Gal. 5.22 The Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness
1. [Read text]. As we continue to look at these attributes of the Spirit-filled life we come to the next one, goodness. Now a quick look at this attribute as it is used in the scriptures is again very revealing. In the Old Testament, this was a description of God Psalm 31:19, 69:16, 109:21. However, when we get to the New Testament, this word, goodness becomes an attribute of people. Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2 Peter 1:5.
2. The implication of this is pretty overwhelming, the Holy Spirit empowers believers in these attributes in both heart and life. But the goodness we are talking about is really an issue of integrity, of agreeing in our words and in our actions. Goodness as it is used here is detailing a life of integrity.
3. And it has been recognized that in society, there is a “credibility gap” between what people say they want and how they behave. For instance, a father might say, “I want to spend more time with my children” and yet, he doesn’t. A couple may say, “we want to be better at having intimate conversations together” yet they don’t. People all the time say, “I don’t care that much about material possessions” and yet, they continually seek more and more. In business a person may say, “I want to be more honest” but when it comes to making the big deal or closing the sale, they say anything to get the job done. Believers in the church may even struggle with integrity at some points of their lives. There is this tremendous credibility gap between what we say we want and what we actually go after. In other words, a gap between what we say and what we seek.
4. But we aren’t the first to experience this. Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. . . . For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing.” -Romans 7.17-18. Even Paul went through it. That sense of what I want to do, I talk about it, but I just don’t do it.
5. Of course, we live in a much more advanced society than Paul did and we have come up with a solution that helps us deal with this issue of our saying and our seeking not agreeing. “It’s someone else’s fault.” You see, we blame others for our problems. We blame others or we blame our past. If this and this had happened differently, than I wouldn’t be like I am today. And we excuse the ways in which we are not people of integrity by laying blame for our actions on the shoulders of someone else. If I had gotten the promotion. If he hadn’t treated me that way. If she had not said what she said.
6. However, the truth is, our past may explain why we are the way we are but it does not excuse it. We can learn to understand why we are the way we are better but we don’t have to continue to live in the past, to focus on the things that we didn’t have or couldn’t have. Instead, we can ask God, right here and now, to enable us to live a life of goodness/integrity by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can ask for His gracious goodness to fill our hearts.
7. Plato, the great Greek philosopher once said, “You can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the DARK; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the LIGHT.” And the reason that people shy away from the light is that the light reveals parts of their character that they would rather not see, or would rather not be seen.
8. But as Christ followers we are called to live as Christ lived and He was a person of integrity, of goodness. He said what He believed and He believed what He said. And besides our looking like Christ, there are some other benefits of being people of integrity.
9. First, being a person of integrity brings protection. We have less to fear when we are people of integrity, not like the truck driver who sat next to the scrawny fellow sitting at the bar staring into his glass. Suddenly the truck driver, grabs the little fellow’s glass and gulps down the drink. The scrawny guy breaks into tears. The truck driver feels bad and says, “Come on, buddy, I’ll buy you a drink to replace that one.” “No that’s not it…this has been the worst day of my life. I was late for work and got fired. When I went to leave the office, my car was stolen. After I walked 20 miles home, I was so late my wife said “that’s it – you’re just a big loser – I’m leaving you. So I walked hear and just when I’m about to end it all….you show up and drink my poison.” The truck drivers lack of integrity cost him dearly! Psalm 25.21 says, “
10. Second, being a person of integrity brings with it security or a greater confidence. Proverbs 10.9
11. Third, being a person of integrity brings with it guidance. We make better decisions when we do things honestly and uprightly as opposed to doing things that are dishonest or shameful. Prov. 11.3
12. But is it really important to be people of goodness, of integrity? You probably know people who would ask this question. What does, or who does it really hurt if I’m not completely honest all of the time. Who am I hurting if I tell a little white lie? This company has a lot of money, does it matter if I scrimp a little on my work and record lots of overtime hours? I mean, what if I don’t live with integrity, so what?
13. Integrity is so vital that every part of our relationships with others is built on this very foundation stone. Steven Berglass, author of a book entitled, The Success Syndrome said that those who achieve great success without a foundation of integrity have four probable outcomes,
a. arrogance
b. aloneness
c. adventure-seeking
d. adultery
14. Recently, we heard in the news that former presidential hopeful, John Edwards had confessed to having an affair even though just a short time earlier he had been adamantly denying it. Former President Bill Clinton did the same thing. Lest we forget too quickly, there have been through the years some integrity issues with people in the church, with ministry leaders, televangelists and the like. Even pastors have occasionally been people who have fallen outside the bounds of integrity.
15. So what does it take to be a person of goodness/integrity? What are the things we are to do if we desire to remain Christ-like in a world that frequently says, “do whatever you want to do” and it’s okay as long as you don’t get caught.
16. First, speak honestly. From the very beginning, whenever you open your mouth, speak the truth. Scripture reminds us in Eph. 4.15 to, “ “ As a teenager in Washington D.C., I remember one of the men of our church who was reported as never telling a lie. He simply believed that we should always tell the truth no matter what. If he was asked what he thought about an issue, you could know he would speak the truth. If it was in relation to an issue in the church, something that took place in the news, or in his community, at his work. If his wife asked him the question, “Honey, do I look fat?” he told the truth. Whatever it was, whatever he believed. He was sort of an oddity in a city known for secret deals and promises made that would never be kept. But even here now in central usa, we live in a time where people believe lies almost as easily as they believe the truth. But worse than that, we live in a world where people find it acceptable to lie to achieve what they want. They cheat on taxes, and insurance claims, on hours worked, and on anything that can possibly benefit them. We who represent Christ can not possibly allow this type of behavior into our own lives. We can not lie and should not lie simply so that we can get whatever we want, whether we are trying to get ahead or to get more favors. When you speak, allow the truth to be the only thing that crosses your lips.
17. Second key to living a life of integrity is to “confess often”. Maybe you don’t always tell the truth or maybe this morning as you listen to the message, you feel the Spirit convicting you just a bit and you realize that you need to confess that. That’s okay. That’s why the altar is here. You know what happens at the altar? First, you confess your wrongs to God, and then you confess your wrongs to the person you lied to, your spouse, your children, your relation, your friend, and your co-worker, whoever it is. Confess to God, then confess to the person you have realized you have wronged. Here’s a little poem that will help those who are married with this, “To keep your marriage brimming with love in the loving cup, When you’re wrong admit it, when you’re right hush up.” The scripture reminds us to confess our sins and our faults to others, “James 5.16; Matthew 5.23,24”
18. A third key need is to live consistently. That is, our heart and our actions must be aligned. And what we do out in the community must match what we do at home which must match what we do when we are here. One of the greatest insults I think a church can ever have is to be the recipient of the comment, “those people don’t live like they say they do.”; in other words, when people in the community spot hypocrisy in the church, when they see people who behave differently on Monday morning or on Saturday night than they see on Sunday. People who live inconsistent lives demean not only the church but also the name of Jesus Christ and His ability to change people from the inside out. He was “trying to break his donut habit. He even changed his route to work so he wouldn’t drive by the donut shop. After several weeks, however, sure that he was now strong enough to resist temptation, he returned to his former route. As the bakery came into view his glands began to salivate. He prayed: “Lord, if you don’t want me to have a donut, may Inot be able to find a parking spot and I’ll drive on.” It must have been the Lord’s will that he ease up on his diet, for he found a place to park right at the front door of the shop… on his eighth trip around the block.”
19. And fourth, commit boldly to do the things you say you will do. Matthew 5:37; Psalm 101:2; Isaiah 45:19. This is an area that I know I can improve in myself. Sometimes I do forget but sometimes I get busy and delay or find something else that seems more important to do and I don’t get done what I said I would do. But a part of this issue of integrity is to do what you say you will do, do what you commit yourself to doing, no matter the cost.
As a young man, Robertson McQuilken dreamed of becoming the president of Columbia Bible College in Columbia, South Carolina. He adored his father, who had held this position, and he aspired to someday take his father’s place.
Robertson McQuilken’s dream came true. He served as president of Columbia Bible College for a number of years and did so with distinction. He lead Columbia to become a premier Christian institution that has prepared hundreds of young people for service, both in the United States and overseas.
Then one day this very special man realized he had a tragedy on his hands. His wife began to show the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. This was no slow-moving case, and in a matter of months there were dramatic consequences. She not only lost the memory of much of their life together, but she was unable to even recognize him. She lost all awareness that he was her husband. Robertson McQuilken made his decision. He resigned the presidency of Columbia so he could give full-time care to his wife. Without hesitation he walked away from what he loved as an act of love for her.
There were realists who told him there was no point to what he was doing. Anybody could take care of his poor wife, they told him, but not anybody could be president of Columbia Bible College. And after all, she didn’t even recognize him when he came into the room to help her. The man’s answer was magnificent. He readily admitted that his wife didn’t know who he was. But that wasn’t the point, he told them.
“The really important thing is that I still know who she is . . . .
she is the woman to whom I promised to be there for ‘UNTIL DEATH DO US PART’.”
20. How can we be people of integrity? Speak honestly, confess regularly, live consistently, commit boldly. Will you allow the Holy Spirit to produce this kind of work in your life today? I pray that to begin to live a life of integrity or to continue to live a life of integrity is your hearts desire. It can be today, just ask God to make it so.
