Began with review of Give Me Some Fruit - Part 1
The next three next three fruits direct our attention toward ourselves. These three produce fruit that we can benefit from more than the others. Those three fruits are faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Let’s look at faithfulness. People can declare faithfulness to a lot of causes. Right now all the Tom Brady fans are declaring their faithfulness to their quarterback and their team.
The word in Greek, as found in the Bible, usually referred to a conviction or belief in respect to God. But it also referred to fidelity, which is faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support. It is being loyal and supportive regardless of the circumstances around us. It is the very character of a person that can be relied upon, one who can be trusted in all aspects. It is sticking with your team no matter what and not being a fair weather fan. However that same faithfulness is lacking in this world today when it comes to our faithfulness toward God and each other.
Proverbs 20:6 “Many will say they are loyal friends,
but who can find one who is truly reliable?” The writer of this Proverb lived in a world much like ours. He lived in a world where loyal friends were anything but loyal. Those he felt he could count on being there were less than reliable. The writer of Psalms 12 declared that the godly were fast disappearing taking their faithfulness with them. Friends were telling flattering lies for selfish gain from deceitful hearts. How like the present are these words. We are to have faithfulness within us. But, just like a plant, there must be some evidence of fruit from this faithfulness.
Revelation 2:10 “Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life.”
Faithfulness, being loyal and supportive, of the cause of Jesus is essential in receiving the crown of life. It is being faithful in participating in the ministry of the Gospel that all Christians have been called to. It is being faithful in our attendance and financial support of the assembly in which we meet, motivating each other with acts of love and good works. It is being faithful to our families. Spouses are to remain faithful to each other and their families. We are to bring up our children with Godly discipline and instruction. Children are to be faithful in those instructions.
In return, not only will those around us reap from this harvest of faithfulness but we will also. God promises us a rich reward. God promises us his protection. And although his faithfulness to us is not based on our faithfulness to him my desire is to hear Jesus say to me “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
The next fruit is gentleness. It is based on humility. Theologian William Barclay described gentleness or meekness as a quality by which “we treat all (others) with perfect courtesy, that we can (be critical) without (bitterness or resentfulness), that we can argue without intolerance, that we can face the truth without resentment, that we can be gentle and yet not weak.” What exactly does this gentleness look like? Let’s read Matthew 11:28-30 28. “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.’”
Jesus was never rude in his presentation of the hope He offered. He was critical of sinful lifestyles without casting bitter and resentful words toward the sinner. He was able to shine the light of truth without condemning deep rooted beliefs of those He encountered. He never showed resentment toward those who rejected him. He was gentle in his ways but strong in his convictions. He made it easy to be around him and not unpleasant. This is the gentleness we are to have within us. But, just like a plant, there must be some evidence of fruit from this gentleness.
2 Timothy 2:24-25 “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.”
Kindness, knowledge, patience, gentleness; all qualities exhibited by Jesus. And all qualities that should be exhibited by Christians. If we encounter a fellow believer who is overcome by sin, we should gently help that person back on the right path. But we must be sure that our evaluation of their sin is based on the word and not on our preferences. We should always be prepared to share the hope we have in Jesus at all times. Our gentleness should lead to good works showing Godly wisdom in our lives with the promise of reaping a harvest of righteousness.
And the last of the nine fruits is self-control.
2 Peter 1:5-7 “In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.”
Supplement means something that completes or enhances something else when added to it. Faith is enhanced when moral excellence is added. Moral excellence is enhanced when knowledge is added. Knowledge is enhanced when self-control is added. Self-control is enhanced when patient endurance is added. Patient endurance is enhanced when godliness is added. Godliness is enhanced when brotherly affection is added. And brotherly affection is enhanced when love for everyone is added.
Notice self-control is in the middle. Without self-control patient endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love for everyone suffers. Without self-control knowledge cannot be enhanced leading to a lack of moral excellence and faith. There is no completion or wholeness to who God has called us to be without self-control.
The word in Greek meant to hold oneself in. It is mastering your desires and passions. It is when temptation has very little influence over your life. We can claim to have self-control. But, just like a plant, there must be some evidence of fruit from this self-control.
Romans 8:12 “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.”
As a follower of Jesus we have an obligation to live a life worthy of our calling. We have an obligation to serve our Master. But what we do not have is an obligation to continue following our sinful desires. It is self-control that breaks us free from this demonic sense of following our sinful nature. The Bible is very clear to what this sinful nature looks like. It is sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
It takes self-control to turn from these things. While it is true we have the Holy Spirit living within us to assist us in overcoming this sinful nature, He will not override our ability to choose our lifestyle, even to the point where He is grieved by our choices. We are to pray in the Spirit at all times. Through prayer and our tenacity we can walk in self control.
After my rant last week against my garden I have harvested a few tomatoes. More excitingly Debbie discovered 5 cantaloupes and two watermelons that are growing. I was able to harvest enough green beans to fix a rather delicious appetizer. So, some of my plants decided not to disappointment me any longer.
Let’s make a decision today. Let’s decide not to disappoint God any longer. Let’s decide to show our fruit, not just one or two but all nine. Let’s give him pleasure in walking the garden of our lives and seeing the harvest coming through for his Son.
