Cultivating the Character of the Lord Jesus Christ

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us give thanks to the holy God for the gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ that we have today.

My heart is filled with joy and happiness while writing this first ever article for our spiritual growth according to the scriptures that God has given to us. The objective of writing this article as part of our first edition is to get reminded that we ought to cultivate the character of the Lord Jesus Christ by exploring the fruits of the spirit.

Introduction:

As all of us know that, what we sow is what we reap. Keeping this in view, the human heart is a fertile ground where seeds of both good and evil can take root and grow. In his letter to the Galatians (Galatians 5:22-23), apostle Paul tells us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that those who belong to our Lord Christ Jesus must crucify their flesh with its passions and desires and start leading a life which will be pleasing and accepted by God. As we ought to live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit but not according to the worldly desires and passions of this flesh. Here, the context of flesh refers to the sinful state of our life.

Before we get into understanding the fruits of the Spirit, one must understand what character that our precious Lord has. In John 8:46, the Lord Jesus said, “Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?”. This open challenge by our precious Lord gives us a picture about Him on how great and holy He is.

We should understand that this life is not permanent here and all of us have to leave the planet earth one day. But where do we go, do we know our destination? For which we should carefully examine the Holy Bible to know what our destination is. In Matthew 5:9 it is written “Our Father in heaven”. Therefore, we should know the fundamentals by referring to the scriptures in the Holy Bible about our Father in heaven. Our Father in heaven is Holy, and He tells us “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16 and He is not a Father who is pleased with wickedness; evil people will not be welcomed by Him, the arrogant cannot stand in His presence, He hates all who sin, He destroys those who are bloodthirsty and deceitful. (Psalm 5:4,5,6).

Our precious Lord Jesus Christ is in heaven now (Acts 1:10,11). Therefore, it is clear and evident that there is no room for sinners in heaven. And it is essential for us to find our destination for eternal life and heaven is the only destination that we should be focusing on where our precious and savior Lord Jesus is now. While we are still alive here, we have an opportunity to live in Christlikeness and cultivate the character of our lord and savior Jesus Christ so that we get into eternity to possess the new promised land i.e., heaven.

Therefore, here are the nine fruits of the Spirit, meticulously listed by the apostle Paul, which offer a roadmap for spiritual maturity and Christlikeness. They are:

1. Love (Agape in Greek language):

The foundation and cornerstone of all the other fruits

2. Joy (Chara in Greek language)

A deep and abiding happiness that transcends circumstances

3. Peace (Eirene in Greek language)

A sense of inner calm and tranquillity rooted in trust in God

4. Patience (Makrothymia in Greek language)

The ability to endure hardship and suffering without bitterness

5. Kindness (Chrestotes in Greek language)

A gentle and compassionate attitude towards others

6. Goodness (Agathosyne in Greek language)

A commitment to moral excellence and righteousness

7. Faithfulness (Pistis in Greek language)

Loyalty and trustworthiness in all circumstances

8. Gentleness (Prautes in Greek language)

A meet and humble spirit, devoid of arrogance

9. Self-control (Enkrateia in ancient language)

Mastery over one’s emotions, desires, and actions

These nine fruits of the Spirit represent the character of our precious Lord Christ Jesus blossoming in our lives. They are not mere feelings or fleeting emotions, but rather enduring qualities that shape our thoughts, words and actions. By cultivating these fruits, we become instruments of God’s grace, spreading love and light wherever we go.

The fruit of the Spirit is the result of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our life. And the journey of our spiritual growth is a lifelong pursuit, but the rewards are immeasurable.

May the joy of this season fill your hearts with God’s eternal love and peace!