We're going to talk about the fruit of goodness,
but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace,
long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance. Against such there is no
law. they that are Christ's have crucified the
flesh with the affection and lusts if we live
in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit
let us not be desirous of vain glory provoking
one another envying one another and so we see
that all the fruit of the spirit are grown by
crucifying the flesh often we like to pick what
we are going to lay down It is things we want
to improve, things we dislike about ourselves.
But this verse says, crucify your fleshly affections
and lusts, or stop doing the things you love
to do that are not after the Spirit and stop
fulfilling your desires that are not after the
Spirit. I've been thinking about this fruit of
goodness for over a month, mulling it over and
thinking about it and all that it entails. It
really is a fruit of the Spirit and not a fruit
of the law. That seems obvious because we are
studying the fruit of the Spirit. But James says
in chapter 4 verse 17, Therefore to him that
knoweth to do good and doeth it not to him it
is sin. Sometimes we think oh Jesus came he's
so loving and full of mercy we get a break from
all the have -to -do rules of the Old Testament.
Really though, the spirit always requires more
than the law. If you've been around me any period
of time, you will hear me say, the law said don't
murder, but the spirit says you can't even hate.
The law says don't commit the act of adultery.
The spirit says don't desire it in your thought
life. The spirit always requires more than the
law because it deals with the heart of the issue.
James says, Therefore. So if we back up and read
before, he is addressing the actions of a church
that is not motivated by the spirit. They are
fixed on their own desires and interests and
it is all empty in short sighted. Paul is saying
the same thing here. Don't desire empty accolades.
Don't be feuding with others or wanting what
other people have. When Paul writes the Church
in Thessalonica, in 1 Thessalonians 5 .15 he
says, See that none render evil for evil unto
any man, but ever follow that which is good,
both among yourselves and to all men. That's
a very inclusive list. The fruit of goodness,
therefore, is very flexible. It evades a legalistic
definition. Why do we like rules? So we can get
around them. If we know what is allowed or what
is not allowed, it gives us the knowledge of
how to achieve our goal legally. But when we
have such a flexible rule, like if you know it
is good to do, do it, well that takes away all
our evasive techniques. The first response of
the flesh is to say, That is way too broad of
a definition. It can't really apply to everything
I do, and we start lining up the rationale of
why we can continue undisturbed by the command
to do good. Or we say, well, I mean well, so
that counts as good, but our goodness is as filthy
rags. So it is goodness that is empowered by
the Spirit of God that is led by the Spirit of
God. I dare say all of us have something we know
to do that we aren't doing. Something we feel
like would be pleasing to the Lord. It could
be something in our personal life, like I really
need to be on my phone less, or I should be reading
my Bible more, or I should stop drinking so much
caffeine, it's not healthy. It could be something
for those around us. I need to stop speaking
critical words. I need to speak encouragement
to someone around me, or I need to stop in and
visit my neighbor, or I need to start a Bible
study with so -and -so. Knowing what to do is
one thing. Doing good is another. If you know
to do good and do it not, to him it is sin. It's
a big ask, a large ask. But if it was impossible,
we wouldn't be instructed to do it. If we want
to grow the fruit of goodness, it is a product
of obeying the spirit. It isn't a list we lay
out for ourselves. It is obedience to the calling
of the spirit. It is a byproduct of being rooted
and grounded on the rock of Jesus, having good
soil, and staying connected to Jesus. The rock
of Jesus, Matthew 7, having good soil, Matthew
13, and staying connected to Jesus, John 15.
Remember 1 Corinthians 16, 14. Let all things
be done with charity, or let all things be done
with love. If we are motivated by love, doing
good will bring joy and fulfillment. If doing
good brings frustration and bitterness, we need
to check our motivation. And there is the heart
of the matter. It all comes down to the position
of our heart. Oh that we would be filled with
the spirit and bring forth the fruit of goodness.