Grace and Truth
Bible Ministries

Paul's prayer for the believer to have Grace as a facet of the fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22 Phil 1:11


In the context of our study of the mandate for believer's prayer in the PPOG. . Phil 4:6; 1Thes 5:17;

We are considering Paul's prayer for the spiritual growth of believers recorded in Phil 1:9-11;

In verse 11 Paul is praying for believers to be filled with the "fruit of righteouseness."

Phil 1:11; having been completely filled up with the production of righteousness [which is the total fulfillment of spiritual progress] which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God


We are examining the phrase "fruit of righteousness" translated from the Greek words (karpon dikaiosune) which is produced in the believer through TLJC under the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.



We have seen that in the Phil 1:11; passage the production is viewed with regard to the quality of it's character as the “fruit of righteousness,” and in Gal 5:22, the same production is viewed with regard to it's source as the “fruit of the Spirit.”and it's characteristics are also described.



We have looked at the first (4) facets of this production of Righteousness which are Integrity Love (Agape) , The Happiness of God (Chara) , Inner Peace and Overt Prosperity (Eirene) and Patience and longsuffering (makrothumia).



We are presently examining the fifth facet of the fruit of righteousness which is the production of the Spirit is described by the Greek noun "chrestotes", which means kindness, graciousness, generosity, and sensitivity to others.

This is the characteristic of Grace Orientation which is aka PSD #4.

Believer's who know they stand in the grace and security of positional truth are motivated to obey God because of their Love for him. 1John 4:19; 1John 4:8;

The believer's standing in Grace provides for failure without condemnation. Rom 8:1; Prov 24:16; Psa 37:23-24; Psa 145:14; Rom 14:4c

Grace is the provision for the believer to fail, to get up, to simply acknowledge the failure and then forget it and to keep advancing in the PPOG. Phil 3:13-14;

Since God is Love It is impossible for the believer to obey God when motivated by fear. 1John 4:18-19; Believers are commanded to keep on conducting their lives in the sphere of Love Eph 5:2; (second person plural present active imperative of peripateo)

Grace rids the believer of doubt and gives assurance and confidence and the capacity for Love. Misuse of the Law, in asceticism, legalism and religion on the other hand, keeps the believer wondering, guessing and in uncertainty, in slavery, in bondage and in fear.

TLJC has set beliver's free. Gal 5:1; Rom 8:15;

That Freedom comes to all believers at salvation from TLJC and their cognizance of it, and the provision to reside in it, is provided by the continuous PMA of Bible Doctrine. John 8:31-32;

The objective of Satan and the Kosmic System is to re-establish their tyrannical hold on the believer. 1Pet 5:8-9; which is done by exploiting the believer's fear Heb 2:14-15; therby thwarting the believer's advance in the PPOG by means of Grace and Bible Doctrine. 2Pet 3:18;

The insecure immature believer is naturally unstable James 1:5-8; and because of their insecurity from lack of Grace norms and standards from metabolized Bible Doctrine in their soul, they go from one experience to another without ever finding truth. 2Tim 3:7;

By resting in their union with Christ and their position in Him believers are freed from the endless and sinful self-effort of trying to make their condition and their experience the basis for their security rather than their position.

This enables the believer to manifest the righteous production of the spirit which is described by the Greek word "chrestotes", and is exhibited as kindness, graciousness, generosity, and sensitivity to others.

The believer who understands their union with Christ and their position in Him does not rely upon external appearances and is not affected one way or another by their condition because their identity is established in their position because they know and believe scripture such as . 1John 4:17;

Understanding passages such as as this causes the believer to rest in the work which God has done and the words that the Lord has said. As believers grow spiritually, the maturing believers know that they are accepted and secure not on the basis of their condition but on the basis of their position in union with the God-man, the Theos-anthropos ... TLJC. Eph 1:6-7;

This security does not produce carelessness but instead produces confidence and courage and the inner peace of grace orientation, Isa 32:17 ; Rom 6:14-15; 1Tim 1:9;

It is God who makes believers stand because of their position in Grace. Jude 1:24;

Grace as a facet of the fruit of the spirit in the believer is a response to God's grace, and grows as the believer metabolizes and applies Bible doctrine, particularly doctrines concerning the cross such as, Hamartiology (the doctrine of sin), Christology (the doctrine concerning the Person of Christ), Soteriology (the doctrine concerning salvation).

Eph 2:1-10; brings these doctrines together succinctly.

Eph 2:1-3; Mankind is just as helpless in spiritual death as in physical death. the Greek word ( íåêñüò nekros) in this passage refers to spiritual death, which is the status quo of being completely separated from God the Father and having no hope of eternal life and no ability to resolve the problem.

Eph 2:4;God in his grace and mercy chose to work out a solution for man's salvation, a solution that would cost God his uniquely born son. John 3:16;

Eph 2:5-6;--> Rom 5:8; God has made believers alive by means of regeneration (being born again), justification (perfect righteousness imputed to regenerated believer), eternal life imputed to the human spirit, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which places the believer in permanent union with the Lord Jesus Christ Gal 3:26-28; who we saw last time is presently seated at the Right Hand of God the Father in heaven.

Salvation is where the maximum expression of the grace of God was deployed toward mankind. God did for all mankind what they could not do for themselves, Rom 8:3;



 

 

 

© Copyright 2007, Michael Lemmon Bible Ministries. World Rights Reserved.  This document was created on  5/9/2007