THE PEAR OF GOODNESS
We are studying the FRUIT of the Spirit - The "Christ-like character" which the Holy Spirit produces in us - when we abide in Christ - when we maintain a close personal relationship with Him.
-We’ve been seeking to develop the "INNER FRUIT" first - love, joy, peace.
-Now we’re working on the "OUTWARD FRUIT: - patience, kindness and goodness.
-The PLUM of PATIENCE "a commitment to persevere with difficult people or through adverse circumstances."
-The KIWI of KINDNESS = "Caring enough about other people that we treat them with gentleness, graciousness and generosity."
I hope you’ve done some random acts of kindness this week!
This morning we come to the pear of GOODNESS.
I’ve chosen a pear to represent goodness, because kindness and goodness are a "pair." Kindness and goodness go "hand-in-hand."
Goodness, like kindness, is a word which is difficult to define. Many people believe that these words can be used "interchangeably"- but I don’t believe this is the case. There are many unbelievers who seem to be kind - gentle, gracious and generous - for whatever reason; but there are no unbelievers who are good by nature.
Mt. 19:16&17 "One came and said to Jesus, ’Good master, what good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ So He said to him, ’Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.’" He was saying: "You have underestimated who I am - you have overestimated who you are!"
Only GOD is good - i.e. only GOD is perfectly holy, righteous and just - only GOD does what is best for others.
*First observation: GOD is the source of all goodness - it is only possible to be god and do good when we are in a right relationship to Him, through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus for our sin. (2 Cor. 5:21)
I. WHAT IS GOODNESS?
Heb. - tob = "upright"
Ps. 25:8 "Good and upright is the Lord,
therefore He will teach sinners in the way."
Greek: agathos = "Morally pure - pleasig to God, beneficial to others"
Def: Goodness is "holiness of life which expresses itself in always doing what is in the best interest of others."
-Moral Goodness = "Conformity to God’s laws and principles."
-Practical Goodness = "applying those principles in our relationship to others."
So, there is a difference between BEING good and DOING good:
BEING GOOD comes from the new life God plants within us when we are born again into His family, doing good is the natural outworking of that inward change of heart.
Mt. 7:17 "Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but an evil tree brings forth evil fruit."
Once we have come to know Christ, that moral goodness is maintained through the continual study and application of God’s holy Word to our daily circumstances; the yielding of our lives to the control of God’s Holy Spirit; and the confession of any impurity or unholiness immediately after we sin.
II. HOW IS PRACTICAL GOODNESS EXPRESSED?
This is what the Bible refers to as "Good Works or Good Deeds"- doing what is best for others. The world says: "I’ll do what I think is right and what is in my own best interest!"
(GOODNESS is just the opposite!)
EXAMPLES:
-Rom. 12:20, 21 "Therefore ’If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
What is the good? -feeding the hungry, -giving a drink to the thirsty).
-Col. 1:10 "that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;"
-Eph. 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
-2 Thess. 2:17 "comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work."
-2 Tim. 3:16, 17 "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
-James 3:17 "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy."
-3 John 11 "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God."
In the book of Acts, there are two people - a man and a woman - who are called "good." That is, those who always did what was in the best interest of others:
Acts 11:24"Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith - and many people were added to the Lord through him."
Acts 9:36 "At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did."
In Mt. 25:21-23, Jesus said that a good servant is one that uses his talents and abilities for the glory of God and the good of others.
Actually, besides Gal. 5:22, there are only three other places in the NT where the word, "goodness" is used: The first refers to the goodness of God:
1) 2 Thess. 1:11 "Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power."
2) Rom. 15:14 "Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish [warn, encourage] one another."
3) Eph. 5:8+9 "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth)...."
III. HOW CAN GOODNESS BE DEVELOPED?
A. Moral Goodness (or holiness) is developed by maintaining a close personal relationship with our Holy God-allowing Him to control us by His Holy Word, His Holy Will and His Holy Spirit.
Four keys to holy living (spells H-O-L-Y)
-H - HOPE in God’s Holy Savior
Rom. 6:6 "Knowing this, that our nature is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
Christ died for our sin, we were crucified with Him - it is His righteousness not our own, which will overcome sin. Put your faith and hope in God’s holy Savior!
-O - OBEY God’s Holy Word
Rom. 6:16 "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves, whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?"
God has given us His Holy Word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. If we obey its precepts, we will be blessed; if we disobey, we will suffer the consequences. Holiness is a daily choosing to do what is right. Obey God’s Holy Word!
-L - LIVE according to God’s Holy Will
Rom. 6:11 "Likewise, reckon yourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord."
To be holy is not just avoiding sin, but it is also living according to the will of God. Being alive to God means walking with Him, talking with Him, listening to Him, following moment-by-moment His will and His ways. Live according to God’s Holy Will!
-Y - YIELD to God’s Holy Spirit
Rom. 6:13 "Do not yield your members[body parts] as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but yield yourselves to God [the Spirit] as being alive from the dead, and your members[body parts] as instruments of righteousness to God."
Only the Holy Spirit can be holy through us. But we must yield the control of every area of our lives, every part of our body to Him. So, when we sin, we must immediately confess it and ask the Holy Spirit to take control of that area of our life so that He can be holy through us. Yield to God’s Holy Spirit!
If there is an area of your life that you’ve really been struggling with, and you really want to overcome evil with good, read Romans 6 and then do what it says:
Hope in God’s Holy Savior
Obey God’s Holy Word
Live according to God’s Will
Yield to God’s Holy Spirit!
Let God’s HOLINESS flow through you in this coming week! (Weds. -a more in-depth study!)
B. Practical Goodness, or good deeds, are developed by applying the principles of God’s Word to our relationships with the people around us- seeking only to do the things that are in their best interest, rather than in our own best interest.
Ex: Phil 2:4, 5 "look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things or others. Let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ."
God is so good to us - may we respond to His goodness by doing only "good deeds" for others around us.
Principle: Ask God to make you more holy this week, and the result will be a greater concern for what is pleasing to God and best for others!
2 Cor. 9:8 "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always, having all sufficiency in all things may have an abundance of every good work."
Let’s add to love, joy, peace,patience and kindness - the pear of goodness (holiness, righteousness, purity in a very unholy, unrighteous, impure world!) Let God speak: "That’s not so good!" "That’s good!" "That’s very good!"
Next week: the first UPWARD FRUIT:
The ORANGE of FAITHFULNESS
~Pastor Jim Westervelt
gracefellowship3@earthlink.net
~CHURCH WEBSITE (new and still in progress):
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/g/graceworship/
