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One of my favorite things about summer is the marvelous fresh fruit. Even though we can now get fresh fruit year round, somehow the fresh fruit that is available in the summertime is juicier and sweeter. Perhaps because it is closer to being vine ripened and comes from orchards closer to home. Whatever the reasons, the summer fruit is delicious and I look forward to enjoying it each year.
In our New Testament reading for today, St. Paul tells us about another kind of fruit. In his writing to the Galatians, he gives us a comparison of the works of the flesh with the fruits of the Spirit. St. Paul lists fifteen works of the flesh as compared to nine fruits of the Spirit. Of the works of the flesh, Paul states, “I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” In contrast concerning the fruits of the Spirit, Paul writes, “There is no law against such things.”
What exactly are these works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit? Paul lists the works of the flesh as the following: “fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.” Whereas the fruits of the Spirit are listed as: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
To better understand this contrast let us first look at the works of the flesh and see if any of them ring a bell in our own lives. For if we are following after these works of the flesh, than it is our human desires that are ruling our lives and not the Holy Spirit. In order to please God, we are instructed to not allow these things to become a part of us. When we let the works of the flesh direct our lives then we have not crucified the flesh with its passions and desires as St. Paul has told us to do if we truly belong to Jesus.
The first work of the flesh that St. Paul states is rather controversial in our post modern days. It is fornication. Fornication is any sexual relations outside of marriage. This includes both heterosexual and homosexual relations. Adultery is also included under fornication. Today, there are many in our society who currently oppose homosexual relations, but turn a blind eye to heterosexual relations outside of marriage. Yet, according to the teachings of the Bible; they are both outside of His perfect will for us.
Since the sexual revolution of the sixties; the standards of sexual behavior in this country and other Western countries has changed dramatically. We have come a long way from the Puritan and Victorian standards of our ancestors. Perhaps, we have gone too far away; according to the Biblical standards of morality. It is a choice that we are given in this world. That choice is to follow our human instincts and passions or to strive to follow the teachings of the Holy One.
As for the next two works of the flesh, both impurity and licentiousness go hand in hand with one another. As Jesus taught us impure thoughts are just as wrong as the acts themselves. In fact, impurity often produces licentiousness, which is a lapse in morality. Fornication, impurity and licentiousness, all work to destroy the flesh by placing the person committing them outside of the laws of God. Yet, there is hope for those who succumb to these works of the flesh. The Holy Spirit yearns to help us to overcome these temptations by giving us the gift of self-control. This gift from the Holy Spirit gives us power to stand against the temptations of the flesh.
The next two works of the flesh, which are idolatry and sorcery, go against the very first Law of the Ten Commandments. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Our God is a jealous god and refuses to reward His children when they turn to other gods and other powers other than the One True God, God Almighty, who is the Creator of the Universe. Although this teaching goes against the plurality of our times, it is the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.
To overcome this human weakness of ours of wanting to give other things in our lives priority over the Lord God, the Holy Spirit offers us the gift of faithfulness to the Lord. When we choose to be faithful to the Lord by keeping His commandments and putting God first in our lives; then the temptations of idolatry and sorcery will lose their power over us. A life that is lived in faithfulness to God needs no other god or source of power in their lives.
The works of enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissentions, and factions can be grouped into one big package; since they so often join together in creating discontent, pain and sorrow among people, including the members of the Body of Christ. Against these works of the flesh, the Holy Spirit offers us the following gifts in which to live our lives. These gifts are: patience, gentleness, kindness and peace. If we allow these gifts from the Spirit to dominate us; then these hurtful works of the flesh will be destroyed. Think about it. What is more powerful; a word of anger or a random act of kindness? According to Christ Jesus, we are to be kind to those who come against us. A life led by patience, clothed in gentleness and kindness is a life that is a witness to the world of the Prince of Peace.
As for envy, it is the root of enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissentions, and factions. The scriptures tell us that Lucifer was envious of God and wanted to become like God. It was this root of all evil that began the War in Heaven in which the Angels of God fought against Lucifer and his followers. Thankfully, the Angels of God won and Lucifer was thrown out of Heaven. Unfortunately for us humans, Lucifer fell down to earth and became known as Satan, the Great Adversary.
As powerful as Satan is, the Holy Spirit is that much greater. Because the Lord God wants to protect us from the devices of this enemy, He has given us the gift of generosity. A person who lives a life of generosity is not tempted by envy, because it is giving to others that gives them satisfaction, not wanting what is not theirs to have. A person of generosity towards God and others is a person whose life best immolates the life of Jesus Christ, who generously gave His all for all of humanity. It is a life that lives to do the will of God and to not follow the will of the flesh.
Next, we come to the fleshly works of drunkenness and carousing. Sadly, these are short sighted ways of seeking joy in one’s life. Both of these ways are temporary. After a certain point, the drunkard passes out and the party comes to an end. Only the gift of joy given from the Holy Spirit is lasting. This is why Nehemiah consoled the repentant Israelites, who had unknowingly broken the laws of God, with these words, “The joy of the Lord is your strength”.
Can we say that out loud?..................................................................... Now can we say that again and replace the word ‘your’ with the word ‘my’?
Finally, if we choose to turn away from the works of the flesh, then we will become vessels of the love of God. That’s what it is really all about- - God’s Love. The gift of love is the greatest and sweetest gift of all, because “God is love”. When we live a life filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the love of God is present in us to all. This is the witness of Christ Jesus that we have been called to live. It is a life that we can not do on our own. We must seek the Lord in all things and live our lives as Jesus lived His when He was on earth. Only then will we know what it means to live in the Kingdom of God.
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