GOODNESS IS THE 6TH FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 7/4/24
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
Introduction about fruit:
WE ARE STUDYING THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT FROM GALATIANS 5. LET US LOOK AT THE SIXTH FRUIT WITH 3 TO FOLLOW. THE SIXTH FRUIT IS GOODNESS…
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
FOR THE RECORD THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS SINGULAR NOT PLURAL. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS ONE, NOT MANY.
*GOODNESS: USEFUL, AGREEABLE, RELIABLE , sound, whole, generous, thoughtful, considerate, holy, pure, godliness, loving kindness, generous, esteemed character nourishing, being morally virtuous, morally correct,
GOOD WORKS WITHOUT A GOOD HEART IS VANITY. Goodness starts internally and then expresses its self externally.
Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
THE FIRST RECORD OF FRUIT IN THE BIBLE IS FOUND IN GENESIS 1. WE FIND FRUIT IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS TO REPRESENT CHOICES… THERE IS A DIVINE IMPERATIVE GIVEN BY GOD TO BE FOLLOWED MY MAN --- BE FRUITFUL.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
JOHN 15 RECORDS THERE ARE SEVERAL LEVELS OF BEARING FRUIT: 1. NO FRUIT; 2. FRUIT; 3. MORE FRUIT; 4. MUCH FRUIT. Any increase in production of real fruit comes from God.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
*FRUIT: anything that contains seeds for reproduction, come from the flowering part of the plant, the sweet, fleshy produce of plants that contain a seed,
*VEGETABLE: elible part of a plant leaves, stems, rots, bulbs.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Let us look at the 6TH fruit of 9: GOODNESS.
GOODNESS WILL REVEAL THE TRUE NATURE OF OUR ACTIONS. THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF TREES: 1. FIREWOOD TREES; 2. FRUIT TREES. WE MAY NOT JUDGE BY THE EXTERNALS ALONE, BUT WE WILL BE KNOWN BY THE FRUIT THAT WE BEAR.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
GOODNESS MEANS HELPING OTHERS NOT JUST HELPING YOURSELF.
Romans 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21 (MSG) Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.
SOME WANT TO BE GOOD--- GOOD FOR NOTHING. TO BE GOOD IS MORE THAN WORDS AND ACTIONS… TO DO GOOD IS ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDES AND MOTIVES!
Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
TO DO GOOD IS NOT OPTIONAL… I WILL DO GOOD TO THOSE THAT DO GOOD TO ME.
Luke 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Luke 6:27 (MSG) "To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. 28 When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. 29 If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. 30 If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. 31 "Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! 32 If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. 33 If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. 34 If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that. 35 "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. 36 Our Father is kind; you be kind.
SO WHAT GOODNESS… IF YOU KNOW TO DO GOOD AND YOU REFUSE
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
James 4:17 (MSG) In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don't do it, that, for you, is evil.
WEARY OF GOODNESS? ARE WE LOOKING FOR THE CHANCE TO DO GOOD? MAYBE LET’S JUST SIT AROUND AND WAITH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO GOOD? WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO DO GOOD WE HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR THE TRAPS SET AROUND US.
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
CONCLUSION: ARE YOU A POSITIVE PERSON? How do you behave when no one is looking might tell on you? Do we stay morally pure and faithful? We are promised if we sow good seed we will reap an abundant harvest. The more quality and the more quantity seeds we sow the greater the harvest.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Our good visions might start small. Maybe if there is not enough seed for the harvest, perhaps the good seed is to be sown. As a boy we would save and dry some seed for next year. Dad would always say DON’T EAT THE SEED CORN… When people eat the seed corn there will be no good harvest.
Many sow bad seeds that will lead to self-destruction. With every good seed you sow we have to wait with patience for the harvest. Let us sow the good seeds of love, joy, peace and grace.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 1:6 (MSG) There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
