Goodness is a Fruit of the Spirit

I am getting ready to leave early Sunday morning on a ministry trip to Germany, so I asked my husband to write on goodness, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, for our Kingdom Bloggers theme today. (See Galatians 5:22.)

Goodness is a Fruit of the Spirit

By Cliff Silliman, 8-21-12

  

God's goodness leads us to repentance. (See Romans 2:4.) The Greek word there implies that we have received a light touch from God, that God's goodness toward us will lead us to Him, that it paves a way into His presence as we seek more and more of it. It is what draws us to Him. His goodness is what motivates us to turn from things that hinder a relationship with Him.

The Scripture urges us to do good, and to not grow weary while doing good. (See Galatians 6:9,10.) "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." Here we have Paul telling us to have our actions toward others to be good. Day in and day out we are to make decisions about what we will do to others to be good. This goes along with James which tells us that our works reveal our faith.

Yet, fruit of the Spirit is different than us trying to do good, or working at making right decisions that could be classified as good. The Fruit of Spirit is manifested when the Holy Spirit is evident in us in such a way that God’s character shows forth. That is not of our works but what Holy Spirit has done inside of us. An orange does not grow on a fir tree. This goodness that shows forth in our lives is because of the work of Holy Spirit, not us.

Our responsibility toward bearing fruit is to stay connected to the Holy Spirit that is within us that was given to us as a seal of redemption. Also we cannot neglect that we are encouraged to do good when we see the opportunity to do so, but the Holy Spirit gives us the desire to do good unto others.

Jesus said in “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God.” (See Matthew 19:17.) Therefore any goodness revealed through us is a revelation of God and His kingdom reigning inside of us, not our works but Him who resides in us. “Be confident of this very thing that He who has begun a GOOD work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (See Phil. 1:6.) Therefore we do not need to strain to manifest the fruits of the Spirit, but allow God to do His work in us.