The Fruit of the Spirit...

Much is written in academic circles on the continuity or discontinuity of the Law from the Old Testament to the New in relationship to the life of the believer. Does the Law still apply? If so, how much of it and which parts? Should we only take those parts of the Law that are repeated in the teaching of the New Testament?

Christ, in the Sermon on the Mount, states, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished." One may argue that what needed accomplishing was the death of Christ on the cross, but the "passing away" of heaven and earth argues for a more eschatological view of when "all is accomplished." Does the believer need to memorize the 613 specific mandates of the Law? Maybe the 10 Commandments are enough? I would like to propose that one should instead focus on the 9 Fruits.

"The fruit of the spirit is: 1) Love, 2) Joy, 3) Peace, 4) Patience, 5) Kindness, 6) Goodness, 7) Faithfulness, 8)Gentleness, and 9) Self-Control - against such things THERE IS NO LAW! (Gal 5:22-23) Christ completely exemplified and demonstrated these characteristics in His life and ministry which was often contrasted with the life and approach of the Pharisees. A great eye-opener is to study the beliefs of the Pharisees in parallel with modern orthodox evangelicalism. The beliefs are essentially the same, and all too often the results are too - we get legalistic. Grace provides freedom, and freedom was provided through Christ. While we are not free to licentiousness or continual sin, we are free from the constraints of any legalistic set of rules; free to be obedient to scripture; free to pursue Christ-likeness by the helping ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives - we are free to live under a "new law" which is not Law but Grace! The manifestation of grace is the fruit of the Spirit, and where the fruit of the Spirit is being manifested there is no need for Law because Law will not be broken. In fact, it will be perfectly kept as it was meant to be kept.

So, rather than worrying about the Law, or legalistic constraints that men devise, believers should pursue Christ-likeness. The result will be the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit, and I think that we would be surprised at the free giving up of our liberties and self-imposed constraints we each would develop as we seek to exemplify Christ, not cause our brothers to stumble, and live at peace with all men. Study the Fruit of the Spirit and ask the Lord to reveal to you where in your life they are not being manifested, and make this a continual practice as you "walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called" (Eph 4:1).