9.11 Bearing fruit of the Spirit in the New Covenant
Today, all Christians are familiar with the term “fruit of the Spirit”. But most Christians do not fully appreciate that this is a New Covenant experience. You do not find this term under the Old Covenant. The people then did not experience it because the Spirit had not indwelled man. Therefore, we are privilege to be able to experience this promise.
Under the Old Covenant, the people had to keep the law through the ability of the flesh. The law places a demand on the people. It says, “Thou shall…with all YOUR heart, all YOUR soul and all YOUR strength.” The person has to find the ability within himself. The law does not lift a finger to help. It was a test of man’s righteousness.
As the person tries to keep the law, he finds an opposite force at work within him. The law stirs up his sinful passions (Rom 7:5) and gives strength to sin (1 Cor 15:56). The law was meant to bring out the effects of sin, so that the sinner can get help from the physician, Jesus.
Therefore, to those who walk under law, it will stir up the sinful passions, which result in fruit to death. When Adam ate from the tree which represented the law, he experienced death.
(Rom 7:5)
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
The law could not transform anyone from within. It wasn’t the solution. So God gave us the new wineskin of God’s righteousness, and the new wine of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit could fulfill what the law couldn’t. The Holy Spirit and the law are antithesis. Today, we are led by the Spirit, we are not under law (Gal 5:18).
The law could bring transformation from within, but the Holy Spirit can. He can bring forth the characteristics of Christ from within us. We call these attributes the fruit of the Spirit.
(Gal 5:22-23)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
The fruit is above the law. The law was God’s demand on sinful man. The fruit is the attribute of God displayed in redeemed man. Gal 5:23 says that against the fruit, there is no law. The fruit is above the law. Today, as you walk in the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will be made manifest.
Under the Old Covenant, the people had to keep the law through the ability of the flesh. The law places a demand on the people. It says, “Thou shall…with all YOUR heart, all YOUR soul and all YOUR strength.” The person has to find the ability within himself. The law does not lift a finger to help. It was a test of man’s righteousness.
As the person tries to keep the law, he finds an opposite force at work within him. The law stirs up his sinful passions (Rom 7:5) and gives strength to sin (1 Cor 15:56). The law was meant to bring out the effects of sin, so that the sinner can get help from the physician, Jesus.
Therefore, to those who walk under law, it will stir up the sinful passions, which result in fruit to death. When Adam ate from the tree which represented the law, he experienced death.
(Rom 7:5)
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
The law could not transform anyone from within. It wasn’t the solution. So God gave us the new wineskin of God’s righteousness, and the new wine of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit could fulfill what the law couldn’t. The Holy Spirit and the law are antithesis. Today, we are led by the Spirit, we are not under law (Gal 5:18).
The law could bring transformation from within, but the Holy Spirit can. He can bring forth the characteristics of Christ from within us. We call these attributes the fruit of the Spirit.
(Gal 5:22-23)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
The fruit is above the law. The law was God’s demand on sinful man. The fruit is the attribute of God displayed in redeemed man. Gal 5:23 says that against the fruit, there is no law. The fruit is above the law. Today, as you walk in the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will be made manifest.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 11:41 PM
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