But the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23, NKJV).
The Difference Between Works and Growth
You can either have works of the flesh or fruit of the Spirit. You choose. But before you do, know this: the Bible has nothing good to say about works of the flesh. Nothing. And by flesh, it doesn't mean meat and bones wrapped up in skin. It means the natural body, mind, will and emotions of fallen human beings; our "sensuous nature" in Old English; the thing we are born as, that is without God, without hope, and headed for eternal death.
Ge 6:12* So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
The Difference Between Works and Growth
You can either have works of the flesh or fruit of the Spirit. You choose. But before you do, know this: the Bible has nothing good to say about works of the flesh. Nothing. And by flesh, it doesn't mean meat and bones wrapped up in skin. It means the natural body, mind, will and emotions of fallen human beings; our "sensuous nature" in Old English; the thing we are born as, that is without God, without hope, and headed for eternal death.
Ge 6:12* So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
Mt 26:41* “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Joh 6:63* “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Ro 3:20* Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Ro 6:19* I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
Ro 7:5* For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.
Ro 7:18* For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
Ro 7:25* I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
Ro 8:8* So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Ro 8:13* For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Ro 13:14* But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
1Co 15:50* Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
Ga 2:16* “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Ga 6:8* For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Eph 2:3* among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Php 3:3* For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
Flesh works. Fruit grows. In the flesh, we can grit our teeth and try to be good, but try as we might we fail, because it is impossible for natural, unregenerate man to be good. Even with our best outward actions, our mind and emotions are corrupt. "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6, NKJV). It is therefore impossible for us to work our way into Heaven, because God's standard is perfection. “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48, NKJV). One instance of imperfection, and we're done. Unless, through faith, we are born again. Then instead of doom in Adam, we have life in Christ. Why? Because he took upon Himself the sin of the world and paid for it on the Cross. In exchange, He offers us His imputed righteousness. It is a cosmic, eternal transaction; a balancing of the ledger of debt. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV).
It is a brilliant solution, but do not make the mistake of thinking that it is free. It is, in fact, the costliest purchase imaginable; the death of God in our place. That "so great a salvation" is offered to us as a free gift through faith, does not change at all the price that the Father and Son paid on our behalf. And if we believe for a second that we contribute anything in payment, we are demeaning that free gift. We have "…trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29, NKJV).
That is why any attempt to earn God's favor through works of any kind on our own is worse than worthless. "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:3, NKJV). The implied command here then is to give up working, "For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His." (Hebrews 4:10, NKJV). In its place, start abiding. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned." (John 15:4-6, NKJV).
The only acceptable way to earn God's pleasure is through faith, not works, for "…without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV).
Our faith enables us through the power of His spirit to bear fruit. Then and only then will our works mean something. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV).
Of course, this only makes sense if you take God at His word. If, on the other hand, you prefer to impose upon it your own presuppositions, interpretations, preferences or traditions of men, and disregard or discount what you've just read, and spend a lifetime of agonized effort to work your own way into Heaven, you will be judged by EVERYTHING you have EVER said or done. It's pass/fail in that case. One misstep, or misspoken word, or imperfect thought, and you fail.
It is a s simple and dreadful as that.
