Abiding Fruit :: The Great Truths of Romans 6

December 19, 2011 by Katie Orr 8 Comments

I was a slave

Dominated. Defeated. Hopeless. I had no choice but to sin. It was my master.

I died

At the cross my iniquities—all of them—were placed on Jesus. When he was tortured and crucified on calvary a part of me died too. The part of me that could do no good. The part that separated me from a holy God. It was dealt a mortal wound.

I was baptized

When I acknowledge my separation from God, and asked Him to be Lord of this sinner’s heart, I was given the Holy Spirit—God came to live inside of me. He baptized me and sealed me as His own.

I was buried

It was in His burial and resurrection that Christ displayed His power over sin. Through the baptism of the Spirit, in that first moment of grace-led faith when I entered into the Kingdom of God, I was baptized into His death and burial.

I have been given new life!

I was joined with Christ not only in His death and burial, but also in His resurrection! I have been brought from death to life. I have been enabled to walk in newness of life.

I have been set free!

I have been set free from the slavery of sin. It no longer my ruler. My chains are gone. I now have a choice to walk in obedience.

I have been given a purpose!

I am to be a tool for righteousness, to bring glory to the one who holds me in His hands. I have been made alive to God.

Applying the truth

Romans 6:1-14 is filled with deep, deep truths. But these truths were not meant for us to read and nod in approval. They are to transform our living. It is in knowing who we are in Christ, and what we’ve been through with Him (burial, death, and resurrection) that we can begin to hope for any change in our lives.

Change comes only through the work of Christ on our behalf. The work we need to focus on is in believing:

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:11

It is finished

With His dying breaths Christ said, “It is finished.” Do you believe that? That your sin nature is dead? That there is nothing left to do to obtain right-standing with God? That God sees you through the perfection and obedience of Christ?

It is in abiding—remaining in Christ and resting in His completed work on our behalf—that we experience fruit in our lives. It is not in trying harder, but through pursuing Jesus and allowing Him to bear fruit in us.

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised…Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 17 ESV)

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24 ESV)

What did you see this week in Romans 6? Have you seen the fruit of the Spirit more evident in your life over the last few months, as you’ve leaned into Him as your source?

Abiding Fruit: Self-Control

December 12, 2011 by Do Not Depart 9 Comments

I quickly get discouraged when I feel certain areas of my life become unruly. I feel it lately, as I am surrounded by sweet treats that are so hard to say no to. I experience it every morning as I try to get up early to meet with the Lord, and more often than I would like, I choose to snooze.

Photo Credit

I don’t need to teach a lesson today on what self-control is. We all know what it is, and most of us would say we lack it. Whether it be in regards to the way we eat, what we say and do, or our maybe our thought-life; there are probably at least a few areas in each our lives in which we lack self-control.

Although, I did find something very interesting in my study of self-control this week:

Enkrateia.

That’s the greek word for self-control.

It’s used four times in the New Testament. (Acts 24:25, Galatians 5:23, and repeated twice in 2 Peter 1:6)

That’s it. Four times.

So as I came to this week of study, a bit discouraged and defeated, I was comforted that I didn’t find a bigger list of things for me to control in my life.

Isn’t Self-Control Just Trying Harder?

I find it incredibly fitting that self-control comes right in the middle of our Believing Better series. This series was a bit of a last-minute leading from the Lord, and here we are studying self-control, something which can easily be mistaken with the Cycle of Try Harder.

So, is self-control just another way of saying “try harder”?

Remember what our series is all about? It is about the FRUIT of the SPIRIT. Self-control is a FRUIT. It is a PRODUCT of being a Spirit-led, healthy Christian.

And, when we get down to the nitty-gritty of 2 Peter 1:3-8, we see a similar message we’ve been learning all along.

An All-Powerful God Has Granted

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue… (2 Peter 1:3-5 ESV)

Did you catch the amazing truths of what God has given us?

All things that pertain to life and godliness.
Precious and very great promises.

And do you see why?

So that you may become partakers of the divine nature—to escape sinful desire .
To fuel our efforts towards maturing our faith.

Remember the Central Command

Most of the commands in Scripture are surrounded by the truths of what Christ has done for us. Here in 2 Peter, amidst the list of qualities that should be increasing in our lives, the commands are preceded by the reality that even our best efforts are worthless with out the power of God in our lives.

Earlier in our Abiding Fruit studies we looked at the central command of Galatians 5—the secret to experiencing fruit-filled living. The central command: walk by the Spirit. Keeping in step with the Spirit brings forth the fruit of self-control.

We aren’t to mainly pursue self-control, but to pursue Jesus. As we do, self-control will come.

Do you struggle with self-control? How do you think pursuing Jesus and yielding to the Spirit will help you live a more self-controlled life?

There is so much more to learn from this passage! What did you see this week in your studies?

Abiding Fruit :: Faithfulness :: Just stand

November 28, 2011 by Lisa Burgess 18 Comments

It was Pompeii.
AD 79.
As the story goes, the Roman sentry heard, saw, and smelled all of life crumbling around him. Vesuvius had erupted.

Yet he hadn’t been dismissed from his post.
So he stood.
Just stood.

Should we do any less?

There’s only one way—stay near the throne. It’s there we’ll receive mercy and find grace to stand firm (Hebrews 4:16).

Jesus showed us how. He was faithful to do his Father’s will (Hebrews 3:1-2). Tempted yet was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Endured the worst to secure the best (Hebrews 12:2-3).

God keeps his promises.

So our confidence is in him. In his faithfulness. The only reason we can be faithful is because he is.

And our faithfulness—in big things and small things—will encourage others to stay in his presence too.

To be bold.
To love.
To do good works.
To do his will.
To receive rewards.

If we’ll stand.
Just stand.

What did you learn in your study of faithfulness? How can we encourage each other to be faithful?

Abiding Fruit :: Goodness :: Tasting the Real Thing

November 21, 2011 by Katie Orr 3 Comments

I am not a big fan of sugar-free food. I cannot stomach diet soda (as much as my love-handles would love for me to make the switch.) And fat free dairy? Blech.

Give me the real thing.

Even if you do “like” diet soda or non-fat milk, you can taste a difference. Advertising companies would love us to believe otherwise, but the bottom line is: diet soda, skim milk, and fat-free snacks just do not taste like the real thing.

Good Stuff

The fruit of the Spirit is…goodness. Galatians 5:22

We looked at another portrait of the fruit-bearing life this week, through Proverbs 31:10-31. I love the picture painted in verse 12, “She does him good and not harm, all the days of her life.”

Whether married or not, I think all of us desire to be one who does good to those around us.

The greek word used in Galatians 5:22, from which goodness is translated from, is agathosyne, which means: uprightness of heart and life; goodness; kindness

There are only three other places this particular Greek word is used in the New Testament.

One is in Romans 15:14. Paul talks of the Roman believers as being “full of goodness.” Then, in Ephesians 5:9, Paul teaches that the “fruit of life” is found in all that is good, right and true.

Good. Right. True.

The fruit of the Spirit filling our hearts will result in that which is good, right and true to His character. So, as we keep in step with the Spirit, we will become just like Spirit; we will become just like the real thing.

The Taste Test

When my husband Chris and I were engaged we were invited to have dinner with Dan and Sue. Dan would be performing our wedding ceremony, and they wanted to have us over to talk through the big day. We enjoyed a yummy meal and great conversation.

Being good coffee-lovers, they brewed a pot of dark brew, to go with our dessert. I watched as Dan pulled out the cold, white cream from the fridge and a sugar bowl from the cabinet. I put some sugar in my and Chris’ coffee, added some half-in-half, and just as the warm goodness was reaching my lips, I look up to see Chris’s puzzled expression.

“It’s not sugar.” he ekes out, trying to catch me before I take by own swig of caffeinated sea water…

Too late.

Photo Credit

It looked like sugar, but it most certainly was NOT. Dan had grabbed a bowl of SALT, and offered it to us as sweetener for our coffee!

By His Power, By His Grace

I don’t think any of us want to be like that hot, salty nastiness to those around us—repulsive. We want to bring good to those around us, so how do we obtain goodness? How can we taste like the real thing?

Psalm 34:8 declares, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” He is the only one who is good, right and true. He is the good shepherd (John 10:11). His goodness is declared all throughout the Old Testament.

So, if God is the only source of all that is good, how do we access that?

Enter 2 Thessalonians 1:11, the forth time agathosyne is used, where Paul offers a prayer for the people of God:

To this end we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of his calling

and may fulfill every resolve for good

and every work of faith

by his power,

so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you,

and you in him,

according to the grace of our God

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I love this! God is the one who makes us worthy. He gives us the resolve for good, by His power, according to His grace! His desire is for us to be the real thing; for people to encounter us, His children, and taste a bit of Him—the all-good God. And this is all for His glory.

People can tell the difference. They can see right through our games of trying to be a good person. They know when we are faking it. But a child of God, who is walking in the power of the Holy Spirit? Fruit is dripping off of that dependent one. Good fruit—the real stuff.

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What did you learn from your study this week?

(As we consider the goodness of God…I am having a giveaway over at Living Devotionally. Just hop over and declare God’s goodness in the comments, for a chance to win! Giveaway ends on Tuesday!)

Abiding Fruit :: Titus 3:3-8 :: Undeserved Kindness

November 13, 2011 by Heather 14 Comments

My Heavenly Father is not only just, but kind.

He is El Shaddai, meaning “God Almighty”, who possesses the power to adequately nourish, supply and satisfy. He is the ultimate nurturing Parent.

He is a Father who sees and cares. He saw Hagar in the desert as she abandoned her dying son under a tree. He provided a way out.

“God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation. Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water…God was with the boy as he grew up.” (Genesis 21:17,18, 20a)

The Greek word for kindness is chrestotes, which means “tender concern for others. It is the genuine desire of a believer to treat others gently, just as the Lord treats him. It is the grace which pervades the whole nature, mellowing all which would be harsh and austere.” (The MacArthur NT Commentary Galatians).

Every week of the “Abiding Fruit Bible Study” I found myself specifically needing the fruit of the Spirit we are studying. This past week was no exception.

Last Thursday my 2-year-old was sick. Fever and weakness removed his independent spirit and he melted into my arms. He longed for my comfort. In his pathetic state it was natural for me to be tender & nurturing.

While I was preoccupied with my sick son, my 4-year-old son was desperate for attention. He acted out at every chance he had; disobedience, aggression towards his brothers, destroying everything in his path. It was difficult for me to want to show him grace. My innate reaction was harshness & frustration.

As parents we love our children. God made us, in His image, to nurture and care for them. However, we also know that there are times it is difficult to show them kindness.

I realized through reading Titus 3:3-8 that God demonstrated His kindness towards us not while we were easy to nurture, but in our sinful state (“foolish, disobedient, deceived…in malice and envy”).

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” Titus 3:4-5a

We had done nothing to endear us to Him. We deserved wrath and harshness but were granted tenderness. Undeserved kindness.

God went beyond just comforting us in our sin. He sacrificed His own Son to save us from our sin. Then he poured His kindness generously. He gave us full access to Him through the Holy Spirit, made us His own sons and daughters and gave us the hope of eternal life with Him!

This generous kindness is available to us through His Spirit. By abiding in the Spirit we can have the disposition of kindness.

It doesn’t stop there. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…all proceed goodness. All the fruit that we have learned to this point are necessary for us to do good works for His glory.

We will see this week that goodness is kindness in action.

“Without kindness, goodness becomes harsh and self-righteous. Without goodness, kindness becomes indulgent tolerance. Only the Holy Spirit can provide balance…” -Beth Moore

May you be nurtured and loved by your Heavenly, Almighty, Father. May you abide in His Spirit to take on the disposition of kindness, to those who are deserving and undeserving. This week may you learn how the Spirit allows your kindness to take action in your goodness.