The Fruitage of the spirit

by joelbear 10 Replies latest jw friends

  • joelbear
    joelbear

    The fruitage of the spirit: love, joy, peace, faith, kindness, goodness, mildness, long suffering and self control.

    Easy to spot those who allow God's spirit to act on their behavior and when it is present.

    It's pretty clear that no one group can claim exclusive ownership of these qualities. Pretty clear that God's holy spirit does not pick people by which building they are in, which group they tag themselves with, which country they live in or by any other earthly human criteria. Jesus said it is by your fruits that you will know them. He didn't say it would be by an organization that they were a member of. We can identify those who treasure love and truth by the way they act, not by the words they say. Jesus made it pretty clear that words and declarations of faith are empty.

    God's holy spirit acts on hearts which allow it to act on them and all of us on a daily basis choose whether to let it act on us or not.

    Clearly, none of us is successful in doing this 100% of the time because of the weakness of the flesh. For this we ask forgiveness and in turn forgive those around us.

    Joel

  • Naeblis
    Naeblis

    What does it mean when atheists show those fruits?

  • joelbear
    joelbear

    It means that God's holy spirit is even more powerful than disbelief.

    Joel

  • Naeblis
    Naeblis

    Or, on the flip side, it means that people are capable of choosing their own actions. Now what seems more plausible? That an invsible God is motivating humans to be good to one another? Or that people have that capability on their own?

  • Will Power
    Will Power

    Naeblis
    It means you are being good without God.

    Well said, jb.

    Last night on Discovery Channel there was a very interesting documentary on the life of Jesus. One line in particular stuck in my mind. They were saying how Jesus hung out, ate with, etc. the likes of tax collectors, prostitutes, women, Samaritans, unclean ones - lepers, lame, blind etc. the very ones that were SHUNNED by the high priests. This was His beef with them.

  • Perry
    Perry

    When atheists display the fruitages of the spirit it is simply a mistake of nature. Not to worry though, they will be weeded out through the natural process of survival of the fittest.

  • Naeblis
    Naeblis

    That's really nice of you Perry. Very loving. :) Welcome to the atheist side!

  • mouthy
    mouthy

    My reading of scripture is it was the False prophets that had the fruits we should watch- Am I wrong??

  • AGuest
    AGuest
    What does it mean when atheists show those fruits?

    "When the people [of the nations or those NOT 'under law'] do, BY NATURE... the things OF the law... they are a law... unto themselves."

    Peace, Naeb-y...

    A slave of Christ,

    SJ

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    N

    What does it mean when atheists show those fruits?
    It means atheists are gods, obviuosly.

    SS

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