walk in the Spirit

by

Fruit of the Spirit 6: Goodness

I am sorry it has taken so long to continue my series. Life has been really hectic lately but I continue to think about what exactly it means to walk in the Spirit.

This particular fruit is interesting to me. Romans 3:12 tells us, “There is none that does good; no not one.” Jesus said the same thing in Mark 10:18 and yet “goodness” is one of the fruits that we are to have if we are full of the Spirit. So what does it mean to be good?

goodness

In our humanity, we are vile, sinful, selfish creatures. It is only with God’s help that we have any goodness in us. When we come to know God, He teaches us to love others. As we learn to love others, we become more selfless. That is when the goodness of God begins to show through.

I realize that there are “good” people who do not know the Lord but without His Spirit, your goodness avails nothing. Only with God’s Spirit will we exhibit the goodness that leads to life and Godliness.

by

Walk in the Spirit

I am going through The Walk of Repentance Bible Study for the second time and have been focusing a lot on Galatians 5:16: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” Galatians 5 goes on to list the lusts of the flesh versus the fruits of the Spirit. There is no doubt which list I would like to define my life but I am very aware that, without the Spirit, I will be doing those things that I do not wish to do.

As Christians, we cannot use the excuses so many do, such as “God knows I’m human” or “Nobody’s perfect.” God does know those things but He also gives specific commands as to how we should live. They are not suggestions. He tells us to be holy as he is holy (Lev. 11:44, referenced also in 1 Peter 1:16). Probably the most sobering portion of Scripture is Matthew 7:21-23: “Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.” Those verses alone are enough to send me to my knees crying out to God to remove the sin in my life that displeases Him and replace those areas with His Spirit so that I don’t hear those dreadful words.

Walk-in-the-Spirit

If it were easy to be a Christian, everyone would be one. Unfortunately, the world sometimes has more of a handle on how Christians should act than those who profess to be Christ’s followers. If you are truly following Him, you will be like Him. You may not be perfect but you will fight the good fight, you will fall on your face in repentance when you do things that grieve Him, you will see your sin as He does. In the words of the old song, “It’s a battlefield, Brother, not a recreation room. It’s a fight; it’s not a game.”

I plead with you today: do not hold on to the sin that is pleasurable for a season but will end in spiritual death. Cling to the One who gives you life and that more abundantly. Let nothing be more important than pleasing Him and being a Light on this earth so that others can know Him as well.

Life is short. You never know when it may be your last day. Don’t waste your remaining time on earth living for self. Decide today to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.