Now comes Paul’s “corresponding list” of good things (the fruit of the Spirit)! As opposed to his previous list of bad things (the works of the flesh).
I am today interested in the “order” of his list.
Other such litanies of “spiritual prowess, spiritual growth” existed in the ancient Christian world. In fact, at times Paul may have even hinted at other sequences of godly character development!
In Romans 5, for example, it goes: “faith, joy, patience, experience, hope and love!” Where love is near the end, at the end, the climax!
Even in Paul’s “short list,” located in 1 Corinthians 13: “and now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity,” there is variation.
And James, in his little Epistle (its opening paragraph), has a list as well. “Temptations (meaning trials), joy, patience, then wisdom!”
But Peter, surprisingly, tops them all. What a list, a veritable “spiritual growth chart!” in his Second Epistle, chapter 1: 5-11. “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your FAITH virtue; and to VIRTUE knowledge; and to KNOWLEDGE temperance; and to TEMPERANCE patience; and to PATIENCE godliness; and to GODLINESS brotherly kindness; and to BROTHERLY KINDNESS … CHARITY (LOVE). For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
Wow!
This much can certainly be said. With all these “differences,” especially in their order of appearance … no one writer “copied” from another! The Holy Spirit Himself must have been the true Source of each individual compilation here!
But now, to the “fruit of the Spirit” list. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23, that Book’s “trademark!”
But even this can be shortened! As is seen in Ephesians 5:9. “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” Paul again!
Wow!
Now a couple of observations about Paul’s “fullest” list.
He here (in Galatians 5, our Text) begins with “love,” where most of the other sequences end with “love!” (Including Paul himself at times!)
Maybe that is because “God is love!” Declared unequivocally in both 1 John 4:8 and 1 John 4:16. And of course, the Holy Spirit IS God!
But there is another idea about the order of Paul’s Galatians list. Keep reading, please …
The first 3 (love and joy and peace) relate foremostly to God! The True Lover! The Giver of pure Joy! And the Author of Peace!
The middle 3 (longsuffering and gentleness and goodness) clearly relate to others! Being patient with them. And kind to them. And helping them!
And the last 3 (faith and meekness and temperance) with “faith” actually indicating “faithfulness” … primarily concern ourselves, inward graces to be nurtured! My becoming more faithful! And more lowly! And more self-controlled!
The foregoing … this tripartite list … my favorite view of the “fruit of the Spirit,” by far.
Wow!
Do not misunderstand me.
ALL the lists are proper, and without error … and divinely inspired.
But Paul’s Galatians 5 list is the one we shall have in focus the next few days, for a little over a week. Beginning tomorrow morning, the Lord willing, with “love.”
I am excited!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell