Owen Arnold said, "Dear God, I pray for patience. And I want it right now!" Patience is the fruit of the Spirit and also a virtue to be developed--even the unbeliever can be patient. Just because one is filled with the Spirit doesn't mean that he is the most patient person he could be. He may have a measure of patience, but not as much as he wants. If you want patience, God will surely put trials in your life--so be careful what you pray for--you may get it! If I want patience, I'll pray for it myself, you might say.
We should differentiate between fruit and gifts: fruits are grown, while gifts are given. That means that even an infant believer may show usage of a gift (according to the measure of faith God has given him, per Rom. 12:3), while a mature believer may struggle with self-control (the last of the fruits in Gal. 5:23), because fruit comes with the territory of experience and hardship or trials. There is pseudo-fruit of the world that masquerades as spiritual: faux wisdom or street smarts; false happiness that is self-centered and dependent on happenings, etc. We are not to be fooled but seek to "grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18). Note that "Jesus increased in stature and in wisdom, and in favor with God and man [He didn't come with an already fully-developed mind]" (Luke 2:52 KJV).
The first fruit mentioned is love; this is because this is the telltale sign of a Christian and he has no excuse not to love another. If anyone doesn't love, he doesn't know God, for God is love (cf. 1 John 4:8). The confusion may arise when one confuses being filled with the Spirit with demonstrating the fruit (there is pseudo-fruit too)--that they always go together--and they are there, but not always in the measure we expect. (Eph. 5:18 means to keep on being filled with the Spirit--it is not a one-time filling or second blessing). Being filled merely means that one is controlled by the Spirit and is not living according to the flesh or the old sin nature (carnally).
Feeling (the fruit is not all about them) may or may not accompany the fillings (which are usually given for a ministry or when the Spirit wants to perform some task and equip the believer for it). Spirituality is not about always walking about on some spiritual high, or of walking in the glow of some past experience. True spirituality is demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit and that means God's fruit, not our fruit. Our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our gift to God!
Note also that another gift, peace, is given when we pray with thanksgiving as our attitude (cf. Phil. 4:6-7). Jesus taught that Christians would be known by their love (cf. John 13:35). This is a matter of testimony that has to do with showing our fruit. Don't depend on feelings; lack of feeling, in itself, doesn't mean one is not filled with the Spirit. To sum up, what I'm trying to say, it is not how much of the Spirit you have (all Christians have the measure of the Spirit), but how much of you the Spirit has (how submissive you are to His will). Soli Deo Gloria!
We should differentiate between fruit and gifts: fruits are grown, while gifts are given. That means that even an infant believer may show usage of a gift (according to the measure of faith God has given him, per Rom. 12:3), while a mature believer may struggle with self-control (the last of the fruits in Gal. 5:23), because fruit comes with the territory of experience and hardship or trials. There is pseudo-fruit of the world that masquerades as spiritual: faux wisdom or street smarts; false happiness that is self-centered and dependent on happenings, etc. We are not to be fooled but seek to "grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18). Note that "Jesus increased in stature and in wisdom, and in favor with God and man [He didn't come with an already fully-developed mind]" (Luke 2:52 KJV).
The first fruit mentioned is love; this is because this is the telltale sign of a Christian and he has no excuse not to love another. If anyone doesn't love, he doesn't know God, for God is love (cf. 1 John 4:8). The confusion may arise when one confuses being filled with the Spirit with demonstrating the fruit (there is pseudo-fruit too)--that they always go together--and they are there, but not always in the measure we expect. (Eph. 5:18 means to keep on being filled with the Spirit--it is not a one-time filling or second blessing). Being filled merely means that one is controlled by the Spirit and is not living according to the flesh or the old sin nature (carnally).
Feeling (the fruit is not all about them) may or may not accompany the fillings (which are usually given for a ministry or when the Spirit wants to perform some task and equip the believer for it). Spirituality is not about always walking about on some spiritual high, or of walking in the glow of some past experience. True spirituality is demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit and that means God's fruit, not our fruit. Our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our gift to God!
Note also that another gift, peace, is given when we pray with thanksgiving as our attitude (cf. Phil. 4:6-7). Jesus taught that Christians would be known by their love (cf. John 13:35). This is a matter of testimony that has to do with showing our fruit. Don't depend on feelings; lack of feeling, in itself, doesn't mean one is not filled with the Spirit. To sum up, what I'm trying to say, it is not how much of the Spirit you have (all Christians have the measure of the Spirit), but how much of you the Spirit has (how submissive you are to His will). Soli Deo Gloria!
It is the joy of the Lord that is our strength, not our joy! The nine winsome graces of the fruit of the Spirit are from God and given to us, not something conjured up on our own strength. Some people may boast of a lot of self-control, for instance, but that is "their" self-control, not the fruit of the Spirit or God's self-control. It is not a matter of trying real hard, but of trusting.
ReplyDeleteSometimes we just try too hard and rely on our own ability and strength. We should want God to get the glory. When we truly trust Christ we "enter into His rest" and lean on Jesus, not ourselves to overcome. "Cease striving and know that I AM God," says Psalm 46:10. It isn't a matter of how much we try, as how much we trust.
ReplyDeleteFinally, why am I being so picky and focused on words?
ReplyDeletet is because this inhale understanding of the filling of the Spirit is a 19th century error which arose out of the Perfectionist Movement and the Keswick "spirit-filled and victorious life" movement. These movements are still alive and quite commonly spread by Our Utmost for His Highest, daily devotional book by Oswald Chambers. It is often also represented as a teaching abuut how to "abide in the Vine" or to "Let go and let God." I am NOT suggesting you believe that stuff, I am just explaining why I am so picky about he we understand Galatians 5 and on the words. So it 's not because I'm lawyering.
See below:
Gal 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
it.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY LAST COMMENT, SO DON'T REPLY TILL YOU'VE SEEN ALL 3 COMMENTS.
DeleteTHIS SHOULD HAVE COME BEFORE THE COMMENNT AB0VE
ReplyDeleteAfter studying the topic at length as part of my preparation to teach the subject, I now understand "filling" of the Spirit in a way that is different than the one described above.
The view you stated is quite common and you are in good company but if you look at all the times in the Bible refers to someone being filled with the Spirit, it is almost always in the context of a prophetic or at least Spirit-led speech. The pattern goes like this,, "So and So, being filled with the Spirit, spoke and said..." Sometimes the phrasing goes like this: "and the Spirit of God came upon them/filled them, and they said, ...." In other words, unlike indwelling, which is permanent and uninterrupted, filling seems to refer to a temporary empowerment to speak God's truth. The same people are sometimes filled on multiple occasions.
This means that, in my view, we should not expect that we will go through constant inhales and exhales of the Holy Spirit, as we fluctuate between being in and out of sin, or in and out of fellowship with God, or in and out of God's will.
As a result, if I am correct, the fruit of the Spirit do not arise form the filling of the Spirit, but rather from the "walking by the Spirit" which is actually the precise wording found in the paragraph that lists the fruit of the Spirit right after identifying the works of the flesh.
So, in my view, don't think you should be walking around as if you are spiritually holding your breath to remain filled and thereby bear fruit. Rather ask for filing of the Spirit when you begin worship or ask for the Spirit to fill you when you are about to talk to someone about the Gospel, that is, when you will be witnessing. Pray for the filling before you lead a Bible study or blog.
As for how we get fruit, Galatians seems to me to be very clear on this and does not refer to filling but "walking" and then " leading". "Walking" is a common expression of the Old and New Testaments to mean basically, living your life. Often it is used in connection with following a path or road and not deviating from it The "leading" of the Spirit in this context seems to be guidance to those walking on the path, so they will not depart from it. What I get from this figurative language is that every day we make decision, we take steps, and when we are being led by the Spirit and obeying Him, the result will we will bear fruit, over time, and as long as we do not give opportunity for the flesh, which will kill our fruit.
THIS IS THE SECOND OF THREE COMMENTS THAT ARE OUT OF ORDER
ReplyDeleteThese differences in view are very subtle, so don't start arguing with what you think I wrote. If there is something above which you want to dispute, i suggest you request a clarification before rapidly launching a rebuttal.
To summarize, here are a few simple statements.
1 Indwelling of the Spirit occurs at salvation and is permanent. From Indwelling we are given assurance and perserverence.
2.Gifts are give either in eternity past or when one gets saved. Gifts are permanent but they are not the same for everybody, and if you don't utilize your gifts in good stewardship, then you can expect them to wither away.
3.Filling is a temporary empowerment, not a form of daily inhale or exhale. You may not feel the filling at all, but when it happens expect Him to bring things to your memory or give you the words to speak as though you ware prepared in advance, but were not.
4.Walking by the Spirit means you stay on the path and say no to the flesh.
5 Leading by the Spirit means He guides you to follow the path and to avoid temptations.
6.Fruit are grown as you say, but they result from an obedient walk, not a spiritual experience of feeling filled. They typically make themselves known in the context of Christian service.
I believe a believer does go in and out of fellowship when he sins, and is responsible to confess known sin (1 John 1:9). We must however keep short accounts and not wait till we go to bed to confess the sins for the day or go to confession with the priest. Sometimes all God wants me to do is acknowledge my sin and restore fellowship.
ReplyDeleteIt is anointing (all believers have an anointing of some kind--per 1 John 2:20) that one receives to preach for example. I hope no one did speak without being filled (it is possible to preach, being filled, and not anointed or specially blessed by God), and I don't want to confuse this with an anointing. Eph. 5:18 says to constantly be filled with the Spirit, not to wait for occasions of being used.
But the filling only lasts until you fall into sin and get out of fellowship, in my view. Walking is how we fulfill our life in fellowship with Christ and have a right relations.
Leading of the Spirit is a special direction or revelation given on what to do or say. Examples of the Spirit's relationship: "I was led (moved, inspired) by the Spirit to write a letter to Mom." "I have been walking in the Spirit all day." "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." "I sensed (though I was filled before) a filling of the Spirit when I was preaching, like it was God speaking and not me," "God anointed my lesson to touch base and resonate with the students."
We don't get some experience (like a second blessing or have "full surrender") and afterward exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.
Filling is temporary, not dependent on being used by God though, but I beg to differ on it only being for some task such as witnessing or preaching. From my experience I "experience" the filling while teaching because that is my gift (I know of other believers who experience their filling during the exercise of their gift). What I think we have is possibly a difference in the interpretation of our jargon.
When Paul said not to "grieve" the Spirit he was talking about sin that takes away the filling and makes God sad--we hurt Him more than it hurts us. "Quenching" refers to putting out the fire, so to speak, in a fellowship--telling an off-color joke or having a spirit of levity at church.
We are commanded to be filled all the time per Ephesians 5:18 and all Christians have the anointing or unction according to 1 John 2:20. This doesn't mean it is perpetual though. There is a correlation between walking by the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit They are not mutually exclusive but overlap. When you walk by the Spirit you are also filled with the Spirit, doing God's will and following His leading. Old Testament saints could not be filled with the Spirit, for the Spirit wasn't given yet. We are to constantly live in communion with the Spirit and constantly exhibit the fruit, namely love, joy, and peace.
I think many theologians confuse filling with anointing and think that the only time they are filled is when God takes over, as it were, but the anointing is always in effect (I can't ever remember praying for the filling, but God has always done it for my lessons--at least the cognizance of it, for instance)--I know of no precedent in Scripture of praying for it--but anointing is primarily intermittent and selective. "I was anointed to answer my critics with the Word of God." "God anointed the preacher to convict those listening." We pray to God to anoint the preacher, but it is assumed he is filled.
To set the record straight, I am not associated with the Keswick, Perfectionist, or Deeper Life groups, though I highly respect Oswald Chamber, and Andrew Murray, who are out of my league in holiness. Isn't that what it's about--holiness (1 Pet. 1:16)? I have seen preachers preach with the anointing and those who just don't have it, but I would not venture to say they were not filled with the Spirit and walking in the flesh. The trouble with most preachers is that they don't stop preaching when they lose the anointing!
ReplyDeleteWhen we walk by the Spirit, we are also filled with the Spirit because they overlap in my view and are not mutually exclusive.
ReplyDelete