quickly, and not to be easily provoked to anger, but to be free from bitterness and contentiousness, having tranquility and stability in the spirit” (Aristotle, On Virtues and Vices). That virtuous quality by which “we treat all men 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 sin not, that we can be gentle and yet not weak” (Barclay).

8. Gentleness (Meekness) Moses was meek (Num. 12:3). Jesus was meek (Matt. 11:29). We must… Receive the word with meekness (James 1:21). Restore our brethren with gentleness (Gal. 6:1). Answer those who ask about our faith with meekness (1 Pet. 3:15).

9. Self-Control “The virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites” (Thayer). The flesh has strong desires. Self-control is evidence of the Spirit’s influence on our life, supplying the reason and fueling the desire to overcome the lusts of the flesh. The athlete is a great example of the need for self-control or temperance (1 Cor. 9:24-27).

The Fruit of the Spirit “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23