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The Sixth
Part of the Fruit of the Spirit
GOODNESS
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Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace,
patience, kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there
is no law [we don’t do works to gain them; we study and the Holy
Spirit changes us]
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Goodness here means to be
generous and to do divine good instead of human good. Divine good
is done in the power of God. Human good is done in the power of
man. Divine good is permanent, which means that it will last
forever! It is built on God’s rules, which do not change. Human
good is temporary, which means that it will eventually go away. It
is built on mankind’s rules, which can change from person to
person. We have a choice to do either divine good or human good.
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God, in His grace, has given us the power to do
divine good. He has given us the power of the filling of the Holy
Spirit and the power of Bible doctrine. These gifts are free! We
don’t earn them or deserve them. We just have to put in time to
learn about God. When we learn and use Bible doctrine we will get
to know God better and better. The Holy Spirit will make sure of
that! As we grow spiritually, we will be motivated by God’s Word
to perform good deeds. We will have the right motivation. Oh
goodness!
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Satan spends more time trying to
get us to do human good rather than sin. His goal is to have the
Millennium, perfect environment, on earth because of his power and
man’s human good. However, we know that neither Satan nor we have
the power to make this happen. He wants this to take place before
the second coming of Jesus Christ, the real Millennium, when there
will be perfect environment and Jesus Christ will be the Ruler!
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Satan wants us to feel
inferior and guilty. He wants us to do human good to make
ourselves feel better. He wants us to have the wrong motivation.
He wants us to rely on ourselves and his power rather than on God
and His power. Satan wants us to turn away from God and divine
good. Let’s not fall for the lie!
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Matthew 23:5, 12 Everything they do is done for men to see. For
whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles
himself will be exalted.
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Human good is really not
worth doing. It is corruptible. This means that it can be spoiled.
We try to do good using our viewpoint rather than God’s viewpoint.
This really messes things up because we all have a sin nature. Our
viewpoint is not perfect like God’s. It also causes blind
arrogance and corrupts us. It gives us a bad attitude because we
make ourselves the main focus. Life becomes all about us and the
good works we are doing. We usually don’t even recognize this.
That is why it is called blind arrogance! Corruption is not good!
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1
Corinthians 3:11
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid,
which is Jesus Christ.
If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly
stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is,
because the [judgement] Day will bring it to light. It will be
revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each
man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his
reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will
be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. .
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Some people think that
wealth and riches are wrong. If they are wrong, God certainly
wouldn’t have said that wealth and riches would be in our homes if
we respect Him and follow His word. There is absolutely nothing
wrong with financial prosperity, wealth, unless that prosperity is
made a priority ahead of God. God wants us to have wealth and
money, but He doesn’t want those things to have us! God wants to
be generous to us when we are ready or have the capacity. Let’s
get ready!
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Psalm
112:1-3 Praise the Lord! How blessed or happy is the one who
respects the Lord, Who greatly delights in His commands. His
descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright
will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his
righteousness endures forever.
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Jesus followed God’s
commands and doctrines; He didn’t rely in the least on His own
ability. He relied totally upon God’s Word and upon the Holy
Spirit living within Him. He had faith in God. He knew that being
generous and producing divine good, God would take care of all of
His needs and then some. Because Jesus followed all of God’s
commands, He enjoyed total prosperity, or success.
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Luke
6:38 Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed
down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap.
For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in
return.
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If we are branches rightly
related to the Vine, living in the plan of God, we will be
generous people who produce divine good. We will have the thinking
of Christ and Christ thinks that “It is more blessed to give than
to receive.” (Acts 20:35) God wants every believer to be generous
and produce divine good and prosper (succeed), not just
spiritually but also financially (with money). We receive
spiritual and money gifts from God for our own enjoyment and to
give to others for their enjoyment. God isn’t stingy and He
doesn’t want us to be stingy!
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The
Sixth Part of the Fruit of the Spirit
Goodness
References used:
Robert R.McLaughlin Bible Ministries
www.gbible.org
Lesson: 7-31-05
Tree of Life, 7-31-05
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