COUPLES FOR CHRIST FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT This course is part of the formation program in CFC.

It is available to CFC members starting on their second year in CFC. The goals of the six (6) talks are: 1. To give CFC members a better understanding of the meaning of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 2. To help CFC members grow in Christian character and in becoming more and more conformed to the image and likeness of God. FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT Talk No. 1: THE IMAGE OF GOD (Edited for Household Teaching, CFC Canada, December, 2011) Introduction The call to us in CFC is to be holy as God is Holy, to be Christ like, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. More and more we ought to manifest the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. (Gal 5:22-23) Take note that the scripture says "fruit," not "fruits" singular, not plural. The fruit of the Spirit is a life conformed to the character of Jesus. Thus learning how to grow in the fruit of the Spirit means learning more about what God is like. God's original intent was that we be just like Him. Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Gen 1:26-27) The Concept of Sonship Sonship had a specific meaning in Jesus' culture that we might miss: 1. son was cared for by mother until age 5-7. 2. then went, not to school, but with the direct care of father, whose job it was to raise him up to be a man; taught him the Law, a trade, basic life skills, Godly character; found him a wife. 3. son was father's heir: everything father had was his. 4. son represented the father, succeeded to his position, carried on his name. 5. son became sort of "replica" of father; there was "identity" between them such that when you related to one you related to the other. Sonship in Adam (Read the Genealogy of Jesus, Luke 3:23- 38) Adam was God's son, not biological descent, but the total relationship of sonship. God related to Adam as a father related to his son: - taught him the law: And the LORD God commanded the man, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die." (Gen. 2:16-17) - established him in an occupation: Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the

earth." (Gen 1:26b) got him a wife: And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. (Gen 2:22)

Adam's sonship gives us some clues as to what God had in mind for us. Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." (Gen. 1:26-28) - "image and likeness" = shares God's nature and character. - "dominion" = shares God's role and responsibility. "Adam" may be a specific person - Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." (Gen 2:18) or the entire human race (Gen 1:26). The story of Adam is not just of an individual, but of the entire human race. Thus, "God created Adam as His son" is equivalent to: "God created human race as His son" The human race was to have a sonship relationship with God, and ultimately to become just like Him. But man turned away, and forfeited his sonship. God needed a way to restore us to His original purpose for us. God's way was Jesus. Sonship in Jesus Jesus is the new Adam. Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man's trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (Rom 5:14-17); Thus it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit... The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1 Cor 15:45,47-49) God decides to re-create the human race to counter Adam's fall and achieve His original purpose. He does it the same way: through one man who begins a new race. Just as God made the whole human race to be His son through Adam, so in Jesus God takes to Himself the entire body of Christ as His son. Jesus is truly God's Son - In image/likeness: He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. (Heb 1:3a) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; Col 1:15) - As heir: ...but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. (Heb 1:2) - He is seated at right hand: When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Heb 1:3b) - He is faithful over God's house: Christ, however, was faithful over God's house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belong to hope. (Heb 3:6)

We regain our sonship in Christ. Where Adam failed, Jesus did it right thus a new human race was created that fulfils God's purpose. ...for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal 3:26-27) We are sons of God through faith. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" so you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. (Gal 4:4-7) We are adopted as sons, heirs; given Spirit to live as Jesus. Please note that the term "sonship" is used because it is faithful to the biblical metaphor, but it refers to a relationship available to both men and women. God's Purpose for Our Lives Now 1. To make us mature sons and daughters. We are God's sons and daughters, but are still babies. We need to grow up spiritually. My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, (Gal 4:19) "Until Christ be formed in you" This indicates an ongoing process, an enduring relationship. We often confuse "son/daughter" with "little child". In Jewish culture, sonship was an identity and a relationship that remained lifelong. How does growth to maturity take place? Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator... As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Col. 3:9-10, 12-13) The "old self" (old nature) vs. "new man" (new nature) indicates the creation of a new human race. We trade in our old humanity for the new humanity offered us in Christ. This is an active process. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. (Mt 5:43-45, 48) -- "Do this so that you may be sons" though in one sense, we already are sons and daughters, we still need to become sons and daughters in another sense by learning to act like our Father and reflect His character. 2. To make us spiritual men and women. And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? (1 Cor 3:1-3) Corinthians already have the Holy Spirit, but are still not "spiritual". To be "spiritual" is not to manifest the gifts of the Spirit, but to manifest the fruit of the Spirit. True spirituality consists in living as God's sons and daughters, reflecting the character of Jesus. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.' (Mt 7:21-23) True spirituality consists not in displays of charismatic activity, but in a life of holiness. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and

self-control. There is no law against such things. (Gal 5:19-23) Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. This refers not to feelings but to characteristic ways of behaving. 3. Thus the fruit of the Spirit is: a) What grows in us as a result of the Spirit's presence. b) The character traits of God expressed in our lives. c) A life conformed to the image of Jesus. Four Principles of Spiritual Growth "Fruit" implies a process of growth. The fruit of the Spirit doesn't arrive full-grown when we are baptized in the Spirit, but grows as we live in the Spirit. "Spiritual growth" means growth in character, not just in gifts or religious experiences. It means coming to a point where people see Jesus in us. 1. The "New Life" Principle. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God (1 Peter 1:23). We are born anew through the word of God. Spiritual growth does not result mainly from our effort. We feed, bathe, clothe human children, but they grow because the "human life principle" is in them. Without that, the other things we do would have no effect. It's a matter of the "seed". If you start with a puppy you won't wind up with a bear or a deer or a human no matter how you raise it. We are born of "spiritual seed", the life of God. We cultivate and nurture our spiritual growth, but it would have no effect if God's life weren't in us from the outset. For us to grow spiritually, we must have God's life within us. 2. The "Communion with God" Principle. ...because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. (2 Cor 3:18). When we behold God's glory, we are changed. That change may be very gradual, maybe only by degrees. We grow as we behold God. Kids are like their parents partly due to genetics, but also because they live in their parents' presence. The more we are in God's presence, the more we become like him. We come into God's presence through prayer, scripture, corporate worship, household meetings, and fellowship with brethren in CFC. For us to grow spiritually, we must dwell in God's presence. 3. The "Imitation of Christ" Principle. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph 5:1-2). Be imitators of God; walk in love. We all grow and develop via imitation. As we imitate Jesus, we become more like him. We imitate not by being infinite or omnipotent, being messiah, being a carpenter, etc. We imitate by walking in love, by taking on God's character, His love, His joy, His peace. To grow spiritually, we must imitate Jesus and the Father. 4. The "Discipline" Principle. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children-- "My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts." Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Heb 12:5-11). We are chastised as sons. God's hand is on our lives to train us (disciple/discipline us). He works in the circumstances of our daily lives. God also entrusts it to others who are over us and around us, like fraternal correction in CFC. To grow spiritually, we must embrace God's training and discipline. Conclusion God has bought us to new life in Christ and to CFC in order to accomplish His original plan for us. Let us learn

about the fruit of the Spirit in the coming talks, and begin more and more to grow in the character of God. Prayer: Lord God, we thank you for bringing us to a new life in Christ and to CFC. You enabled us to regain our sonship through Him. As we mature spiritually, allow us to manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that we may lead lives conformed to the character of your son Jesus Christ. Amen. Points of Reflection: 1. Which component(s) of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, etc.) do I lack? How do I attain it (them)? How can CFC help? 2. As I grow and mature spiritually, do I manifest the fruit of the Spirit? 3. Which of the four principles of spiritual growth helped me most in my spiritual growth? Which is the most evident in CFC?