{Self or Spirit?

Willie O’Quinn

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

*Galatians 5:1-6

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature[a]; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

*Galatians 5:13-15

6 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 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.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live

by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

*Galatians 5:16-25

1. Love

2. Joy

3. Peace

4. Patience

5. Kindness

6. Goodness

7. Faithfulness

8. Gentleness

9. Self Control

Fruits of the Spirit:

Eros: Lustful love. Love to fulfill ones own hunger or excitement.

Philia: Broad love. Friendship or Romance. Noble Attraction to one with loveable qualities.

Storge: Reserved for family.

Agape: Love chosen by the will of the lover, not the qualities of the recipient. Deeper than emotion (eros). Lasts longer than Attraction(philia). Reaches wider than blood-line (storge).

1. Love:

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

* Ephesians 3:14-19

Radiant, happy response to life, produced by faith in Jesus Christ.

2. Joy: chara

Having all one needs for a happy satisfying life.

Not the absence of trials and hardship, but the presence of God.

3. Peace: eirene

“Long-Tempered” as opposed to “Short-Tempered.”

4. Patience: makrothymia

“Well suited for it’s purpose.”

When applied to a human: “Well suited for human purposes.”i.e: decent, reliable, gentle, etc.

Serving, productive trait.

5. Kindness: chrestotes

“Productive.” especially in terms of generosity.

Good trees are productive

Good land is fertile

A good worker works hard.

6. Goodness: agathosyne

“Trusting in God.”

“Being Trustworthy.”

7. Faithfulness: pistis

“Strength that has been controlled.”

“Meakness”

8. Gentleness: prautes

“Holding in of desire.”

9. Self-Control: enkrateia

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature[a] will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

*Galatians 6:7-8