You are reading the FRACAT Blog Archive (also known as "FRACAT 1.0") for all posts prior to October 29th, 2007.
Rotten Fruit
Our pastor was talking the other day about the “Fruits of the Spirit”. This is a happy verse that children the world over memorize:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
- Galations 5:22-25
Seeing how you’re measuring up to the fruits is a great way to live your life. And it can never hurt to be in a meeting with a clueless boss / co-worker and thinking to yourself, “Self-Control is a Fruit of the Spirit. I will not throw anything at him.”
However, being the odd contrarian that I am, whenever someone talks about the Fruits of the Spirit, I remember the oft-forgotten “Fruits of the Flesh”. Let’s see them and hope that you compare better than I!
THE FRUITS OF THE FLESH
Have you heard of the “FRuits of the Flesh”? It comes just before the Fruits of the Spirit in Galations. Okay, so it’s not really called the “Fruits of the Flesh”, but it just seemed an appropriate name.
While I can justify most of my actions into a Fruit of the Spirit, it’s hard to explain away a Fruit of the Flesh when I see it:
“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
-Galations 5: 19-21
The interesting parts for me are that these are “obvious” and what God lumps in together as equivalent “acts of the sinful nature”. For instance, hatred is lumped with discord. Selfish ambition with fits of rage. Drunkenness with orgies. And all of them with each other.
So, while you’re going through your work life, if you’re anything like me, you continually try on the Selfish Ambition. And, while we see this as normal, God sees it as on par with sexual immorality. Get fed up and have Fits of Rage? Same as orgies.
I wish I had the answer to stop doing all of this over and over. I wish there were a one-time solution to constantly being drawn back into the Fruits of the Flesh. Alas, it is not to be so.
The only prescription that I have is to stay close to God, pray, read His Word, and watch your own actions. Every day.
And if you need a little motivation, as I do periodically, remember that whole “that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” part. It puts things into perspective.
Photo by: idi0t
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