Speaker: Pastor Classy Preston

Believing the Gospel means applying it in every area of our lives. The community formed by and in Christ is not divided along ethnic, societal, or any other boundary-our identity is in Christ as part of His church. In this passage, Paul begins by describing those whom he is addressing as "God's chosen ones" and "holy and loved." The significance of this is great. He is not speaking to the unsaved or to those whose desire should be anything less than complete surrender to Christ. We are the object of God's great love as evidenced by Christ's work of salvation.

Paul describes the following attributes as Fruit of the Gospel in our lives as Believers.

Compassion

Compassion is not the same as empathy, even though the concepts are related. While empathy refers more generally to our ability to take the perspective of and feel the emotions of another person, compassion is when those feelings and thoughts include the desire to help. While cynics may dismiss

compassion as touchy-feely or irrational, scientific research has shown that when we feel compassion, our heart rate slows down, we secrete the “bonding hormone” oxytocin, and regions of the brain linked to empathy & caregiving light up, which often results in our wanting to approach and care for others.

Kindness

Kindness is a lifestyle. It is a daily practice. It is a choice. As Christians, we are to grow in the fruits of the spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and kindness – and growth takes time. A seed does not transform into a tree overnight, but with careful watering, tending, and patience, a seed will slowly grow day by day into a strong towering tree. It is the same with kindness. We must be faithful every day to bear the good fruit of kindness. Being kind should be our default mode, a habit of goodwill, a heart of continual service every day.

ANSWER

Humility

The Bible describes humility as meekness, lowliness, and absence of self. The Greek word translated as “humility” literally means “lowliness of mind,” so we see that humility is a heart attitude, not merely an outward demeanor. One may put on an outward show of humility but still have a heart full of pride and arrogance. Jesus said that those who are “poor in spirit” would have the kingdom of heaven. Being poor in spirit means that only those who admit to an absolute bankruptcy of spiritual worth will inherit eternal life. Therefore, humility is a key factor in being a Christian.

Gentleness

Gentleness comes from a state of humility. Therefore, someone who lacks gentleness is often prideful and easily angered, or feels the need for revenge. To be gentle, we must not view ourselves as better than someone else. Prautes, the Greek word translated "gentleness" in Galatians 5:23, means "to submit one's strength in a posture of meekness." Prautes is translated as "gentleness," "consideration," "humility," and "meekness." One part of gentleness is to calmly accept God's judgment regarding a situation, even if that judgment results in personal hardship. It is humility toward God. When we submit to God we will also be gentle with others.

Patience

The quality or virtue of patience is presented as either forbearance or endurance. In the former sense, it is a quality of self-restraint or of not giving way to anger, even in the face of provocation; it is attributed to both God and man and is closely related to mercy and compassion.

According to the New Testament, patience purifies faith (1 Pt 1.6), fosters hope (Rom 8.25; 15.4), leads to perfection (Jas 1.4), and pertains to charity (1 Cor 13.4, 5, 7). Thus, it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5.22), deriving its power from God (Col 1.11).