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V. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS GOODNESS
Goodness = Gr. "agathosune" = the state of being good, kind, virtuous, benevolent, generous, and God-like in life and conduct.
A. God is Good and Does Good
1. Only God is good, Nahum 1:7, Matt. 19:17.
2. God made His goodness pass before Moses, Exodus 33:18-19, Exodus 34:6-7
3. It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance, Ephesians 2:4, Romans 11:22.
4. Consider Peter's conversion, Luke 5:1-22.
a. Peter had toiled all night and caught nothing
b. Jesus used His boat to preach from
c. Jesus told him to launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch, Luke 5:4
d. Peter obeyed His word
e. Peter caught a net breaking, boat sinking load
f. At this display of goodness, Peter cried out, "Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord"
g. Jesus says, "Do not be afraid"
h. They forsook all and followed him
We see a principle here. We deal with evil every day of our lives. When God's goodness is revealed, it demonstrates more power than His severity, and the contrast isolates the evil by His goodness, thus, leading us to repentance, Psalm 27:13; Psalm 107; Psalm 31:19.
B. Good Fruit
1. Good fruit comes from good trees.
2. A tree is known by its fruit.
3. A good heart = good works.
4. Good man, good measure, good things. Matthew 12:33-35. Because God dwells in our heart, His goodness is there. Our hypocrisy comes when we deny His goodness outflow and follow the flesh. Ephesians 2:10, II Timothy 2:21, James 4:17.
C. Continue in His Goodness, Romans 11:22
1. Good conscience:
A good conscience is one that is void of offenses toward God, a heart that does not condemn us, in other words, we're right with God. Acts 23:1; I Timothy 1:5-19; Hebrews 13:18; I Peter 3:16-21
2. Good Conduct
a. Conduct is the way we carry ourselves, the way we live and carry out our business, I Peter 3:16
b. From a good conscience, good conduct will proceed.
3. Good Works
a. Good works are the things we do and say that distinguish our conduct as being good, I Peter 2:12, John 10:32
b. We have been called to do good works, Titus 2:14, Ephesians 2:10
c. To know to do good and not do them is sin, James 4:17
4. How to maintain good works, Titus 3:8
a. We are to continue in things we have learned, II Timothy 3:14-17
b. Follow that which is good, I Thessalonians 5:15
c. Hold fast to that which is good, I Thessalonians 5:21
d. Do good. James 4:17
D. Two Final Scriptures, Proverbs 20:6, Acts 10:38
VI. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS MEEKNESS/GENTLENESS
Read Galatians 5:22-23, Matthew 11:28-30. Meekness = Gr. "praotes" = the disposition to be gentle, kind, indulgent, even balanced in tempers and passions, and patient in suffering injuries without feeling a spirit of revenge.
A. The Spirit Controlled Life
Read Galatians 2:20
1. Now that Christ lives in us, it should be our goal to let His life live through us.
2. Love is to be our aim.
a. Do all things in love
b. The goal is to help others
c. Living to give
3. Joy is our strength
a. Without joy we will not be able to continue to walk in love.
4. Peace is our safety
a. God's peace will guard our hearts and minds in the midst of tribulations, tests and trials.
5. Longsuffering is our endurance
a. Many things will not happen overnight. Loved ones will not be saved and circumstances will not change immediately. Longsuffering will keep us moving without quitting on people and dreams.
6. Kindness is our giving
a. While we wait for things to change, we must continually do good to those who are undeserving and ungrateful.
7. Goodness is our conscience
a. Our good conscience (integrity) will produce our good conduct and good works.
8. Faithfulness is our stewardship
a. We are a steward, not an owner
b. We will give an account of what has been entrusted to us
c. We must be faithful in the small, in the natural, and in other men's things
9. Meekness is our inheritance
a. The meek will inherit the earth
10. Self-control is our rulership.
B. What is Meekness?
1. Meekness is not weakness, but strength controlled.
a. Like a stallion that has been broken and brought under control of its master.
b. The stallion still has all its strength and could easily trample its rider, but instead has submitted its strength to the will of the rider.
2. Meekness is humility
C. From Prima donnas to Veterans, Matt. 11:28-30
1. The prima donna is out to change the world.
a. Fresh and energetic - Proverbs 20:29
b. Puffed up
c. Judgmental
d. Self-reliant
e. Self-centered
2. The veteran is open to change the world.
a. Seasoned and stable
b. Humble
c. Forgiving, longsuffering
d. Afraid of self - Philippians 3:3
e. Christ centered
3. The process of meekness - it comes about as steps in our lives. It follows the sequence below:
a. Dream, desire, vision
b. Self-effort, selfish, ambition
c. Frustration, disappointment
d. Contentment, acceptance
e. God calling, God commanding
f. Willingness and obedience
g. Inheritance
4. The process of advancement
a. Each step in my life must be received, not taken
b. What you receive from God, with it, you'll receive the grace needed to keep it
c. All things come through faith, and faith is neither self-effort, nor passiveness
d. The flesh seeks to counterfeit everything the Spirit seeks to do
e. Humility comes before honor, Proverbs 15:33, Proverbs 18:12
f. Meekness is learned in submission. James 4:7
D. The Meek Shall Inherit, Matt. 5:5, James 1:21
1. The reason the meek inherit is because they submit themselves to God, and His yoke.
2. We receive with meekness the word of God.
a. We come to God with an attitude of what we find we will become.
3. Take my yoke upon you, John 5:19.
a. This is doing what we are led to do, being yoked up to His purpose, John 8:38, 12:49
b. It is seeking to do the Fathers will, not our own, John 5:30, 7:16
E. In Meekness Correct, Galatians 6:1, II Timothy 2:24-26.
1. In meekness restore
a. Those overtaken with a fault will not receive a haughty know-it-all
b. Pride comes before destruction, so we must always remember our own vulnerability.
2. In meekness correcting those who are in opposition.
a. Correction given by a meek man will be gentle and reasonable, not harsh and demanding. James 3:13-18
b. Only God can grant repentance. Don't try to do God's part, step back and let God through.
F. Conclusion
Meekness is not weakness; on the contrary, it is strength that has been bridled, brought under submission to God and His word. We become meek through the crucifying of our flesh and submission to God and His word, just as prima donnas learn to defer and follow in order to become a veteran with more than just talent.
Meekness will cause us to receive our inheritance, for all things must come from God. John 3:27; Isaiah 57:15
VII. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS SELF-CONTROL
Read Proverbs 16:32, and I Corinthians 9:25. Temperance = Gr. "enkrateia" = self-control; a moderation in the indulgence of the appetites and passions.
A. Self-Control, the Ninth Fruit
Self-control is the ninth fruit of the Holy Spirit, and rightly placed as last on the list, for control of self is necessary for the flesh to be kept in subjection to the Spirit, and for us to press beyond our comfort zone into maturity and godliness.
B. He Who Has No Rule, Proverbs 25:28, 14:29
When we are out of control, it is like a city in anarchy. Self-control is mastery or dominion over; self-command and self-control. It is the opposite of self-indulgence, and the grace by which the flesh is controlled. Just as a man out of control is like a city out of control, so a man in control is better than a city in control, Proverbs 16:32.
1. Principle of self-government.
a. Government is from inside out
b. Christ's Lordship in our lives will work its way out in our, marriages, family, church, business, city and nation
c. The Bible's qualification for eldership is that his own house be in order, I Timothy 3:4-5
C. Just Say No! (Humanism vs. Self-Control)
1. The presupposition on which humanism is built is that man is good.
2. Therefore, since man is good, and the environment is the product of the man, we have unrestrained child rearing, uncontrolled spending, etc.
3. Christianity says man is evil, and the environment is the product of the man.
4. Drug abuse, two approaches.
a. Humanism: Since man is good and a product of his environment, we must stop the importation of drugs. (Remove the drugs and man will not use them). This violates the law of supply and demand, for history proves, what man wants, man gets.
b. Self-control. The bible teaches that man is evil, with the corrupted nature of Satan; therefore, his environment is a product of his nature. When man is saved, he becomes the righteousness of God in Christ, but still carries with him the sin nature in his flesh; hence, the necessity for taking dominion is ever before him. When we train ourselves to say no, the demand for drugs will stop, which will cause the supply to diminish too.
D. How To Determine Where Control is Needed
1. Paul states clearly that even though our Christianity is not a religion of do's and don’ts, we must remember that not all things are helpful, nor will all things serve us, and some will enslave us, I Corinthians 6:12-20.
2. Is it helpful, does it bring bondage?
3. The answer is to present yourself to God, Romans 6:1-14.
a. Know this: The old man was crucified with Christ. Romans 6:6
b. Reckon yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ, Romans 6:11
c. Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but of instruments of righteousness to God, Romans 6:13
4. Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, I Corinthians 6:19
E. Striving for the Crown, I Cor. 9:24-27
1. Run to win. Self-control without a goal will not last long. Proverbs 29:18
2. Exercise self-control in all things. A runner does not simply exercise self-control on the field, but in everything, from sleeping habits, eating habits, and even his thinking.
3. Run with certainty. We must know our goals, and know our enemies.
4. Don't become disqualified. It is possible that after having preached to others (influenced others), we ourselves could become disqualified, through folly, Ecc. 10:1.
F. Conclusion
Having recognized that all of us must contend with a rebellious flesh, that seeks to enslave us, we must determine to rule self under the authority of the world and leading of the Holy Spirit. This is not self rule by self-control, but reckoning ourselves dead to sin, and alive to God. It is presenting ourselves as an instrument of righteousness to obtain the prize set before us. Self-control, like all other fruit of the Holy Spirit, is measured in the little things that we do, that no one else sees. Dominion is from internal to external, and when we cannot control the little things, we will not be able to control the bigger things, I Corinthians.
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