“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

We will be looking at the sixth characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit this week.

A quick recap:

• There are nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23
• There are not 9 fruits of the Spirit. Fruit in the Greek is in the singular. There are nine characteristics listed, but this list is not exhaustive
• The Greeks did not have an “etc” so the way the Greek expresses “etc” is by listing like qualities
• Other characteristics that build up the body of Christ and encourage growth and maturity in the believer is assumed to be included in the list of those characteristics that make up the fruit of the Spirit

I learned as a new Christian to memorize the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit by seeing that there are three sets of threes based on syllables:

• Love, joy, peace – one syllable
• Patience, kindness, goodness – two syllables
• Faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – three syllables

The Greek word for goodness is agathosume.  The goodness referred to in this word is very specific. The word is only used 4 times in the entire New Testament. The word good appears hundreds of times, but this particular word only occurs 4 times. Agothosume refers to an intrinsic goodness that comes from God and shows itself in spiritual and moral excellence or virtue.

Not only does agothosume only occur 4 times in the New Testament, it occurs nowhere else in secular Greek. This is purely a Christian term for only Christians can demonstrate a goodness that comes from God.

We cannot generate goodness on our own. This goodness is not in us. We are powerless on our own to live out goodness. Jesus says, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone” (Mark 10:18). We can only live out this goodness and virtue as God enables us through the Holy Spirit.

Agothosume is a goodness and virtue that only Christians can live out in our world. I look forward to learning about this goodness which only Christians can demonstrate to a world desperate for goodness and virtue!

“But when the goodness and loving-kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).

The word for kindness is only used ten times in the New Testament. Of the ten times, six of them refer to the kindness of God toward sinners.

God offers sinners salvation and eternal life purely based on God’s goodness and kindness. There is not one who is worthy of the grace and kindness God offers, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

These verses in Titus summarizes the good news. Salvation is all God’s doing. All that we can do is to receive God’s gift and offer of salvation.

So what’s the big deal?

Simply put, God anticipated our stupidity and foolishness when God chose to save us. When God called us to participate in his kingdom work, God already took into account our stupidity and foolishness!

Isn’t that good news?

I am not suggesting that we go out of our way to prove our stupidity and foolishness. I am suggesting that when we mess up, get right back up and try again to do it better next time. Because God will use even our stupidity and foolishness to accomplish God’s work.

The greatest tragedy is if we were to do nothing with the gift of salvation God has given us.

Even during this pandemic, do your part to share God’s good news in practical and timely ways to those around you. We do this not to earn God’s favor, but because we have already received God’s favor!

So, what can you do today to share God’s good news with the people around you? How can you join in showing God’s kindness in a practical and timely manner?

 

We are going to take a break from the Fruit of the Spirit study for today.

Why?

Cuz, I’m in a bit of a funk. It’s not just today. It’s been days, weeks, a season of funk. I don’t even know how to describe it, but I don’t like it.

• I don’t like this season of pandemic.
• I don’t like that we can’t see each other and worship together.
• I don’t like that when I visit my daughter in Seattle that I can’t give her a hug.
• I don’t like that I can’t get together with my friends.
• I don’t like it.

I don’t like that the numbers are going the wrong direction. I don’t like that there seems to be no end to the pandemic in the near future.

It’s not that I don’t trust God or love God. It’s not that I don’t think God loves me. It’s not that I don’t have hope or joy in all that God has done for us on the cross.

Then what is it? I am not sure. I’ve never been a global pandemic lasting for months before. This is just a funky season.

I want to let you know of a couple of things:

1. There is no doubt that God wants you and his church to grow and thrive during this season. Nothing happening is taking God by surprise so God has given to us everything we need to grow and thrive during this season.
2. Growing and thriving does not equal being “happy” and “giddy.” Growing and thriving is filled with joy. Happy is not the same thing as being joy-filled. Don’t confuse the two. Happiness is an emotion we feel when good things happen.

It would be ludicrous for God to expect people going through trials, sufferings, and persecution to feel “happy” and “giddy” about that. However, God does call us to “rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). “In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials” (1 Peter 1:6).

Joy doesn’t depend on happenstance. Joy is dependent upon all that God has already done for us in Jesus Christ. Joy is not an emotion but a reality, truth, an outlook we take based on what God has done in Jesus Christ through the cross. It is the ability to remain hope-filled even when difficult things are happening in one’s life.

God doesn’t want us to pretend that things are great when they are not. One of the greatest encouragements to me is that out of the 150 psalms, over 50 are psalms of lament and complaints!!! God doesn’t need us to make-believe we are happy and giddy. God is okay with us not feeling okay when things aren’t okay. But even when things aren’t okay, we can remain joy-filled, hope-filled because our joy and hope doesn’t depend on things yet to happen. Our joy and hope is based on what’s already been done.

And perhaps, this is the most apt description/definition of God’s kindness. That God shows up for us just when we need him and how we need him in the midst of our funk.

Praying for all of you who are in a bit of a funk.