The Book Of Galatians Chapter 5 Part 13 The Fruits Of Meekness And Temperance

The fruit of the Spirit is meekness.

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23)

  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

We have two more fruits that we will look at today.

"Meekness" is the eighth of nine fruits. It literally means gentleness, mildness or meekness.

Meekness comes from having a humble heart. It is a softness of temper, marked by mildness or gentleness. 

Meekness is having forbearance toward those who do wrong to us. 

Meekness is a mildness toward the weak and erring, a patient suffering of injuries without a spirit of revenge, an even balance of temperament and passion. 

It is the entire opposite to anger.

Our culture is plagued by people who explode with hostility and rage against the slightest of wrongs.

Meekness is the opposite of the hateful cultural corruption that surrounds us each day. 

Paul learned meekness from the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:1  Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 

The Lord Jesus Christ is our glorious model of moral perfection. 

Paul referred to Jesus as he sought to bring the Corinthians back to where they should be. 

The apostle demonstrated a spirit of love and meekness even though the Corinthians had wronged him on many levels.

Jesus is the model of a meek disposition of our Lord during His earthly ministry. 

Christ personally taught Paul and prepared him for apostolic ministry (See Galatians 1:11-12).

Jesus exhibited all the fruit of the Spirit in His life, including meekness. 

Matthew 11:28-30  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29)  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30)  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. 

As an example of meekness, Jesus invited all those who were laboring under the burdens of Judaism.

Jewish rabbis created an elaborate man made religion that said one could be right with God by following their rules.

They implemented thousands of onerous rules that regulated every aspect of Jewish life.

They elevated Judaistic teaching to equal authority as inspired scripture from God. 

Judaizers elevated man's tradition higher than what God said in His Word.

Matthew 15:3-9  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? 4)  For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. 5)  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6)  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 7)  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8)  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9)  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 

Jesus constantly exposed the falsehood propagated by Judaism. 

In this example, He showed that their corrupt teaching provided a way for children to avoid taking care of their elderly parents. 

This teaching violated the command of God to honor your father and mother. 

Such honor included taking care of them when they grow old, just as they took care of us when we were infants.

Jesus condemned them for making the scriptures of none effect by elevating man's tradition higher than God's Word.

Judaism's strict regulations and enforcement buried the common people and oppressed them. 

Such rigorous man made rules did not lead anyone to saving faith. 

Thus, Judaism was a man centered religious system that said if you do all these things, you can be right with God. 

Judaism was based upon individual performance and salvation by works.

Yet the scripture clearly states that the just shall live by faith. 

Thus, Jesus could offer rest to those who were spiritually oppressed by man made, man centered religion.

He offered rest because He pointed people to the spiritual realities of what God said rather than what man said.

He said of Himself that He is meek and lowly in heart, which is polar opposite of the proud Judaizers.

Meekness is an essential component for walking in a way that honors God.

Ephesians 4:1-2  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2)  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 

Paul taught us about living a life that honors God. He calls this the worthy walk. 

Walking worthy of our profession of faith in Christ means making choices that honor God and that reflect His will rather than our desires.

The worthy walk of a Christian should be marked by meekness that is on display in our interpersonal relationships.

It we say we know Christ, but we express hatred and anger toward those who oppose us, then we are lacking meekness.

Meekness is a willingness to suffer maltreatment by others because we do not want to hinder the gospel going out. 

Temperance is the last fruit of the Spirit Paul teaches us about.

"Temperance" is the last of nine gifts that compose the fruit of the Spirit. It literally means maintaining self-control. 

It speaks of one who masters their desires and passions, especially the sensual appetites.

Temperance is moderation in thought, word, or action. Those who practice temperance are self-controlled and show restraint in their passions and behaviors.

Temperance is self control that seeks to please God instead of fleshly lusts.

Titus 1:7-9  For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8)  But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9)  Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 

One of the qualifications for spiritual leaders in the church is the fruit of temperance.

Temperance in eating and drinking in contrast to drunkenness and gluttony pagan feasts were known for. 

It is exercising restraint from the lusts of the flesh. 

Temperance is abstaining from anything that might be lawful to do but might also be a stumblingblock to another Christian.  

Temperance is exercising self control for the sake of the weak, the peace of the church, and the glory of God.

Temperance is cultivated by limiting access to things that stimulate lusts.

Romans 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and perfectly demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit. 

When we are born again, God's Spirit lives in us to help conform us to Christ's image. 

Paul gave us clear direction to show us how to practically live out our Christian faith each day.

One principle that shows how temperance is cultivated is by making no provision to stimulate or satisfy our fleshly lusts. 

If I was a substance abuser before I was born again, I must guard against going places where my lust might be enticed. 

If I viewed pornography before Christ saved me, I must dedicate each day to ensuring that I set no wicked thing before my eyes.

Temperance must be sought after each day and each moment. 

1 Corinthians 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 

Paul illustrates temperance by telling us he knew that within his old man was a desire to sin, and that sin could topple his ministry.

Therefore, everyday Paul sought to keep his body under subjection. 

This is the idea of an Olympic athlete training hard for competition. 

The athlete must maintain proper weight by eating good food and avoiding unhealthy food. 

They must maintain proper conditioning by following a regimen of physical exercise.

In like manner, temperance is a spiritual discipline that keeps immoral, corrupt influences in check so that we can walk worthily of our Lord.

Galatians 5:24-26  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25)  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26)  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 

Paul reminds us that Christ's death was counted as our death. 

Jesus died for us and gave us His Spirit so that we are led by and walk after His Spirit.

If we profess to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, let us walk in the Spirit. 

Let us show it in our lives and conversation that the Spirit of God dwells in us.

The apostle concludes this section by giving us a warning against pride. 

Romans 6:3-6  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4)  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5)  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6)  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 

We must remember that our old man was crucified with Christ along with our body of sin, so that we are now free to love and serve God. 

We are enabled to walk in newness of life so that we no longer are slaves to sin and fleshly lusts. 

Thus, the fruit of the Spirit in all nine aspects, is what our life will look like when the Holy Spirit is having His way in our heart.

May we pray more earnestly to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that He can work His wonderful, beautiful fruit into our heart.

Bob