DCLM Search The Scripture Youth For December 4, 2022 : Topic – The Fruit Of The Spirit
Read previous Bible Studies Here
YOUTH STS
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Memory Verse: “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9).
TEXT: Galatians 5:22,23; John 15:1-8
Among Christians, there is an emphasis on Christian character. The life of a New Testament Christian youth should manifest a Christlike pattern of character like the Church at Antioch. Christ explains the expected fruit bearing lifestyle of believers. He says, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:3-5).
Question 1: What do you understand by the fruit of the Spirit?
The fruit of the Spirit is the manifestation of a Christian’s transformed life.These true Christian virtues are collectively called the fruit of the Spirit. It is a biblical term that sums up the nine visible characteristics which should be constantly seen in the life of a Christian and these are love, joy, peace. Longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Galatians 5:22,23).
We learn from the Scripture that these are not individual “fruits” from which believing youths can pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one “fruit” that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, these are the attributes or good virtues that all christians should be producing in their lives.
CONDITION FOR BEARING THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (John 15:1-7,16; Romans 7:4; 2 Corinthians 9:10;Psalm 92:13,14)
The fruit of the Spirit is so called because it is given by the Holy Spirit. It might be helpful to note that Paul wrote “fruit” in the singular, indicating that we should understand that the fruit has a number of components, but at the same time, all of them will be produced within cach person the Spirit leads.Paul pointedly draw attention to the source of the fruit as being “of the Spirit” to make us fully awarc that these qualities do not flow from our nature. The vices or “works of the flesh” listed in Galatians 5:19-21 are the products of our human heart. But the spiritual fruit is produced by means of the influence of the Holy Spirit. This comes into the heart of youths after conversion. Conversion involves the transformation of the heart of a youth from being a sinful person to becoming a transformed saint.
Question 2: What are the steps required for a youth to be able to bear the fruit of the Spirit?
To qualify to bear the fruit of the Spirit, a youth needs to acknowledge his sinful state (Psalm 51:1-3), believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation (John 10:7-9), confess his sins and forsake them (Proverbs 28:13), depend fully on God by reading and obeying His word daily (John 5:39), and praying to God in faith (1 Thessalonians 5:17), faithfully abide by the Spirit of God and ensure that you completely abide by His desires (Galatians 5:16).
COMPONENTS OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Galatians 5:22,23)
There are nine fruit of the Spirit. They can be split into three main groups, each consisting of three set of qualities. The first group: love, joy and peace shows a Christian’s heart with special emphasis on one’s relationship with God. The second group: longsuffering (patience), kindness and goodness exemplify a Christian youth’s social virtues relating to our thoughts and actions toward fellow men. The third group: faith (faithfulness), gentleness and temperance (self-control) reveals the internal attributes of a Christian youth and how he should maintain his spiritual and moral reliability.
Question 3: In your own words, descrlbe the different fruit of the Spirit?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22,23). Each of these fruit is a quality every Christian youth should desire. Without them, we cannot rightly reflect the mind and way of God. The fruit of the Spirit reflects the virtues God wants in all believers.
Love (Deuteronomy 6:5;Matthew 5:43,44;1 John 4:7-12; 3:11,18,23). Love is defined as an unselfish, benevolent’ concern for another. It is the self-denying, self-sacrificing, Christ-like love for the well-being of others which is the foundation of all other graces. Conversion without love can be greatly questioned.
Joy (Jeremiah 15:16; Acts 8:6-8; 1 Peter 1:8; Luke 10:17; John 16:22). Joy is defined as great delight; gladness of heart and that deep, abiding, inner rejoicing in the Lord. It is the happy state that results from knowing and serving God. The joy of the Lord is the strength of every believing youth. Without it, Christianity would become a routine task and youths would start to withdraw from others and life in general. The joy of the Lord gives an incredible source of strength in your daily walk with God
Peace (John 16:33; Romans 5:1;Psalm 119:165;Isaiah 26:3). It is defined as the sense of well-being and fulfillment that comes from God and is dependent on His presence. It is trunquility, rest, and harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Without the peace of God operating in your life, you could become very easily shaken, tormented and knocked off from the Lord any time adversitycomes your way.
Longsuffering (1 Corinthians 13:4;Colossians 1:11;2 Peter 3:9). This is also called patience. It is highly needed despite the aggression in our world today. It is patience, endurance and steadfastness under provocation. It sometimes entails forbearance under suffering in the face of adversity. It is the ability to endure persecution and ill-treatment.
Gentleness (1 Thessalonians 2:7, 11;2 Timothy 2:24;Psalm 18:35; James 3:17). Gentleness is mildness combined with tenderness. It is the quality of being gracious, having kind disposition and controlled strength. It is the disposition of controlled temper, balance in spirit, and passions under control. It is exhibited in believing youths as a character that is reasonable, forbearing, moderate, fair and considerate. When one is gentle, he is willing to pardon injuries, correct faults and rule his spirit well.
Goodness (Genesis 45: 5-8,15; 1 Samuel 24:17;1 Thessalonians 5:15). Goodness is one of the key qualities an unbeliever will easily pick up on in a solid Christian as it is: what they easily admire and desire in a believer. It is defined as being. Benevolent, ready to do good and love in action. It is kindness in actual manifestation, virtue equipped for action, a bountiful propensity both to will and to do what is good. Goodness produces generosity and a God-like state or being. The word benevolent is the quality of being kind or doing good.
Meekness (Luke 6:29; 1 Peter 3:4;Galatians 6:1;Numbers 12:3; Zephaniah 2:3). Meekness can also be explained as being kind. Once the Holy Spirit starts to transmit His love into a youth, the quality of his kindness will follow right along with it. It will become much easier for you to be kind to others once the love of God starts to flow more into your personality. Kindness is the steadfast love that maintains relationships through gracious aid in times of need. It is defined as goodness of heart, serviceable, good, gracious, and pleasant. It also includes love for mankind, hospitality, acts of kindness, readiness to help, human friendliness, benevolence, taking thought for others.
Faith (1 Samuel 17:37; Psalm 37:3,5; Isaiah 26:3,4;Psalm 125:1). Faith, as stated here is faithfulness which means fidelity. It is that which makes one true to his promise and faithful to his task. It is being steadfast, dedicated, loyal, unchanging, thoroughly grounded, dependable and worthy of trust.
Temperance (Titus 2:2; Proverbs 16:32; 2 Peter 1:5-7; James 3:2). Temperance is also called self-control. Even though it is the last, it is one of the most important virtues of a believing youth. It is to have sober, temperate and calm approach to life, having mastered personal desires and passions. It is to be well disciplined and to exercise restraint over one’s behaviour
COMPENSATION FOR PERSISTENT SAINTS (1 Corinthians 9:24-27;John 15:16,17;2 Peter 1:5-11;2 Timothy 4:8;1 Peter 5:4;James 1:12; Revelation 2:10)
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name…Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (Revelation 3: 11, 12; 1 Corinthians 15:58).
Question 4: What are some rewards for being steadfast?
For Christian youths who are steadfast and bear the fruit of the Spirit, Jesus Christ promises that they will bear more fruits. For those who fail to bear the right fruits, there is condemnation and suffering. There are several crowns for those that remain faithful and they include the following: an imperishable crown, crown of rejoicing, crown of righteousness, crown of glory, crown of life.There are also other rewards both here and in eternity. While here on earth, there is protection, provision and preservation from the Lord. It is therefore important that all youths show forth the fruit of the Spirit as that is the way thệy can truly show that they are converted and are born of God. “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:10,11).