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Galatians 5:22-23 says, 22“...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Why is this passage split into two verses? Other verses in the Bible are longer than these two put together. It isn’t for want of space, since in most instances where it’s written, they are found on the same page. Is there a distinction we should consider between Verse 22 and Verse 23?
Well, let’s see...the words in Verse 22, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, could be seen as a matter of general attitude regarding how we view the Lord and eachother. Consider that the Spirit which illuminates us reflects Lord Jesus’ two great commandments...that we love God with all our heart, soul and mind, and we love eachother as we love our self. In that context we cannot be seen as loving God if we don’t also love eachother, since God wants that we also love eachother. On the other hand, can we love eachother without loving God?
In one sense, who are we kidding since God wants that we love eachother. If our attitude toward eachother, that of love, say, is what God wants to see, are we not in line with God’s will? If we regard a person as being evil, how true can that be when they love others? And I mean a pure love, not conditioned on anything, such as how rich another person is, or what another person has to do to gain your love. Interesting that matters of faith and of works can be played out among ourselves in matters of love, as they do in our relationship with God.
In the matter of what’s good and what’s evil, Jesus in Luke 11:11-13 says, “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if [his son] asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, WHO ARE EVIL, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Seems that this father, who may believe himself to be evil, or may be thought of others as being evil, practically puts himself at heaven’s gate if he provides for his children, and all he has to do at that point is to ask God for His Love, and as God did for the condemned man on the cross next to Jesus, would admit him into heaven. And if he’s admitted into heaven, then he isn’t really evil.
Verse 23, which says “gentleness, self-control” may refer to how we deal with eachother. God is not affected by our gentleness or lack thereof, nor is He by our self-control. He will not change what He does or his relation to others if we are crass or angry toward Him. He DOES NOT change. Others, however, can be influenced by how gentle we are or how much self-control we exhibit. If may affect their behavior toward others and their attitude toward us under certain conditions. People, for example, who may be seen as being rock-steady or influential may cower if they are in the company of others who have no compassion and no self-control, because it serves their interest to be submissive to such an individual. So, whereas before they may have been perceived by the general public as being a person of influence who won’t waiver in terms of values, now the public see them as being spineless. In essence, they’ve sold their souls if the person they are gaining favor from is evil in terms of his relationship with others and with God.
Here is another interesting split in a passage which, in this case, consists of one verse: Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” I tell you that living by the Spirit is a matter of faith and walking by the Spirit is a matter of works. It may not be coincidental that in this passage, first comes faith, and then cones works. For isn’t it generally perceived that if a person gains faith in God, good works will follow?
Well, let’s see...the words in Verse 22, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, could be seen as a matter of general attitude regarding how we view the Lord and eachother. Consider that the Spirit which illuminates us reflects Lord Jesus’ two great commandments...that we love God with all our heart, soul and mind, and we love eachother as we love our self. In that context we cannot be seen as loving God if we don’t also love eachother, since God wants that we also love eachother. On the other hand, can we love eachother without loving God?
In one sense, who are we kidding since God wants that we love eachother. If our attitude toward eachother, that of love, say, is what God wants to see, are we not in line with God’s will? If we regard a person as being evil, how true can that be when they love others? And I mean a pure love, not conditioned on anything, such as how rich another person is, or what another person has to do to gain your love. Interesting that matters of faith and of works can be played out among ourselves in matters of love, as they do in our relationship with God.
In the matter of what’s good and what’s evil, Jesus in Luke 11:11-13 says, “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if [his son] asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, WHO ARE EVIL, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Seems that this father, who may believe himself to be evil, or may be thought of others as being evil, practically puts himself at heaven’s gate if he provides for his children, and all he has to do at that point is to ask God for His Love, and as God did for the condemned man on the cross next to Jesus, would admit him into heaven. And if he’s admitted into heaven, then he isn’t really evil.
Verse 23, which says “gentleness, self-control” may refer to how we deal with eachother. God is not affected by our gentleness or lack thereof, nor is He by our self-control. He will not change what He does or his relation to others if we are crass or angry toward Him. He DOES NOT change. Others, however, can be influenced by how gentle we are or how much self-control we exhibit. If may affect their behavior toward others and their attitude toward us under certain conditions. People, for example, who may be seen as being rock-steady or influential may cower if they are in the company of others who have no compassion and no self-control, because it serves their interest to be submissive to such an individual. So, whereas before they may have been perceived by the general public as being a person of influence who won’t waiver in terms of values, now the public see them as being spineless. In essence, they’ve sold their souls if the person they are gaining favor from is evil in terms of his relationship with others and with God.
Here is another interesting split in a passage which, in this case, consists of one verse: Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” I tell you that living by the Spirit is a matter of faith and walking by the Spirit is a matter of works. It may not be coincidental that in this passage, first comes faith, and then cones works. For isn’t it generally perceived that if a person gains faith in God, good works will follow?
