Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness 

© 2018 WF Cobb Truthbase.net DailyTruthbase.Blogspot.com

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, chrestotes/gentleness-kindness/beneficence, goodness, faithfulness

 1. Dynamic of Dependence/Abiding: Spirit of God (Truth) uses the Word of God (Truth) to produce in us the Mind of Christ (Jn 14:6)

    We glorify God by submitting to His plan for us to be fruit bearing disciples  alternative is fruit of flesh resulting in shame/loss -1Cor 3

 2. Fruit is always the result of seed  (word of God), soil (fertile heart), and cultivation (Spirit -light, water, weeding, time/maturity).

 3.  prev: Beneficence is a decision to deny oneself to bless others/(enemies) by doing the good that is in their best interest, profiting them and us

I. Goodness is being permeated (Rm 12:1-2) with God's original creation design and purpose so that one edifies others eis glory

God created things as good; not good man alone  Tree gave knowledge of good vs evil

Goodness must be differentiated from beneficial, love, mercy, righteousness.  Good horse fit for the purpose; prepared to be beneficial

Classical: well-born. gentle vs wild; noble, brave, valiant; ability (good cook), capable; moral goodness; servicable, beneficial, blessing; admirable.

Rm 15:14  persuaded, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

Js 3:17 wisdom from above pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, w/o  partiality-hypocrisy cf Mt 23:28

Eph 5:9 fruit of Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; 1Th 1:3 work prompted by faith. 2Th 1:3 faith grows exceedingly

2Th 1:11 pray God count you worthy this calling (glory), fulfill every desire/intent of goodness and the work of faith w/ power 12  glorify Christ

II.”Well Done! Good and Faithful Servant!” (Lk 19:17) is said to those who are good and have done good serving, faith-fully. Cf Neh

2Chron 31:20 Thus Hezekiah...did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God (cleansing temple, restoring Biblical worship), in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.

Rm 12:2 (1 yielding to God) renewed mind results in doing God's good, pleasing, and perfect will; v21 overcoming evil with good.

III. Good lives, words, and deeds flow from a heart/decisions of goodness that mirrors our Creator's original design and purpose

Good deeds Eph 2:10 created to do them  2Tim 3:17 Scriptures equip to do them  Heb 13:20 May God equip you with everything good for doing his will/make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, thru Jesus Christ...

Good choices Lk 10:42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

Good Sacrifice Heb 13.16 do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices (Lord of All or Leftovers?) God is well pleased.  

1Thess 5:15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. Cf Gal 6:9-10

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. 

Good Tree Mt 7:13 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 

Mt 12:33 Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 

37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Mt 15:18 those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

Mt 7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 23 Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.

Jn 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for w/o Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide/remain in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned

Good Grief  Lk 6:27 Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. What desires do you have for goodness? What works does your faith (Heb 11:6) produce? How do you draw on HS power?

2. How can a person/tree make themself good or bad? How are you a function/result of what you treasure? What do you treasure in your heart?

3. Do any of your desires/actions mirror those of Hezikiah? What would have to happen for your life to have more of his actions/results?