Galatians 5:22-26 says,...

Today's verses are Galatians 5:22-26, which read,

V.22, 23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

What a different list than yesterday!  What is the result of one who is walking by the Spirit and being lead by the Spirit?  
  • "...love..." - standing at the altar type of love, vow driven
  • "...joy..." - happiness based on unchanging divine promises 
  • "...peace..." - inner calm based on your relationship with God
  • "...patience..." - the ability to endure even in painful situations 
  • "...kindness..." - tender concern for others 
  • "...goodness..." - an act of moral kindness toward others 
  • "...faithfulness..." - loyalty and trustworthiness 
  • "...gentleness..." - a humble attitude toward submission to God's ways 
  • "...self-control..." - ability to restrain sinful passions and attitudes

The law is there but not needed if you are living by the fruit of the Spirit.

v.24-26 - Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

May our actions (walk by the Spirit) match up with what has happen to us and for us (live by the Spirit).  Christ's death and resurrection gave us the ability to have the Spirit so since we have the Spirit, let us walk in that Spirit. 

His last instruction here is a warning to us Christians not to take the fruit of Spirit and make it into list of comparisons with others.  We could take the list and make it into something that makes us look better than others or something to boast about.  We could use it to judge others instead of looking at ourselves.  We could use it to beat ourselves up as we wish we were like someone else.

"Lord, this list is for me.  May my eyes look at myself and also at My God.  I desire to see this fruit in my life and You have given me the ability and the formula to have it be so.  You gave Your Son and You gave Your Spirit to guide me in truth.  I need to walk and be led by You and I will see the fruit of the Spirit in my life.  Amen."

Pastor Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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