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Fruit of the Spirit-Gentleness

24 Monday May 2021

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is…gentleness” Galatians 5:22-23

The New King James Version I quote from most often has “gentleness” in this passage but I am used to hearing and quoting “meekness”.  “Gentleness” is without doubt a more positive word choice but it is “meekness” I find in the King James and Amplified versions.  It is the word I find most interesting in this list of Spirit Fruit because it is the one that carries the most negative connotation.

What do you think of when you think of meekness?  I mentioned in an earlier post how literature forms my understanding of words and, thinking on books I’ve read, I cannot think of one time where a character was described as “meek” and it was meant to be positive.  A “meek” character is a “weak” character and is someone to be mocked rather than emulated.  This cannot be what the Bible means.  Moses is called “very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3, KJV) and I do not read of a weak man in his story.  Jesus calls Himself “meek and lowly of heart” (Matthew 11:29, KJV) and I do not read of a weak man in the gospels.  If Jesus were weak, spiritless, spineless, and easily imposed on-all words I’ve found used to define meek-He would have been no threat to the rulers of His day.

I did hope the dictionary definitions would help clarify the meaning of meek for me but they did not.  The New World Dictionary gives the first definition of meek as 1, patient and mild; not inclined to anger and resentment and then 2, too submissive, easily imposed on; spineless, spiritless.  Webster’s give me “humble and patient, submissive”; not necessarily a negative attribute of a weak character but not necessarily positive either. 

Looking at the Greek was also of little help.  The Greek word for meekness in the Galatians passage is praotes (G4236) and the Strong’s Concordance defines it as, “gentleness, humility, meekness.”  None of the related words, praos (G4235), praus (G4239), and prautes (G4240) offered any enlightenment.  The definitions do not go beyond “gentle, gentleness, humble, humility, meek, meekness.”  Not a great deal of new information here so I went to my reference materials.

Unger’s Bible Dictionary defined meekness as, “…in the scriptural sense is an inwrought grace of the soul and the exercises of it are first and chiefly toward God” and then quotes Trench’s Synonyms saying, “The Greek term ‘expresses that temper or spirit in which we accept his dealings with us without disputing and resisting; and it is loosely lined with humility and follows close upon it (Eph. 4:2, Col 3:13) because it is only the humble heart which is also the meek, and which, as such, does not fight against God.”

The Vine’s Expository Dictionary defines meekness in a similar way.  The entry for MEEK, MEEKNESS says: “PRAUTES, or PRAOTES, an earlier form, denotes meekness.  In its use in Scripture in which it has a fuller, deeper significance than in non-scriptural Greek writings, it consists not in a person’s outward behavior only; nor yet in his relations to his fellow men; as little in his mere natural disposition.  Rather it is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God.  It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting”.

The Vine’s Expository Dictionary did not care for “gentleness” as a definition for meekness neither did it suggest prautes/praotes had any inference of weakness: “The meaning of prautes is not readily expressed in English, for the terms meekness, mildness, commonly used, suggest weakness…whereas prautes does nothing of the kind…’gentleness’ has been suggested but as prautes describes a condition of mind and heart,  and as ‘gentleness’ is appropriate rather to actions, this word is no better than that used in both English Versions.” 

While none of these entries gave me a clear idea what meekness means, I did begin to see a pattern emerge.  I found that I was defining meekness for myself as submission to God, but a submission flowing from relationship.  I looked to the lives of Moses and Jesus to see if this definition held and I believe it does.

There is a beautiful statement expressing the relationship between Moses and God in Exodus 33:11; “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”  Moses’ story is full of speaking to God, listening to God speak, and then obeying: relationship.  And yet, Moses’ didn’t always obey.  The word of the Lord came to him to speak to the rock and instead Moses struck it.  This disobedience cost him the Promised Land (Numbers 20).  Moses’ story is one of a mighty man and one of an incredible relationship with God, and yet this relationship was not perfect: something more was needed.

Jesus is the example of perfect submission and obedience to God.  He says of Himself, ““For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak” (John 12:49) and also “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19).  John 5: 20 says, “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.”  Jesus was submitted to His Father because of love even though that love took Him to the cross.

I would encourage the reading of the stories of Jesus’ arrest: Matthew 26: 50-57 (especially verse 53), Mark 14: 43-50, Luke 22: 47-54, and John 18: 3-12 (especially verse 6).  There isn’t space in this post to go into why the cross and why God didn’t/couldn’t choose another way to deal with sin but I hope you can see reading these passages that nothing happened that Jesus didn’t anticipate and allow.  He was submitted to His Father’s will and He was anything but weak.

With Jesus’ Spirit within us, we have His same love relationship to the Father. His Spirit at work in us means we can keep ourselves in perfect submission and obedience to the voice of The Father.  This obedience is always our choice and I don’t pretend it’s easy.  His voice is at odds with the voices we hear in the world.  There are so many demands for our attention, time, and activity.  Good works need to be done and we’re the ones who need to be doing them.  But, our ears are inclined toward the voice of Our Father, we must be about His business, and we only do what we see the Father doing.

“Spineless,” the world calls us.  “Spiritless.”  “Weak.”  These words hurt, especially when they come from someone close to us.  We know we are none of these things in Christ Jesus: we are meek.  One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 30:15: “For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.’ But you would not.”

I will.  His Spirit within me strengthens me to choose Him as Jesus chose Him and the cry of my heart becomes, “I delight to do your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8)!

Amen.

Unless notes otherwise, scriptures are quoted from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1982

References:

The Comparative Study Bible, The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1984

Guralnik, David B., The New World Dictionary of the American Language, Second College Edition, William Collins + World Publishing Company, Cleveland • New York, 1976

Strong, James, LLD., S.T.D., The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1990

Unger, Merrill F., Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 1982, Page 709

Vine, W.E., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1997, Pages 727-728

Webster’s New Reference Library: An Encyclopedia of Dictionaries, Webster’s New Dictionary of the English Language, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1984 

Fruit of the Spirit-Goodness

03 Monday May 2021

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is…goodness” Galatians 5:22

I have said in earlier installments of this study that each fruit listed in this passage appears to flow one from the other.  That this is true was never made clearer than looking at “goodness” for this week’s post.  I spoke last week on how “kindness” in this passage was translated “goodness” in other scripture passages and I wondered how the “goodness” which comes next in the Apostle Paul’s list differed.  In turns out, that’s not an easy question to answer.

The entry in the Strong’s Concordance does not really elaborate on “goodness”.  The Greek word used by Paul is agathosune (G19) and it has the definition of goodness, virtue or beneficence.  The primary agathos (G18) gives the definition of “good (in any sense, often as a noun)-benefit, good (-s, things), well”.  I don’t know about you but I am left thinking, “Well, good but I’m not seeing anything new here.”  It turns out we’re not alone. 

Richard Chevenix Trench states: “Agathosyne (G19) is one of many words where revealed religion has enriched the later language of Greece.  Agathosyne occurs only in the Greek translations of the Old Testament, in the New Testament, and in writings directly dependent on these.  The grammarians never acknowledged or gave it their stamp of approval and insisted that chrestotes (G5544) should always be used in its place…The difficulty in precisely defining agathosyne occurs primarily because there are no helpful passages in classical Greek literature where the word is used.  Although classical usage can never be the absolute standard by which we define the meaning of words in Scripture, we feel a loss when there are no classical instances to use for comparison. It is prudent first to consider chrestotes.  After determining its range of meaning, it will be easier to ascertain what agathosyne means.”1 

I conducted a study on chrestotes (G5544) last week so will not repeat that work here.  Trench does go on to quote Jerome saying: “…the Stoics define it thus: chrestotes is a virtue willingly ready to do good.  Agathosyne is not much different, for it also seems ready to do good.  But it differs in that it can be more harsh and with a countenance wrinkled by strict standards for one to do well and to excel in what is demanded, without being pleasant to associates and attracting crowds by its sweetness.”2

Trench uses the illustration of Jesus driving the money lenders from the temple (Mat 21:13) and speaking harshly to the scribes and Pharisees (Mat 23:1-39) as agathosune.  Trench contrasts these examples of what he calls “righteous indignation” with Jesus’ reception of the penitent woman (Luk 7:37-50) and in all his other gracious dealings with the children of men which illustrate chrestotes.

I did not find this helpful.  Interesting, to be sure, but there was still no revelation.  I checked each occurrence of agathosune in the New Testament to see if usage could help me understand.  There are four: Romans 15:14, Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 5:9, and 2 Thessalonians 1:11.  I looked up each one and had to read all of the 5th chapter of Ephesians in attempt to get a grasp on what Paul is saying.  I still had no revelation and ended my study for the night utterly confused as to what this goodness is.  I was so confused I couldn’t express myself to my mother who, looking equally confused after I’d spoken with her, told me to wait on the Spirit who would give me revelation.  Always good advice.  After all, if I believe Scripture is god-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), and I do, who better to tell me what it means than He who inspired it? 

I started this post by pointing out how each of the fruit listed in this passage flows one from the other.  That is true but it isn’t the entire truth.  There is only one fruit.  The Greek word here is singular, not plural.  Each word listed by the Apostle Paul reveals more of The Fruit of the Spirit within us which is the very person of Jesus Christ.  All of them are a revelation of who He is and who He is in us.  As I meditated on the meaning of agathosune and waited on the Holy Spirit, I had Zoom Church and Bishop Malcolm Smith shared a message that showed me what true admonishment from someone filled with the fruit of the Spirit looked like (Romans 15:14). This goodness could be defined as “let us speak the truth in love (agape)” (Ephesians 4:15).

I saw an online study that said the speaking the truth in love the Apostle Paul talked about was speaking that which is doctrinally correct.  I do not agree.  Jesus is the truth (John 14:6) and this fixation on correct doctrine and the subsequent bickering between denominations has nothing to do with the fruit of the Spirit.  Ephesians 5: 8-11 says, “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), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them.”  Romans 15:14 says, “Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”  As this goodness is found only in the Indwelling Christ, so is the necessary knowledge.  I am convinced we cannot truly know what is acceptable to the Lord unless we know the Lord through His Spirit. 

I am reading a book right now that, after listening to that message, I realized also illustrates agathosune.  It’s called “The Power of the Spirit” and is a collection of writings by William Law.  As he speaks on the knowledge that comes from institutions of learning and institutions of religion he writes; “Let no one here imagine that I am writing against all human literature, arts, and sciences, or that I wish the world to be without them.  I am no more an enemy of them than of the common useful labors of life.  It is the application to the things of the Spirit of God of the same methods of learning and wisdom used by worldly scholars in earthly pursuits that I charge with folly and mischief.”3  

William Law goes on to say, “Consider first of all that true deliverance from sin is nowhere to be found for fallen man, but in these two points: (1) A total childlike faith in gospel salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ for man; and (2) A total resignation to, and sole dependence upon, the continual operation of the Holy Spirit in man.  Through Him, Christ becomes our never-ceasing light, teacher, guide, and living power whereby we can walk in all the ways of virtue in which He Himself walked in the flesh.  All beside this, call it by what name you will, is but dead work, a vain labor of the old man to recreate himself.  For nothing else is meant or taught by the gospel, but a total dying to self (called taking up the cross to follow Christ) that a new creature (called Christ in us) may be born into the purity and perfection of a vital life-union with God.

“Let the Christian world forget or depart from this true gospel salvation; let anything else be trusted but the cross of Christ and the Spirit of Christ; and then, though churches and preachers and prayers and sacraments are everywhere in plenty, nothing can come of them but a Christian kingdom of pagan vices, along with a mouth-professed belief in the Apostle’s Creed and the communion of saints.  To this sad truth all Christendom both at home and abroad bears full witness.  Who need be told that no corruption or depravity of human nature, no kind of pride, wrath, envy, malice, and self-love; no sort of hypocrisy, falseness, cursing, gossip, perjury, and cheating; no wantonness of lust in every kind of debauchery, foolish jesting, and worldly entertainment, is any less common all over Christendom, both popish and Protestant, than towns and villages.  What vanity then, to count progress in terms of numbers of new and lofty cathedrals, chapels, sanctuaries, mission stations, and multiplied new membership lists, when there is no change in this undeniable departure of men’s hearts from the living God.  Yea, let the whole world be converted to Christianity of this kind, and let every citizen be a member of some Protestant or Catholic church and mouth the creed every Lord’s day; and no more would have been accomplished toward bringing the kingdom of God among men than if they had all joined this or that philosophical society or social fraternity.”4

Harsh words?  Consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 7: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (verses 21-23)  Some translations have “workers of iniquity” in this passage. 

This is so important.  We must be filled with the Spirit.  Our lives must be lived in unceasing intimacy with Jesus Christ. If our denominations, doctrines, creeds, and knowledge have become a substitute for this living in vital union with Jesus through his Spirit, let us turn from them.  May we be full of His goodness, filled with His knowledge, and then may we speak the truth in His love.

Amen.

Unless notes otherwise, scriptures are quoted from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1982

  1. Walker, Allen G., The New Koine Greek Textbook Series Supplements, 2019, Richard Chevenix Trench’s Synonyms, Page 139
  2. Walker, Allen G., The New Koine Greek Textbook Series Supplements, 2019, Richard Chevenix Trench’s Synonyms, Page 139-140
  3. Law, William, The Power of the Spirit, The Wisdom of This World Denies the Spirit, CLC Publications, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, 1971, Page 56
  4. Law, William, The Power of the Spirit, The Wisdom of This World Denies the Spirit, CLC Publications, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, 1971, Page 56-57

Other References:

“Fruit of the Spirit” Not “Fruits.” | Clint’s Corner (pastorclinthogrefe.blogspot.com)

The Comparative Study Bible, The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1984

Strong, James, LLD., S.T.D., The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1990

Check out Bishop Malcolm Smith

Unconditional Love Fellowship | The Ministry of Malcolm Smith

Fruit of the Spirit-Kindness

26 Monday Apr 2021

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is…kindness” Galatians 5:22

Last week, I listened to a panel discussing the new move of God, what God is releasing in this time, and what does it mean for the body of Christ.  One of the panelists said, “There is a lack of kindness in the body of Christ”.  As I was already thinking about kindness, his words caught my attention.  I thought about them for days and wondered; what does he mean by kindness?  I wrote last week how my interpretation of words are formed by usage and I don’t always understand what a word actually means.  I wonder what kindness, and the lack thereof, meant to this panelist.  Since I do not know him I cannot ask him.  The question remains an open one I hold in the back of my mind when I am listening to anyone speak: what exactly are they saying?  What do they think the word they are using means?  Does this really mean what they think it means?  What does it mean to me?

Have you ever attempted to define kindness to yourself?  I found it impossible.  I asked myself and realized my mind was returning an answer of, “Well, it’s being kind, you know, being a nice person.  Being good.  Doing nice things for others when you don’t really have to.”  I thank the Holy Spirit for guiding me into this study so that I have to take a hard look at what I believe and move from my vague ideas to a solid foundation of truth. 

I begin every study by opening my Comparative Study Bible to the passage I’m looking at and then my Strong’s Concordance.  It might interest you to know that the Amplified, New American Standard, New International, and New King James Version have “kindness” in Galatians 5:22.  The King James Version has “gentleness” which I found interesting but I didn’t think it clarified the meaning.  The Greek word in this passage is chrestotes (G5544) and means “usefulness.”  The Strong’s traces this word to chraomai (G5530) which means “to furnish what is needed.”  I found this both helpful and interesting but didn’t feel I was getting a grasp on the meaning of kindness.

Here is where I find a limitation in using the Strong’s Concordance.  The Strong’s number of 5544 only appears once under the entry for “gentleness”.  I knew the word could not have been used only once in the New Testament but there isn’t any way of using the Strong’s to track a word’s usage unless I search the columns for occurrences of 5544 and hope I don’t miss one.  I know there is Bible software I could use but I am old fashioned and prefer a book.  Thus, I have The New Koine Greek Textbook set and find this an invaluable resource.  It’s coded to the Strong’s Numbering System and, looking up 5544, I find a list of all scriptures where the Greek word is used.  As usage helps to define the meaning of a word, I want to know how it was used in other places.

Volume II/III of The New Koine Greek Textbook tells me how the Greek word was translated in the King James Version.  Comparing the information there with the Strong’s Concordance, I find the King James Version has chrestotes translated one time as “gentleness” (Galatians 5:22), one time as “good” (Romans 3:12), four times as “goodness” (Romans 2:4, Romans 11:22, Romans 11:22, Romans 11:22), and four times as “kindness” (2 Corinthians 6:6, Ephesians 2:7, Colossians 3:12, Titus 3:4).  I read each one of these verses substituting “usefulness”. 

How I recommend you do so!  The second chapter of Ephesians especially came alive for me.  I am so grateful for the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit because I am horrified when I realize things I have believed about God and His feelings toward me come from an inadequate understanding of what the writers of the New Testament meant.  Consider Romans 11:22.  My Greek study word appears three times in that verse and my understanding of it was altered when I substituted “usefulness” for “goodness”.  The passage says, “Therefore consider the goodness (usefulness) and severity of God; on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness (usefulness), if you continue in His goodness (usefulness).  Otherwise you also will be cut off.”

I’m quoting from the New King James version here but, other than updating the language a bit, it made no changes to the King James translation.  The Amplified, New American Standard, and New International all have “kindness” and none help make this passage less confusing.  I’ve heard it used to warn believers to “continue in the goodness of God less ye be cut off” and meaning to spend eternity in hell.  Is this what this passage is really saying?  Does substituting “usefulness” as the actual meaning of the Greek make it any clearer?  Paul does contrast obedience and disobedience later in the chapter: could this passage be talking about doing good works or supplying what is needed, to return to the Greek?

I would not ever say helping another person is not necessary.  The second chapter of James shows believers how important it is to meet the needs of our community and he states, “for as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).  This being so, I do not believe the usefulness of God in Romans 11:22 is a mandate to do good works.  Paul is using a branch metaphor here and, while it isn’t the exact one Jesus used in John 15, the imagery is the same.  We must be vitally connected to the Life of Jesus.  That is how we continue in God’s usefulness.

The Greek word translated “continue” is interesting.  It’s epimeno (G1961) and means “to stay over, remain, abide.”  Epimeno is a compound word and its components are epi (G1909) meaning “superimposition” and meno (G3306) which gives the meaning of “to stay (in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy), abide.”  Superimposition is a cool word.  It means “to put, lay, or stack on top of something else”1.  The more I study the more I see that, while I am not passive, everything is the work of Jesus.  He opened up the way to the Holiest through His very self (Hebrews 10:19-20), and in Him I live and move and have my very being (Acts 17:28).  I cannot abide in Him on my own but His life is superimposed over mine and enables me to abide.

His life is not only superimposed but infused.  He grafts me to Himself and His very Life through His Spirit flows from Him to me.  Yet I am not passive.  I respond but the only response I can make is “Thank you.  It is so.  Amen.”  This is what it means to be the body of Christ.  It is not He is the head in heaven and I’m a member of His body on earth running around doing His works.  It’s a subtle point I’m trying to make but thinking that way still infers separation: Him up there and us down here, doing everything we can to abide, to continue in the goodness of God, and hoping we are not cut off. 

We are not separate.  No, we are vitally connected to Him and His Spirit flows through the Head and body the same way my head and body are connected and my life-blood circulates throughout.  The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in me.  In me!  I have a vital union with Jesus.  He could not be closer to me.  My body is the temple of His Spirit.  His Life is in me right now.  I can’t say it enough.  It is His life flowing in and through me that is the usefulness of God.

He supplies what is needed every moment of my existence (Philippians 4:19).  I do not live a life of scarcity no matter what my circumstances might look like on the outside because I have Jesus Himself living in me and all things are mine because I am His (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).  I do not seek to do good works on my own but rather; He fills me with Himself, He becomes a fountain within me, and He overflows to those around me.  I cannot give to others what I do not possess myself.

I will close this week with the Apostle Paul’s beautiful prayer in Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever, Amen.”

And Amen.

  1. Guralnik, David B., Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language, 2nd Edition, William Colling + World Publishing Company, 1976

Other References:

Unless notes otherwise, scriptures are quoted from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1982

The Comparative Study Bible, The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1984

Strong, James, LLD., S.T.D., The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1990

Walker, Allen G., The New Koine Greek Textbook, Volumes 1-5 and Supplements, 2014-2019.

Fruit of the Spirit-Love

22 Monday Mar 2021

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“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love…” Galatians 5:22

As I began this study, I wondered whether or not there was intention behind the order in which the Fruit of the Spirit is listed.  Was Paul, because he listed love first, saying it’s the most important?  In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul does say, “and now abide faith, hope, love, these three: but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)   

While I was looking up the word “love” in my reference materials, I came across the following: “Love is the highest characteristic of God, the one attribute in which all others harmoniously blend.”1 I found I agreed as I considered the rest of the list in Galatians 5:22 & 23: the other Fruit of the Spirit were not a possibility without love and they did both blend with and flow out of love.  Perhaps Paul did deliberately list love first.

Jesus certainly considered love of highest importance.  He stressed its importance during the conversation that took place in the upper room.  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)  “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” and then again; “These things I command you, that you love one another” (John 15: 12 and 17, respectively).  What is this love He, and the writers of the New Testament, consider so important?

The Greek language does something I wish English did and that is it distinguishes between types of love.  There is eros or sexual love, there is storge for familial love or affection, there is philia to describe social love or friendship, philanthropia for a broader ethical sense of kindness and humanity, and then there is agape.2 While phileo (verb-John 16:27) and philanthropia (Titus 3:4) are used in connection with the love of God, it is agape (the noun) or agapeo (the verb) that are used most often.  Agape (G26) means love, affection, benevolence and agapeo (G25) means love in a social or moral sense. 

I don’t know about you, but these definitions from Strong’s Concordance don’t succeed in opening my eyes to the awesomeness of agape.  My reference materials do attempt to explain the meaning further.  Vine’s Expository Dictionary has “the characteristic word of Christianity…used to describe the attitude of God toward His son…the human race…and to such as believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…to convey His will to His children concerning their attitude toward one another…and toward all men…to express the essential nature of God.”3  The Hastings Dictionary says, “agape, signifying primarily a voluntary, active affection, has brought…into the NT the deeper sense of spiritual affection, the love that links God and man and unites soul and soul in the Divine communion.  Like philia, it implies reciprocity, fellowship,–if not existing, then desired and sought.”4 I liked the entry in Unger’s Bible Dictionary best: “We must derive our conceptions of God from the special revelation which he has given of Himself; and this declares His love as strongly as His existence.”5 I will come back to this in a moment.

1 John 4:8 states, “He who does not love (agapeo) does not know God for God is love (agape).  God is, in His very nature, love.  I have found value in reading the entries for love/agape in my reference materials but I find it is scripture itself that gives me the clearest picture of this love that God is.    

1 Corinthians 13 is one of the most spectacular passages in all of scripture. It explains agape. I cannot fathom why the translators of the King James Bible used “charity” to translate agape in this passage and yet translated it “love” elsewhere.  While other versions did make the correction back to “love”, I have heard this passage quoted with “charity” and I think that word sucks the vibrancy out of it. The passage is meant to be a joyous revelation of the very heart of God.  Let us take a look at it again keeping this in mind:

Love suffers long.  Love is kind.  Love does not envy.  Love does not parade itself.  Love is not puffed up.  Love does not behave rudely.  Love does not seek its own.  Love is not provoked.  Love thinks no evil.  Love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth.  Love bears all things.  Love believes all things.  Love hopes all things.  Love endures all things.  Love never fails. 

Again, “We must derive our conceptions of God from the special revelation which he has given of Himself; and this declares His love as strongly as His existence.” “Love had its perfect expression among men in the Lord Jesus Christ.”6 “He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).  There are so many more commentaries, expositions, and scriptures I could quote if I had space.  I hope these few are enough for each one of us to see that perfect love that God is has been made manifest to us in His Son.  That love is the same love with which we are commanded to love each other.  Is this a burden placed upon us believers?  Are we to strive to love like Him and hope we don’t fall short?  Of course not!

The word “commandment” in the passages I quoted earlier is a fascinating one.  It is entole (G1785) meaning injunction, authoritative prescription, commandment, precept.  Entole comes from entellomai (G1781) which means enjoin, give charge, give commandments, injoin.  Entellomai can be broken down into its components and here’s where it gets extremely interesting.  I haven’t got the space to share the definitions in their entirety so I encourage you to look them up for yourself.  Briefly, the meanings are these:

En (G1722) denoting fixed position in place, time, or state…instrumentality…a relation of rest…give self wholly to

Telos (G5056) to set out for a definite point of goal, the conclusion of an act or a state, ultimate or prophetic purpose, an impost or levy (as paid)

Do you see it?  The onus isn’t on us at all except as it relates to our keeping ourselves in Him, entering into His rest, and remaining in vital relationship with Him through His Spirit!  God so LOVED-AGAPEO-the world that He gave His son and Jesus has done it all!  He is the One who has ascended far above all heavens that He might fill all things! (Ephesians 4:10)  We who hope to love as Jesus did know we can do so, not in our own strength but because “the love (agape) of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5)  It is His Spirit in us that bears fruit and the beginning of this fruit is His love.

  1. Unger, Merrill, F., Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1982, Page 668
  2. Hastings, James, Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, Fifth Printing, Hendrickson Publishers, USA, 2001, Page 555
  3. Vine, W.E., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee, 1997, Pages 692-693
  4. Hastings, James, Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, Hendrickson Publishers, USA, 2001, Page 555
  5. Unger, Merrill, F., Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1982, Page 668
  6. Vine, W.E., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee, 1997, Page 693

Other References: The Comparitive Study Bible, Zondervan, 1984; The New King James Version of the Holy Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982; The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990

Fruit of the Spirit-Introduction

15 Monday Mar 2021

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My blog counter ticked over 100 followers!  Thank you. 

It has also been a year since I decided to start blogging again.  I wasn’t sure what I was going to blog about but, like Jeremiah, words burned inside of me and I couldn’t hold them in (Jeremiah 20:9).  I spent a great deal of time in prayer before deciding to return to blogging because it was then and still is important to me that any words I write be ones My Father would have me write.  I have sought the leading of the Holy Spirit and, I mention it in my bio but am stating it here; this blog has not gone according to plan.  At least, not my plan.  My prayer continues to be that the Holy Spirit guides me and that each post will be only ever what He would have me write.

To that end: I am initiating a new study series on the Fruit of the Spirit.  I did not intend to.  I planned a series on the Epistle to the Hebrews.  I would also like to do a post on the Hittites!  I am certain each of my readers is just as fascinated as I am with ancient world cultures. 😉 One day, perhaps, if Father wills it so.  As that time is not now, I will be devoting the next several weeks to the Fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”.

What do I hope to achieve by this study?  A greater understanding of the Holy Spirit.  A greater understanding of what His work in my life looks like.  I want this fruit to come to maturity in my life.  The list is an incredible one.  I am awed if I pick just one and stare at it.  For example, peace.  Is it possible to have peace in my life when I am in the midst of such upheaval?  Yes, it is.  More than that, peace is not something I have.  To clarify: it is something I have because I do not have it in myself but it is not some attribute outside of me I have to somehow lay hold of.  What I want this study to cement for me is that I have peace because peace is a person.  I have peace because I have Jesus who is my peace and I partake of the peace He is because of the Holy Spirit living in me.  Therefore, I do not seek to get peace.  Rather, I seek to come to rest in the knowledge that One who is peace lives in me and I live from Him.

It has been seventeen, maybe eighteen years (time starts to run together a bit for me) since dissatisfaction with the state of my spiritual life caused me to go to my mother and say, “I want to learn more about the Holy Spirit.”  She wanted that as well and so we started…where to start?  What is the Holy Spirit?  I had a few answers from my church-going background.  He’s the Third Person of the Trinity.  What does that mean?  Here’s where answers would get hazy and vague.  As I listened to those who ought to know attempt to tell me about the Holy Spirit, I couldn’t help but get the idea he was a great deal like the Force: He was everywhere and He was power.  I learned nothing that helped me.

I find Him so very interesting as I look back:  my mother and I expressed a wish to learn more about the Holy Spirit and within a few weeks a friend shared with us a series of writings that blew our tiny religious worlds apart.  Within a few more months, I had experienced a crisis that left my life hanging in tatters.  I was devastated.  I didn’t know what to believe or if, indeed, I believed anything at all.  It was at once a horrendous and wonderful place to be in because I discovered the Holy Spirit.  I say “discovered” but it really isn’t like that at all.  I suppose it’s more accurate to say He opened my eyes to see Him.  To know Him.

In the midst of my shambles, I learned He was everything Jesus promised He would be in the 14th Chapter of John’s gospel.  He revealed Himself as Comforter.  He was so gentle with my broken heart.  He didn’t turn from me because I’d made mistakes but made Jesus alive to me in a way He’d never been before.  Jesus, the One who bore my shame and who cleanses me from all sin.  The One who enables me to stand before the Father unashamed, certain that I am accepted.

When my eyes were opened to His Presence, I was able to look back over the dark, lonely, and frightening bits of my past and see that He was always with me.  I was not ever alone, He hadn’t abandoned me in that moment when certainly I deserved for Him to have done, and I’ve lived every moment of every day since then aware of Him.  He will not ever leave me.  He cannot for He is not separate from me.

So, who is the Holy Spirit?  I’ve addressed the word another before but, again: Jesus said he would send “another comforter” and the word another here means, another of the same sort.  (See Allos G243 in Strong’s Concordance and “Another” in Vine’s Expository Dictionary).  Another: different and yet the same.  In Ezekiel 36:27, God says “I will put My Spirit within you” so the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and, indeed, I see as much in Acts 13:2 where the Holy Spirit speaks as God. 

How do we believers explain the nature of God?  He is Triune, we say: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Three and yet One.  Impossible, I have heard some say, and the term “Trinity” isn’t in the Bible.  No, I agree that it isn’t but I don’t know of a better word unless I use “Perichoresis”.  It’s a beautiful word used to describe the relationship Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share with each other.  I have another word I like to use when I think of the nature of God: paradox.  He is (in my opinion) the ultimate paradox.  He is Three distinct Persons but exists in such perfect love relationship union that it’s impossible for Him to be separate. My spirit, in union with His Spirit cries in joy, “The Lord Our God, The Lord is One!” (Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29).

I know this post is a bit long but I want to make clear what I believe and where I stand as I begin to study the Fruit of the Spirit.  I hope I have done so.  If not, I hope it becomes clear as I begin, next week, looking at the first fruit: love.

To be continued…