Grace and Truth
Bible Ministries

Phil 1:11 Gal 5:22-23 Faithfulness and Gentleness


We are continuing in the study of the mandate for believer's prayer in the PPOG. . Phil 4:6; 1Thes 5:17;

We are looking at Paul's prayers for believers so we can better understand what we should pray for.

At the moment we are considering Paul's prayer for the spiritual growth of believers that was recorded in Phil 1:9-11;

In verse 11 Paul prays for believers to be filled with the "fruit of righteousness."

This righteousness is produced in the believer by God when the believer is functioning in the spiritual life through the application of Bible Doctrine to experience under the mentorship 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.” where details of it's characteristics are also described.

We are presently studying the seventh characteristic of this righteous production of the Spirit in the believer who has the thinking of TLJC through metabolized Bible Doctrine which is the Greek noun "pistis", and is translated as faithfulness which means to be trustworthy, reliable, and steadfast.

God's faithfulness to the believer is the basis for the production of faithfulness by God the Holy Spirit in the believer.

The believer's faithfulness is established in the faithfulness of God and the believer cannot be faithful apart from understanding and living in confident expectation from God and God's faithfulness and grace provision.

At this point in our study we are discussing the process whereby the Holy Spirit works in the believer through Bible Doctrine to parlay God's Faithfulness toward them into a characteristic of faithfulness as a facet of the Fruit of the Spirit, which is Righteousness.

Last time we concluded with a Heb 4:1 where the believer is warned not to fail to live in faith rest through their Recall of Bible Doctrine.

The believer comes short of God's rest through scar tissue in the soul, garbage in the sub-conscious, the complex of arrogance and emotional sins, and the control of the soul by the lust pattern of their OSN.

The failure of the believer to claim the promises of God through their own faith results in the building up stress in the soul. Stress in the soul cannot be cured by any system of counseling it must be addressed by the proper application of Bible Doctrine.

Adversity is the outside pressure from people and circumstances, Stress is the inside pressure that believers put on themselves that is triggered by the outside pressure.

Stress is what you do to yourself; adversity is what circumstances do to you.

Adversity is inevitable, but stress is optional.

Believers overcome stress by their own personal recall and application of the Bible Doctrine that is in their own soul whereby they appropriate God's faithfulness to them and wait confidently on him through their continuous utilization of the Faith Rest Drill. Isa 40:31;

We will now look at the 8th facet of the righteous production of God the Holy Spirit in the Believer. Phil 1:11; Gal 5:22-23;

The word generally translated "gentleness" in the NASB and meekness in the KJV and occasionally translated humility is the Greek word "prautes" which means gentleness, humility or meekness.

In ancient Greek prautes was used to describe a stallion that had been broken and trained and though still powerful was now under control so it's power could be directed.

Next time you hearer read Matt 5:5; think of this:

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Prautes "was also used to describe a king who was mild or kind to the citizens and it was used as an anonym for anger.

These pre-Christian meanings of the word describe only outward conduct relating to other people and is based in one's natural disposition or self control.

In New Testament usage, "prautes" is used to describe an inward quality that related primarily to God which is based on humility and is not a natural human quality but instead is the result of the believer putting off the old nature and living in their new nature and identity inside the PPOG under the power of and in submission to God the Holy Spirit and Bible Doctrine. Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:8-10;

In the ancient Greek "prautes" often implied condescension or being kind for the sake of self interest and to further one's personal objectives, but to the believer it implies true submission to God which results in confidence in God and courage before men and circumstances

As the righteous production of God the Holy Spirit in the believer, "prautes” not only refers to all of the external visible qualities of mildness, gentleness, and equanimity but these external manifestations toward men are emphasized as being the result of their spiritual relationship with God.

Consequently in the believer it represents not only proper conduct but proper motivation as well.

This results in the righteousness of Divine Good which as we have studied as a right thing done in a right way for the right reason at the right time.

Gentleness in the believer comes from grace orientation and a thankful attitude toward God for what he has done for them and continues to do for them in and through the person of TLJC. John 3:16; 2Cor 5:19-21; Heb 7:25; 1John 2:1-2; Phil 2:13;

Because of their reference to God and their confidence in his integrity toward them, the believer accepts the things God is doing in their life and bears them patiently without complaining or resisting because they know from their Reception, Retention and Recall of Bible Doctrine that God is working his perfect work in them through the situations that he permits in their life. Phil 1:6; Eph 2:10;

Gentleness as a production of the spirit enables the believer to completely rely on God and patiently wait on him rather than on their own strength when faced with injustice. 1Pet 5:6-7;

When exhibited toward evil people it recognizes that God is permitting the injuries and that He is using those injuries to advance the believer in his plan and that he will deliver them in his perfect timing. Isa 41:17; Luke 18:1-8

Gentleness comes from trusting in God's grace and his sovereign control over every situation so there is no need to promote, defend or justify one's self.

This results in a gracious non-judgmental attitude which is focused on restoration rather than judging or condemnation. John 3:17; Luke 19:10; Gal 6:1;

Moses is described as being gentle in Numbers 12:3; In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the word which is translated "humble" in the NASB is translated "meek" in the KJV is the word "prautes" see Net note 9


 

 

 

© Copyright 2007, Michael Lemmon Bible Ministries. World Rights Reserved.  This document was created on  9/19/2007