If you’re anything like me, you hate contradictions. Maybe it’s just the
suppressed mathematical side of my psyche that comes out in these instances, or
the fact that the English sentence, “I don’t have no fruit,” really means
(though most don’t realize this) “I have fruit.” (Along the line of English
speaking, it took a lot to get it through my head that the literally translated
Greek sentence, “Walk by the Spirit and you will not never fulfill the desires
of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16) doesn’t contain a double negative for them; it
contains an accentuated negative; “not never” means “not at all, ever.” So my
point is that to properly understand our passage today, we need to realize that
Paul is not contradicting himself. Let’s read the context, and then I’ll
explain further.
Paul writes in Galatians 5:16-6:10,[1] “I say
then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires
what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t
do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the
law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral
impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy,
outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy,
drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in
advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not
inherit the kingdom of God. But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its
passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, we must also
follow the Spirit. We must not become conceited, provoking one another,
envying one another. Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual
should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves
so you also won’t be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens; in this way
you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone considers himself to be
something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each person should
examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself
alone, and not in respect to someone else. For each person will have to
carry his own load. The one who is taught the message must share all ⌊his⌋ good things with
the teacher. Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man
sows he will also reap, because the one who sows to his flesh will reap
corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal
life from the Spirit. So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will
reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have
opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong
to the household of faith.”
In Galatians 5:22-24, Paul is describing—not commanding—the free life
under the yoke of Christ. Paul is not saying, “Thou shalt be loving, joyous,
peaceful, etc.” He is holding up a mirror and saying, “If you have the Spirit,
you will look like the following.” That’s why it is important to translate the
first word of verse 22 as “but,” instead of another potential option, “now.”
Paul is contrasting this description with the previous. Previously he said,
“Your old slavery to sin looked like this,” and now he is saying, “this is what
life with the Spirit looks like.” If Paul was commanding these traits, then he
would be commanding we follow law, and that’s what he’s spent the whole book
getting away from.[2]
However, despite this clarification, it is important to note, as MacArthur
does, “All of the nine manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit are also commanded of believers in the New
Testament.”[3]
I would argue, and plan to next time, that all nine are manifested (and thus
commanded) through one illustration (5:25-6:5).
However, that is hopefully going to be written by the end of Sunday
(possibly Saturday), and right now we have some fruit to digest. Here’s my goal
for this post (you can determine if I accomplish it): first, discuss importance
of fruit concept; second, break down each individual fruit and find biblical
examples of them being put into action (apart from next week’s text); and
finally discuss why Paul writes what he does at the end of 23-24.
Fruit. Apples. Oranges. Pineapples. Some are good, some are bad.
Biblically, the word makes 52 occurrences in the New Testament alone (according
to the New Revised Standard Version). And, Jesus would prove my point above
about the point of Paul’s list here when He said,
Beware
of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging
wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from
thornbushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree
produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t
produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree
that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So
you’ll recognize them by their fruit. (Matthew 7:15-20).
Paul
wants us to know that we are discerned
for what we are by what we do. And
while Jesus literally says that they’ll be recognized by their fruits—plural
(cf. NASB of Matthew 7:20)—Paul today describes the fruit—singular—of the
Spirit, and then proceeds to name off nine different virtues. While there have
been many attempted explanations at why this is, and while I primarily lean
toward one option—namely that all the fruits are proofs of the first (love)[4]—I will allow John MacArthur
to talk:
The
first contrast between the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit is
that the products of the flesh are plural, whereas the product of the Spirit is
singular. . . . there is also a contrast between the degrees to which the deeds
and the fruit are produced. A given person may habitually practice only one or
two, or perhaps a half dozen, of the sins Paul mentions here. But it would be
practically impossible for one person to be habitually active in all of them.
The fruit of the Spirit, on the other hand, is always produced completely in
every believer, no matter how faintly evidenced its various manifestations may be.”[5]
The first manifestation of the Spirit is love. The Greek word is agape,
and it is of uncertain etymology prior to biblical usage. That is not to say it
was not used prior to the New Testament era, but rather that it meant something
more akin to, “I prefer,” than to the, “Others first,” emphasis the New
Testament clearly gives it, and most of the time was overpowered by eros
(sexual, powerful love) and phileo (warm affectionate love) in ancient
writings.[6] One thing is clear about the
word from ancient sources: it means “love or the demonstration of love.”[7] By the time the article on
the word concludes, we read this: “[Agape] in the Greek sense is respect and
sympathy between equals. Agape derives from a consciousness of equal
unworthiness before God and His mercy.” While eros love is all about getting,
the church “knows of a love that does not desire, but gives.”[8] This is the love of which
Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you
have love for one another” (John 13:35). And, just so we’re clear out of the
gate on what this love looks like in action, John writes in 1 John 3:16: “This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We
should also lay down our lives for our brothers.” This love that flows from the Spirit is—simply put—the opposite of a
great majority of the vices Paul put forward last time. If this kind of love is
manifest in your life, you are likely not committing those sins.
The second manifestation of the Spirit is joy. In ancient Greek, the
word referred simply to merriment.[9] When this concept appears in
the Greek translation of the Old Testament, it is understood that joy is not
just something inward, but that it arises from a cause and finds an outward
expression.[10]
David understood the concept of joy when he prayed in Psalm 51:12, “Restore the joy of Your salvation to me.” The primary evidence of salvation is a joy
that comes from the Spirit. In a psalm he wrote at about the same time,
reflecting upon God’s forgiveness of his sin, David said, “How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose
sin is covered! How joyful is the man the LORD
does not charge with sin and in whose spirit is no deceit! . . . Be glad in the LORD
and rejoice, you righteous ones; shout for joy, all
you upright in heart” (Psalm 32:1-2, 11). By the time of the New
Testament, and specifically for Paul, the most important aspect of joy is
maintaining joy in suffering.[11] If we look carefully at the
book of Philippians, we will see a very clear example of joy in action: Paul is
in prison, but his emphasis in the letter is joy, and while reading the letter
it is just about impossible (at least for the Christian) to not be rejuvenated
to joy.
This manifestation of the Spirit—as David explains in Psalm 51—can be
quickly extinguished by sin. So the existence of this fruit in a person’s life
is a good sign that there isn’t any unconfessed sin in a person’s life. So,
again, this fruit is the opposite of everything on the prior list. You can’t be
joyful and a fornicator or heretic at the same time.
The third manifestation of the Spirit is peace.[12] In classical Greek usage,
this word typically meant nothing more than the opposite of war.[13] By the time the Greek Old
Testament came around, it referred to well-being or salvation.[14] In the New Testament it is
frequently used to speak of peace between men.[15] One clear example of what
this peace looks like is seen in Romans 5:1: “Therefore,
since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ.” Faith in
Christ leads to peace with God, where prior there was nothing but enmity (same
word as found in vice list of 5:19-21). Romans 5:10 explains, “For if, while we
were enemies, we were reconciled to
God through the death of His Son, ⌊then how⌋ much more, having been reconciled, will we be
saved by His life!” (emphasis added). As such, this manifestation of the Spirit
is also the exact opposite of a great majority of that found in the vice list
from last time. The reason this is possible for people from all different walks
of life was explained in Galatians 3:28, “There is no Jew or Greek, slave or
free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” The Spirit
accomplishes this.
The fourth manifestation of the Spirit is patience. It is extremely rare
in non-biblical Greek. When it is used of humans, it speaks of forced
acceptance of occurrences in life.[16] This word is used repeatedly
of God in the New Testament. It is used as a verb in 2 Peter 3:9, and says, “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is
patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.” Literally, the word has the same root as the
word translated “rage” or “outbursts of anger” from the vice list, but has a
prefix on the front that makes it really mean, “slow to rage.” God is slow to
rage with us, wanting all of us to come to repentance. In Romans 9:22, it says
that God is even slow to rage towards those who are not elect. How good He is!
He could strike them down the moment they’re conceived (Psalm 51:5) or the
moment they’re born (Ephesians 2:1), or the moment they commit their first
conscious sin, but He is slow to rage and does not do this. For this reason all
creation—elect and non-elect—must praise Him one day (Philippians 2:10-11). In
Romans 2:4, God’s slowness to rage defines the next manifestation of the
Spirit, and is said to exist for the purpose of letting people reach
repentance. For believers, it’s pretty clear how this one should look in our
lives. We shouldn’t be quick to blow up at people in anger (or to blow up in
anger at God for things that we are still waiting for from Him). If we
habitually are given to slowness to anger then we have good evidence that we
belong to God and are walking by the Spirit.
The fifth manifestation of the Spirit is kindness. In profane Greek, it
referred to honesty, respectability, and worthiness.[17] As mentioned above, God
displays His kindness through His slowness to rage (cf. Romans 2:4). The
kindness of God was also displayed through Jesus (cf. Ephesians 2:7). According
to John, we received grace and truth from God through Jesus (John 1:17). These
are two things that we desperately need, but do not at all deserve. God kindly
gave them to us in the person of Jesus. In fact, the fact that Jesus is Christ
and kindness translates from chrestotes could potentially be important. One
commentator says, “The common slave-name Chrēstos comes from this root,
so that the word must suggest some quality that was desired in the ideal
servant, as indeed do all the other qualities listed here: it has been well
said that they are a list of ‘slave virtues’. If these are the qualities of the
‘servant Messiah’, on whom Christians are called to pattern themselves, this is
not surprising.”[18]
If you treat people better than they deserve—which is absolutely vital for
successful life within the church—then you are showcasing this fruit of the
Spirit; thus it’s clear how opposite to the works of the flesh this
manifestation of the Spirit is.
The sixth manifestation of the Spirit is goodness. This word simply
“indicates the quality a man has who is good.”[19] That’s a super unhelpful
explanation, but it’s a very easy word to understand. Jesus used it in all
three synoptic gospels when talking to the rich, young ruler. Jesus essentially
says, “No one is good but God” (Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19). The
same author who gave us our unhelpful definition also explains (unhelpfully
again?), the “natural existence of man is incapable of reaching [goodness].”[20] Thus, to be able to actually
achieve this manifestation, one has to be empowered by the Spirit. If a person
is not empowered by the Spirit, the following is true of him/her: “There is no one who does what is good, not even one” (Romans 3:12).
The seventh manifestation of the Spirit is faith. And I will admit that
you probably know it better as “faithfulness.” The word can mean either “faith”
or “faithfulness” depending on the context. If we think back to Galatians 2:16,
we will remember that this word can get sticky. Is it “faith in Christ Jesus”
or “the faithfulness of Christ Jesus”? Both are possible. And here, both are
possible as well. However, I firmly believe the better understanding is
faithfulness. In classical Greek it typically refers to confidence or trust.[21] In the Greek Old Testament,
this word almost always replaces the Hebrew for faith, which—in Hebrew—carries
a strong element of obedience.[22] If we look at Hebrews 11
closely, we will see faith being used in the aspect of faithfulness. All the
saints who are held up there are said to have faith, and then said to have done
something to prove that faith. For the believer wondering about the fruits of
the Spirit, faithfulness is what results from faith, and is shown by obedience
to God—fighting the fleshly vices that want to come out in our lives.
The eighth manifestation of the Spirit is gentleness. This word refers
to “mild and gentle friendliness in secular Greek.” In addition it also refers
to “remaining calm even amidst abuse.[23] This word is exactly the
same as the word that appears in the Sermon on the Mount in the third
beatitude. Jesus said, “The gentle are blessed, for
they will inherit the earth”
(Matthew 5:5). Jesus exemplifies this manifestation of the Spirit perfectly.
Philippians 2:5-8 says,
Make your own attitude that of
Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not
consider equality with God as something to be used
for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by
assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness
of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point
of death—even to death on a cross.
Paul
also makes reference to Christ’s gentleness in an earlier book he wrote, “Now I, Paul, make a personal appeal to you by the gentleness and
graciousness of Christ . . .” (2
Corinthians 10:1). Jesus had all the power in the universe, but He exhibited
gentleness and humility in not using it for His advantage. This is what the
fruit of the Spirit looks like, and why it is exactly opposite of many of the
fleshly works Paul described in 5:19-21.
The final manifestation of the Spirit (that Paul gives in this list) is
self-control. This word comes from a stem that “denotes power or lordship, and
which expresses the power or lordship which one has either over oneself or over
something.”[24]
Many of the ancient Greek philosophers highly valued this quality, and by way
of contrast, “it plays a strikingly small role in biblical religion.”[25] The same author explains,
“The reason for this is that biblical man regarded his life as determined and
directed by the command of God. There was thus no place for the self-mastery
which had a place in autonomous ethics.”[26] Again, I emphasize, Paul is
not saying, “Be self-controlled!” but rather, he is saying, “As a follower of
the Spirit, self-control will naturally start to exist in your life.” And, by
way of contrast to the emphasis of secular philosophers, John Calvin points
out,
There have often appeared in unrenewed men
remarkable instances of gentleness, integrity, temperance, and generosity; but
it is
certain that all were but specious disguises. Curius and Fabrieius were
distinguished for courage,
Cato for temperance, Scipio for kindness and generosity,
Fabius for patience; but it was only in the sight of men, and as
members of civil society, that they were so distinguished. In the sight of God nothing is pure but what proceeds from the fountain of all purity.[27]
Most noticeably, this manifestation
of the Spirit is directly opposed to sexual immorality, moral impurity,
promiscuity, drunkenness, and carousing from the vice list. If you consistently
resist these vices, it is good evidence you are being controlled by the Spirit
and bearing good fruit.
So with that, we’ve looked at all nine
manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit. We’ve seen how they all
differ greatly from the works of the flesh by looking at how specifically they
are manifested in a person’s life. But then Paul concludes verse 23 by saying, “Against
such things there is no law.” One commentator explains that it can be more
literally understood,
as
‘such things as these’, and the sense would be excellent. No law forbids
qualities like these; such virtues are in fact the ‘keeping’, or ‘fulfilling’,
of the law. But, in view of the personal nature of the reference in verse 21, . . . ‘those who habitually behave
thus’, it is better to translate personally here too, as ‘such people’, not
‘such things’. The phrase will then become ‘The law was never meant for (or
“was never directed against”) people like this’.”[28]
In
explaining it this way, it is also important to see that just as the list of
fleshly works in 5:19-21 was not a complete list, this list also, is not
complete. If we look at 2 Peter 1:5-7 we will see a list with similar
qualities, but also with different ones. No list of sins or virtues in the New
Testament is an exhaustive list.
Paul says that there is no law against people who live like this
(because of the Spirit’s power producing this kind of life). MacArthur explains
one option for what this means, “Even unbelievers do not make laws against such
things as those which the fruit of the Spirit produces . . . There is certainly
no law of God against such things . . . The believer who walks in the Spirit
and manifests His fruit does not need a system of law to produce the right
attitudes and behavior—they rise from within him.”[29] Martin Luther takes it even
farther. “A true Christian conducts himself in such a way that he does not need
any law to warn or to restrain him. He obeys the Law without compulsion. The
Law does not concern him. As far as he is concerned there would not have to be
any Law.”[30]
Thus, through the Spirit bearing fruit in the believer’s life, the law is
fulfilled. And, since Galatians 5:14 says, “For the entire law is fulfilled in
one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself,” I would argue that every
manifestation of the Spirit is actually a manifestation of the first in the
list—agape love.
In addition, every work of the flesh is a breaking of the law and is
opposed to agape love. Thus we see that if one is in the flesh, they must, by
necessity, be under the law, because only in those controlled by the Spirit is
there no law. In addition, committing deeds of the flesh is breaking God’s law.
And finally, striving to keep the law (by your own strength) will only produce
more fleshly works, because the Spirit is taken out of the equation.
Paul proves as much in verse 24 when he writes, “Now those who belong to
Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” He says
they crucified the flesh, but in the prior verse he said there is no law. The
two are closely united.
And maybe we get to this point and you say, “But my flesh isn’t dead!
How do I know I’m saved and following the Spirit?” Crucifixion doesn’t
necessarily equal death, but it does mean eventual death. Crucifixion was an
extremely lengthy process, and it is worth pointing out that Jesus’ was
probably one of the shortest in history. (Remember that He was already dead
when they broke the legs of the criminals.) So if you question your standing, I
would ask you, “Do you believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus?
Does your life exhibit an increasing pattern of Spirit manifestations and a
decreasing pattern of serious fleshly failures?” (I say serious, because every
single day for all of our life we will give in to the flesh in “small” ways,
but the big sins—think David and Bathsheba failures—will be few and far
between.) If you have believed in Jesus’ death, then you can know that when He
was crucified, your flesh was put on the cross too. His death promises your
flesh’s eventual death, and His resurrection promises your eventual
glorification. The day you believed in Jesus your flesh was officially pinned
to the cross, and you can rest in the assurance that it will finally bleed out
and expire the day you enter into glory—through the door known as death. While
the passions and desires still exist here, and we struggle against them—and often
fail—the Spirit is our down payment (Ephesians 1:14), and His fruit is for our
assurance (Galatians 5:22-23). How much fruit are you producing?
In conclusion, I’m not going to say, “Go love, have joy, make peace, be
patient, show kindness, exhibit goodness, stay faithful, be gentle, and control
yourself.” Instead, I will simply ask, “Do these qualities appear in your life
on a good day? Can you honestly say, ‘This is not my doing. If it was up to me I’d
be totally described in 5:19-21’?” If so, Paul’s point in this passage has been
accomplished. Thank God for His Spirit and trust Him now for the power to live
differently. No contradictions here. The fruit of the Spirit is not another set
of rules for people to be placed under!
Til next time.
Soli Deo
Gloria. Solus Christus.
[1]
Verses 22-24 are bolded because those are what this post is focusing on.
[2] I
guess to be consistent, Paul was not commanding
abstinence from the vices last time either. He was describing the unconverted
person’s life. Application flows out of both lists regardless, but it’s not
Paul’s primary point.
[3]
John MacArthur, Galatians, 164-165.
Emphasis in original.
[4]
Big surprise! I mean, what else would you expect?
[5]
John MacArthur, Galatians, 164.
[6] Gerhard
Kittel and G W. Bromiley, eds., Theological Dictionary of the New
Testament, 10 volumes (Grand
Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964-1976), I:36. Henceforward, this work will be cited
as “Kittel, TDNT, vol:page.”
[7]
Kittel, TDNT, I:38.
[8]
Kittel, TDNT, I:55.
[9]
Kittel, TDNT, IX:360.
[10]
Kittel, TDNT, IX:363.
[11]
Kittel, TDNT, IX:370.
[12]
The study of this Greek word completely changes how we think of the angels’
news in Luke 2!
[13]
Kittel, TDNT, II:401.
[14]
Kittel, TDNT, II:406.
[15]
Kittel, TDNT, II:411.
[16]
Kittel, TDNT, IV:375.
[17]
Kittel, TDNT, IX:489.
[18] R.
Alan Cole, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries – Galatians, (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Academic, 2008), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 221.
[19]
Kittel, TDNT, I:18.
[20]
Kittel, TDNT, I:16.
[21]
Kittel, TDNT, VI:176.
[22]
Kittel, TDNT, VI:197.
[23]
Kittel, TDNT, VI:646.
[24]
Kittel, TDNT, II:339.
[25]
Kittel, TDNT, II:340-341.
[26]
Kittel, TDNT, II:341.
[27]
John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles
of Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians. The “fountain of all purity” is the
Holy Spirit of God.
[28] R.
Alan Cole, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries – Galatians, (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Academic, 2008), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 222.
[29]
John MacArthur, Galatians, 170.
[30] Martin
Luther, A Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians.
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