Fruits of the Spirit & Works of the Flesh

by Matty 6 Replies latest jw friends

  • Matty
    Matty

    As a loyal Witness, I often considered the words of Galatians 5:22,23 . The Apostle Paul's words there list what are known as the "Fruitages of the spirit". We were encouraged to work on these qualities day by day, in order to be the complete Christian. I went through them and tried to work on them by studying the individual qualities one by one, and seeing how I can reflect those words in my dealings with other people.

    Fruitages of the spirit:

    • Love
    • Joy
    • Peace
    • Long-suffering
    • Kindness
    • Goodness
    • Faith
    • Mildness
    • Self-control

    These are all fine qualities, of course, and I hope I can continue working on them after I leave the witnesses. However, a little earlier, Paul spoke about what are known as "The works of the flesh". Looking at the list here, they all seem like a lot of fun to me:

    Works of the flesh:

    • Fornication
    • Uncleanness
    • Loose conduct
    • Idolatry
    • Practice of spiritism
    • Enmities
    • Strife
    • Jealousy
    • Fits of anger
    • Contentions
    • Divisions
    • Sects
    • Envies
    • Drunken bouts
    • Revelries

    Like the "Fruits of the spirit" I am now working on this list too. I am now at "enmities" today, and as soon as I can figure out what on Earth it is, I will give it a try.

    Now, I'm really interested, in both the good people of jw.com and the bad. So what "Fruit of the Spirit" or "Work of the Flesh" are you all working on today?

  • Mimilly
    Mimilly

    Matty! Gawd I miss ya! ((((((((((((((((((((((Matty))))))))))))))))))))))))))

    Well, no works of the flesh for me as of late. With the news of the psycho-sniper and the terrorist acts in Bali and on the French tanker in Yemen, I'm holding onto good ol' fashioned Faith.

    Tis Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and we will indulge in eating ourselves into a stupor, which I spose is gluttony, a work of the flesh? Yum yum.

    But yeh, with the daily news being as it is, I'm holding faith close, as always.

    Mimilly

  • Matty
    Matty

    ((((((Mimilly))))))! Yes, gluttony is good. I kinda like drunken-bouts too, that's a good English one!

    Britain doesn't have any proper holidays this time of year, which is a shame. We have no Thanksgiving. We have Guy Fawkes Day in November 5th, when we have fireworks and ritualisticly burn an effigy of a Catholic - charming! Mind you, I can never understand Halloween, ghosts and monsters, children demanding sweets with menaces, that's a weird thing to celebrate.

    I shall be working on Long-suffering today, as I learn to put up with my over-zealous witness family!

  • minimus
    minimus

    Love and sex...I mean sects.

  • Kingpawn
    Kingpawn

    Matty,

    Fruitages of the spirit:

    • Love--this can be an aftereffect of a "work of the flesh" like fornication. Does that mean it's good or bad?
    • Joy--this can be an aftereffect of a "work of the flesh" like fornication. Does that mean it's good or bad?
    • Peace
    • Long-suffering--tell me about it!
    • Kindness
    • Goodness--what am I, a Keebler elf?
    • Faith
    • Mildness
    • Self-control--well, I don't er, uh, self-abuse myself as much as I used to...how's that?

    "The works of the flesh". Looking at the list here, they all seem like a lot of fun to me:

    Works of the flesh:

    • Fornication--as Jeff Foxworthy says, "Oh yeah baby oh yeah yeah right there!"
    • Uncleanness--can't help it on my job. All that beef blood and stuff.
    • Loose conduct--iow, am I or am I not a slut?
    • Idolatry--sure. I worship the female form.
    • Practice of spiritism--nahh. Don't drink.
    • Enmities--hey, I got your @#$%^ emnities right here pal!
    • Strife
    • Jealousy--I'm jealous of at least one husband who doesn't know me at all.
    • Fits of anger--no, dammit, and don't you ever say that to me again!
    • Contentions--not as long as people admit I'm right.
    • Divisions--only with a calculator. Does that count?
    • Sects--INsects, DISsects, REsects, what?
    • Envies--see "Jealousy."
    • Drunken bouts--see "Practice of spiritism."
    • Revelries--well if I don't drink, how the hell am I gonna revel? What on? Slimfast diet milkshakes?

    Like the "Fruits of the spirit" I am now working on this list too. I am now at "enmities" today, and as soon as I can figure out what on Earth it is, I will give it a try.

    Matty, you have got to get on the ball here. The year's almost over!

    Now, I'm really interested, in both the good people of jw.com and the bad. So what "Fruit of the Spirit" or "Work of the Flesh" are you all working on today?

    Pretty much as many of the "works" as I can get away with and a few "fruits" because they're good for my spiritual "diet."
  • Robdar
    Robdar

    Matty,

    Good post. I like this list of the Fruitages of the Spirit. I forget which Bible translation it is from:

    Love

    Joy

    Peace

    Patience (Long suffering)

    Kindness

    Mildness

    Goodness

    Faith

    Self Control

    I believe that to be a total person, one who is human and divine, we should be well versed in both the Fruitages of the Spirit and the Works of the Flesh. To deny one or the other is to deny who we are. Sometimes the Works of the Flesh can lead to the Fruitages of the Spirit. Sometimes the Fruitages of the Spirit can lead to the Works of the Flesh. God gave us this life to live and enjoy.

    Drink deeply from the cup of Life, learn what you can.

    Love,

    Robyn

    edited to add signature quote

    "Set me as a seal upon thine heart, for love is strong as death."

    Edited by - robdar on 13 October 2002 16:50:55

  • Matty
    Matty

    Truly profound Robyn!

    Today I'm working on Revelries.

    And the great thing is that you never know what the centre is gonna taste like until you eat one.

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