On a practical term as we surrender our life to Christ the word of God tells us; God is working in us to make us Christlike. We shouldn’t compare our selves to others but we can look at our Lord Jesus and measure our fruit by His life.
There are nine fruit of the Spirit that we should be growing in when you are a child of God they are found in Galatians 5:22-23 NLT “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. There is no law against these things.”
Goodness is the topic for today. What do you think of when you hear that word? The word goodness means according to the dictionary “the state or quality of being good, moral excellence, virtue, kindness, generosity” In Galatians according to Vines Expository Dictionary “goodness means a moral quality,” When we are walking in the Spirit, we are producing this kind of fruit. As a born again believer in Jesus moral excellence is essential.
Virtue and moral excellence are important because that means you are honest and sincere. It also is seen in a holy lifestyle. I know the day and age we live in believes differently but when you are a child of God living according to the truth which is the Word of God then you know holiness is the way we live. A purity of heart, mind and body is God’s way.
Jesus told us in Matthew 7:21-23 “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. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” These are powerful words by Jesus, He’s letting us know many will do a lot of things that look spiritual in His name but He didn’t know them. His character has to be seen that’s the fruit we are to look for.
So ask your self is what you do to be seen or to glorify Jesus? Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart to make sure your motives are pure. It’s not what we do it’s the why behind what we do that makes the motive pure or not.
Since goodness is a moral quality, we need a heart check on our motives. Jesus told us out of the heart the mouth speaks. We can look at words that we say and see what fruit it’s producing. Are you speaking life or death in situations. Are you blessing or cursing someone. Again, it is a heart issue. Jesus said they will know we are his disciples by how we love one another.
If you’re not sure of your heart which our hearts can deceive us, we begin to think we are spiritual when in reality we can become critical, judgmental and at times condemning of our brothers and sisters. Look for the fruit of the Spirit in your own life first. Before you try to be a fruit inspector of others.
Surrender to the Holy Spirit working in your life. He will produce the fruit as you surrender in situations. A purity of heart, mind and body is God’s way and that is goodness.