And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

(Galatians 5.24-25)

In last week’s article, we examined a long list of “the works of the flesh” (Ga 5.19), and found them to cover both the misuse of our bodies, and the problems of the heart that bore them. We found that they involved both individuals’ misdeeds, and their ramifications on a group—that is, on the church. We read a strong warning to cease these behaviors!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(Galatians 5.22-23)

This list is considerably shorter, and the final point is obvious—while even worldly people , themselves embroiled in the works of the flesh, are likely to find fault with at least some sinful behaviors, no one in his right mind could condemn the fruit of the Spirit!

Love

To attempt to define love to everyone’s satisfaction would be folly. It’s also a mistake to carve out for the Greek word behind this, ἀγάπη-agapē, one particular shade of love. Certainly, different shades exist, and often the vocabulary used to describe them reflects this; but it’s more of a tendency, than a hard and fast rule. Nevertheless, we could describe love, generally, as willing and pursuing what is good for someone.

Joy

As a general rule, a word’s age is tied to its length. Short words are also old ones, which serve as the core building blocks. Conversely, multisyllabic monstrosities exhibit intrusion by nonnative influences, resulting in nebulous or incomprehensible communication. Joy, one of the old, simple building blocks, is so basic as to be almost undefinable! We can say what it is not, however! Joy is more than contentedness; more than passing pleasure. It is not satisfaction with the moment, lacking regard for the future. The Christian is joyful, even in the midst of suffering, because he knows his suffering has a sanctifying purpose, and that his eternal future is secure!

Peace

This is another short, old, elemental word. It’s easiest to define in negative terms—the absence of conflict. But, of course, that’s not always up to us! Christians are at war with Satan and his kingdom—the world—every day! That being the case, how can we be expected to exhibit peace? It works, because the enemies we face have already lost the war—most of them just don’t know it, yet. While we continue to fight them in minor skirmishes, our important conflicts are within—and surrendering to Christ quells them.

Patience

In older versions of the Bible this is rendered, longsuffering, and that archaic word is an excellent description of this quality. In a culture that encourages all to insist their rights be fully honored always, Christians are supposed to have the longest fuse. The world demands that everything be perfect right now, but God tells his children not to expect perfection until we dwell with him forever.

Kindness

The world today has equated this to being nice—that is, agreeable. But that’s not what God means! χρηστότης-chrēstotēs means having upright interactions and being helpful to others. The difference is subtle, but in today’s society being nice amounts to being careful not to hurt anyone’s feelings, while being kind includes warning people when they are headed down the path of destruction, even if they don’t like to hear it.

Goodness

It seems silly to describe goodness, but it’s worth pointing out that this does not mean pleasantness. Rather, it is uprightness. The focus is on moral quality, not aesthetic.

Faithfulness

Faith is a tough concept to pin down. At its core, it’s simply belief, but through a series of steps can also mean loyalty—even reliability. So what does it mean, in this case? The whole package! It begins with believing that God “exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (He 11.6). That naturally leads to seeking him, obeying his instructions, becoming and remaining attached to him. Since he tells us to love his other children, it also means becoming a steadfast friend to God’s people.

Gentleness

Rendered meekness in older versions of the Bible, this word does not convey gentleness through weakness—an inability to be harsh. Rather, it is a chosen mindset and behavior. In fact, πραΰτης-prautēs ordinarily means humility, and only by extension gains the sense of treating others with a light touch.

Self-control

The person who lacks self-control is not ruled by something external, but rather gives in “when he is lured and enticed by his own desire” (Ja 1.14). To put it another way, self-control does not mean oneself being in control, but having oneself under control!

Against such things…

Like the preceding list of the works of the flesh (vv19-21), this list of the fruit of the spirit is not intended to be exhaustive. But it’s an excellent list to memorize, and still better to pursue these things in daily life! Having a clear understanding of what they are will help, but your effort will be futile—doomed to fail from the start—unless you “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” and “belong to Christ” (v24). Only then will you bear the kind of fruit everyone recognizes as good.

Jeremy Nettles

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

(Galatians 5.16-18)

Each of us has both a lower and a higher will, which struggle against each other.  Paul put it another way in a subsequent letter:

For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

(Romans 7.22-23)

With two opposing wills, we tend to bend toward whichever has the strongest desires; but that’s not what God wants!  He tells us to shun “the works of the flesh” (Ga 5.19).

Sexual Immorality

We could get rather uncomfortable here, with detailed definitions, but it’s really not that complicated.  God reserves sexual contact for married couples.

Impurity

We tend to think of impurity in sexual terms, too; but that’s just one application!  Impurity is the mixing of what belongs, with what does not.  If your behavior is good, but you introduce something inappropriate—even a bad motive—it has become impure.

Sensuality

This, likewise, is often seen in sexual terms, but there’s more!  It’s the undue pursuit of sensory gratification.  It’s good to enjoy the taste of a well-grilled steak or the smell of a magnolia blossom; but fixating on those and ignoring higher pursuits is fleshly and wrong!

Idolatry

Idolatry is more than bowing down before a golden image and venerating it as a god.  That’s a fair start, but it takes other forms.  Paul wrote in yet another letter that we must put away “covetousness, which is idolatry” (Co 3.5).  Anything you dedicate yourself to serving, in place of God, is an idol.

Sorcery

The Greek word is φαρμακεία-pharmakeia, from which we derive pharmacy; but while this points to the potions and drug cocktails used by sorcerers, and says something about modern attitudes toward healing drugs, we mustn’t let that problem distract us from the demonic realm sorcerers seek to harness.

Enmity

Enmity is simply the opposite of friendship, with hateful disposition and actions.  You can’t prevent others from acting as your enemies, but Jesus said, “love your enemies” (Mt 5.44), rather than harming them.

Strife

A little more specific than enmity, strife occurs when two individuals or groups both pursue disagreement for its own sake, and wish harm on their opponents.

Jealousy

ζῆλος-zēlos-“jealousy,” elsewhere translated “zeal,” can be a good quality (e.g. 2Co 11.2)!  But zeal can be directed toward evil, too—wanting for oneself what another possesses. 

Fits of Anger

This one is fairly self-explanatory.  Note that anger itself is not the problem, but rather fits of anger.  Anger inclines us to excess.  Letting our anger take control often feels righteous; but it’s just another sinful work of the flesh.

Rivalries

This one is the next natural step, after enmity and strife, combined with jealousy and anger.  The former two were focused on harming a neighbor; the latter two are more about satisfying oneself.  Rivalry, then, is about promoting oneself above one’s neighbor.

Dissensions

The next step is to entrench the rivalry and involve others in it, bringing about disunity where harmony existed before.

Divisions

The final step in the process that began with enmity is division.  This is more extreme than dissensions, which involved a still nominally cohesive group, the church.  But when each fleshly motivation is fulfilled, the church ends up fracturing into distinct groups, who can no longer dwell amicably with each other.

Envy

This one shifts the focus back to individuals’ conduct.  Envy is similar to jealousy, but while jealousy aims to get what someone else has, envy also aims to harm the one who has it.

Drunkenness

This one does what it says on the tin.

Orgies

We’re inclined to think this is about sexual depravity; but that’s a side point.  κῶμος-kōmos refers to a pagan ritual, originally for the god of wine, Dionysus.  It was pure sensuality, especially eating, drinking, and dancing with no inhibition or self-control.  When speaking of partying, this is generally what today’s world has in mind. 

…and things like these

This list is not exhaustive!  And what are the consequences of behaving like this?  “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Ga 5.21).  So, if our lower and higher wills are in conflict, and if we know our own record of sins, how can we expect to inherit the kingdom of God?  Back in Romans 7, Paul asked this, too—then hinted at the answer!

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

(Romans 7.24-25)

Jeremy Nettles

Or was it going to happen anyway?  Is it the work of “the ruler of this world”—Satan (cf. Jn 14.30)—or just chance?  These questions have been topics of debate for thousands of years, involving people from all walks of life, each of whom has an opinion.  Sometimes it spills out into current events, like the recent attempt to assassinate presidential candidate Donald Trump.  Some take note of details that, against the odds, led to his survival, and conclude that God intervened to miraculously rescue him from certain death.  Others scoff at this notion and accuse the former group of narcissistically treating every welcome occurrence as God’s special blessing to them.

It’s always amusing when irreligious people offer up opinions about religious matters; but in this case, the extremes are only slightly exaggerated versions of ideas promoted by those who profess to be Christians!  Some harp on God’s sovereignty, and hold that nothing occurs without God specifically willing it.  Others protest—that would make God the author of evil as well as of good, and mean none of us has free will, but are all puppets, compelled to righteous or evil deeds as it suits his arbitrary purposes.

Those who stress God’s sovereignty have a point.  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (Ja 1.17), and “for those who love God all things work together for good” (Ro 8.28).  Does this mean your paycheck is a gift from God, and not a result of your work?  Well, no.  That’s looking at it from the wrong angle.  Your paycheck is a gift from God, and you earned those wages by your free choice to work for them.  How can both of these be?  God expects us to cooperate with his grace, in the little things as well as the big ones.  He created a universe in which you could earn a living, and molded the unfathomably numerous and complex features of that universe in such a way that, in this case, you received an earthly reward for your work. 

But the other side has a point, too.  Many have worked, without receiving an earthly reward, or had it swept away by the natural world, or stolen by evil men.  Perhaps you’d blame God, if your entire livelihood was lost in, for example, a flood; but again, you’d be looking at it from the wrong perspective.  The book of Job introduces a third option. In the first two chapters Satan takes away everything Job has, in an effort to get him to curse God.  It’s Satan—not God, and not chance!  Yet, where did Satan get this idea?

And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

(Job 1.8)

So when Job’s wife implores him to “Curse God and die” (2.9), her assumption that God is behind the loss of Job’s children, health, and wealth is not totally wrong.  In fact, Job affirms it, asking her rhetorically, “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (v10).  The difference is in the perspective.  Job’s wife expects to see justice in the natural world.  If not, she will accuse God of doing wrong.  Job recognizes that there’s more to the story, and strives to

look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

(2 Corinthians 4.18)

Job was not merely the victim of chance; Satan worked evil against him; but in God’s hands that evil became good, because Job loved God (cf. Ro 8.28).  God didn’t force Job to remain true.  If he had chosen to curse God over his misfortunes, God could have justly condemned him as a traitor.  Instead, God exercised both his inscrutable providence and his visible intervention in order to dispense grace and influence his creations to cooperate with it, by way of reason.

However, fervently attributing each welcome event to God’s intervention reflects a major flaw in the Calvinist philosophy common to most American Protestants.  Many show by their actions that, deep down, they don’t really believe the caricature of predestination they preach.  Others hold a fairly nuanced view compatible with reality.  But there are also plenty who would label this article as heresy, on account of words like “cooperate” and “earned.”  They would point to a number of proof-texts, which in the absence of the context of the entire rest of the Bible would seem to support their position; but in practice, the view is absurdity: if I get what I want, then it’s a gift from God and it testifies to his love for me.  If I don’t get what I want…well, let’s not talk about that.

But as you recoil from that nonsense, be sure to avoid the opposite extreme, which is just as bad—the notion that God is not allowed to intervene in his creation.  It’s fine to shrug and move on, without ascribing an event to God, or to Satan.  But to say, this is not God’s doing; it was going to happen anyway, displays a  profound misunderstanding.  There is no “anyway,” unshackled from God, if he is both omniscient and the creator of the universe.

Although there was nothing in the natural world to inform Job of their cause, the disasters that befell him were evil.  They also worked together for good.  They were Satan’s doing, but they were also God’s doing.  The difference is that Satan was trying to get Job to do evil—“But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face” (Jb 1.11)—while, in the very same events, God was giving Job an opportunity to do good—“He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason” (Jb 2.3).  Don’t get distracted worrying whether an event’s cause is divine, demonic, or natural.  Instead,

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

(1 Thessalonians 5.16-18)

Jeremy Nettles

God labels the gates of the New Jerusalem, symbolic of both the church and of heaven, with “the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel” (Re 21.12).

Reuben

You’d expect Jacob’s firstborn to be a natural leader, and the most favored.  Reuben was not.  He raised frail objections to his brothers’ hateful plans to dispose of Joseph (Ge 37-21-22), and long before that, he “went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine.” (Ge 35.22).  On his deathbed, Jacob was still upset about this (Ge 49.4).  Reuben’s descendants settled on the east side of the Jordan.

Simeon

After his sister Dinah was raped, Simeon “came against the city while it felt secure and killed all the males” (Ge 34.25), including the rapist and his father.  Jacob was furious about this.  Simeon’s descendants settled in the south of Israel, and their land eventually was absorbed by the tribe of Judah—as Jacob predicted in Genesis 49.7.

Levi

Levi acted alongside Simeon in the events surrounding Dinah’s rape.  Practically nothing else is recorded about him, but among his descendants were Moses and Aaron, and therefore the priesthood.  The tribe inherited no cohesive territory, but had cities all over Israel, and the sole right and responsibility to serve at the tabernacle and temple.

Judah

The fourth son of Leah pushed to sell Joseph, rather than killing him.  Whether this came from brotherly affection or greed is not told (Ge 37.26-27).  He later treated his daughter-in-law so badly that she seduced him and humiliated him in order to get some relief.  Yet, over the course of the family’s dealings with Joseph in Egypt, he emerged as the de facto leader of his brothers.  He was ready to sacrifice his own freedom in order to save Benjamin from slavery, and spare Jacob the loss of another son, and his growth was rewarded.  Jesus descended from Judah.

Dan

Born to Rachel’s servant Bilhah on Rachel’s behalf, Dan is otherwise unknown.  Jacob said, “Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a viper by the path” (Ge 49.17), which was reflected in a mass murder perpetrated by Dan’s descendants in Judges 18, combined with the tribe’s general apostasy.

Naphtali

Bilhah’s other son receives even less attention in the Bible.  Even about Naphtali’s descendants very little is known except that they settled in the northern parts of Israel.

Gad

Once again, nearly nothing is known about Gad, except that he was born to Zilpah, on Leah’s behalf.  Gad’s descendants settled on the east side of the Jordan, and included some especially adept warriors (1Ch 12.14). 

Asher

Zilpah’s other son likewise receives almost no attention in the Bible.  His progeny settled on the northern coast, near the Phoenicians.  Jacob predicted, “Asher’s food shall be rich, and he shall yield royal delicacies” (Ge 49.20), which suggests they became entangled with these seafaring Canaanites and indulged in the material gains brought by commerce.

Issachar

The birth of Leah’s fifth son is an interesting, if odd, story in Genesis 30.  Continuing the pattern, almost nothing else is known of him, but his tribe settled in the south of the region later called Galilee.  A few leaders came from this tribe, but little is known about them, too.

Zebulun

The sixth and final son of Leah is another whose life story is unknown.  His descendants settled next to the tribe of Issachar.

Joseph

Finally, a son for Rachel!  Joseph’s brothers resented the favor Jacob showed him, and sold him as a slave, yet he ended up ruling Egypt, by God’s providence.  While the tribe of Judah was given hegemony, Joseph got the firstborn’s double portion in the inheritance.  The tribes descended from Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph’s two sons, each got a generous allotment of land, in the center of Israel and east of the Jordan. 

Benjamin

As she lay dying, Rachel named Jacob’s final son Ben-oni—“son of my pain.”  Jacob vetoed his favorite wife’s last wish, and instead called the child Ben-jamin—“son of the right hand,” associated with strength and blessing.  Both names seem appropriate.  The boy was sheltered by his father, until he found himself at the center of the drama when his family went to Joseph for food.  His descendants settled just north of Judah’s territory, and were nearly exterminated by the other tribes in an overreaction to horrible sins committed by Benjaminites.  Among Benjamin’s descendants were Saul—the first king of Israel—as well as Saul—the last Apostle of Jesus.  They were known as formidable warriors, and had plenty of opportunity to prove it.

§

Many of our earthly expectations are subverted in the stories of the twelve sons of Jacob.  Those who rose to prominence are generally not the one’s we’d expect, and some of the most prominent are also guilty of the worst sins!  It all serves to illustrate God’s ways.  The Father told Moses,

“I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”

(Exodus 33.19)

And his Son tells us,

“behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

(Luke 13.30)

Jeremy Nettles

A commonly held ambition is to change the world.  It shows up everywhere, including the lyrics of the 1968 Beatles song, “Revolution”:

You say you want a revolution.

Well, you know

We all wanna change the world.

You tell me that it’s evolution.

Well, you know

We all wanna change the world.

Vaunted sage John Lennon took for granted that we all share this inclination, and while he was mistaken about many things, on this he had a point.  It grows, in part, from a desire for personal notoriety.  But for most of those trying to change the world, it goes without saying that they want to change it for the better, so there’s clearly another motivation.  After all, Hitler changed the world and gained notoriety, but that’s not the kind of legacy most pursue!  Everyone has opinions about the status quo, and whether the present arrangement is acceptable—it never is.  The next step is to formulate a plan for fixing the world’s problems; yet no two people give exactly the same prescription.  Each man’s ideas grow from his own experience and imagination.  In dreaming up a perfect world, he shows the other motivation—to create something in his own, unique image.

Both of these motivations imitate God!  Of his mercy toward Israel God said,

“For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.”

(Isaiah 48.11)

And of his creation of mankind he said,

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion…”

(Genesis 1.26)

Not only does God pursue his own glory, but in his potent imagination, he designed and created a race of men who resemble him in many respects.  As God has dominion over creation, so man has a lesser dominion.  As God imagines and creates, so man does the same, but at a much lower level again.

We all want to change the world.  Most of want to change it for the better.  But take a look at the history of mankind.  How have we fared?  We’ve multiplied and filled the earth, and managed to discover methods to feed eight billion people, and to drastically reduce infant and maternal death rates.  We have created amazing conveniences, including access to clean water, transportation, information, and a host of other blessings that just a few hundred years ago would  have seemed possible.  We’ve also come within a whisker of exterminating humanity a few times, and amplified war, murder, enslavement, and oppression to previously unimagined levels.  Win some, lose some.

The greatest world-changer is Jesus.  Within a century of his death, burial, and resurrection his church spread across the known world, and the transformation has continued for nearly two thousand years.  When Paul and his helpers preached the gospel of Christ, the inhabitants of one city said they had “turned the world upside down” (Ac 17.6).  God himself had described his plans thus:

“Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in…”

(Haggai 2.6-7)

How does this topsy-turvy, fundamentally changed world appear?  What sort of earth-shattering deeds did Jesus accomplish?

Jesus…rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

(John 13.3-5)

Radicalism!  What did he tell his followers?

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

(Matthew 5.44)

What a horrifying thought!  Furthermore,

“it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.”

(Acts 15.28-29)

It’s an extremist cult!  And it gets crazier.

But we urge you, brothers, …to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders…

(1 Thessalonians 4.11)

Can a society survive, if people behave like this?  But you won’t believe what comes next.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

(1 Timothy 2.1-4)

What sort of deranged fanatic would engage in such irresponsible and reckless behavior?

These examples are, of course, cherry-picked; but while you might have thought it overt sarcasm to characterize them as dangerous, extreme ideas, it was really just a slight exaggeration.  These behaviors seem boring and inoffensive; but if you consistently engage in them, you’ll find that the world takes great offense!  In a word, they are revolutionary.  If you want to change the world, your best strategy is to follow Jesus’ example.  Instead of pursuing your own glory, proclaim God’s.  Instead of attempting to refashion the world after your own image and likeness, restore it to his.  Really, in the grand scheme of things, you don’t have it in you to change the world for the better.  The only way is to hand the reins over to Jesus.

Jeremy Nettles