In Galatians 5:22-23, there are nine words used to describe the fruit of the Spirit. The following verses are provided to illustrate the Scripture’s use of those nine words. After you have located each verse in your Bible, please write it out in the space provided. Then please notice the amplification supplied for each of the words. We examined the word “Love” in the previous lesson; here our first word for consideration is the following.

JOY = Chara; to rejoice. Contrast with two other New Testament words: Agalliaomai = fluctuating joy that comes and goes with life’s circumstances, such as joy in the midst of a worship service; more of a surface emotion; Euphraino = the robust revelry of a feast with good friends. Notice that JOY is used in this sense…that it is the result of…

Luke 15:7-10  (Note that the source of joy is repentance.)

John 15:11 (What are “these things”? “Abide in Me, keep My commandments.” This source of joy is obedience.)

John 17:13 (Here we see encouragement and assurance bring joy.)

Philippians 1:25 (This is the joy that comes from progress. Note that the amount of progress does not determine the amount of joy. Joy is a product of the Spirit. God is Spirit. Therefore, joy is produced in our human spirit as a result of God successfully accomplishing His ways in our lives.)

PEACE = Eirene. Peace can be characterized as a lack of turmoil or conflict. But perhaps more accurately it is characterized as the proven assurance that, in fact, God is in control and that His ways are true and dependable.

John 14:27 (Here we want to contrast peace with a troubled and fearful heart.)

Romans 8:6 (A frame of mind…of the spirit; or a spiritual frame of mind which seeks out what God wants.)

Romans 14:17

Romans 14:19

Philippians 4:6-7

Philippians 4:9 (Practice = [Greek] prasso, [present imperative], do these continuously, over and over.)

Colossians 3:15 (Rule = [Greek] brabeueo, to preside as a judge or umpire…in your hearts.)

PATIENCE = Makrothumia. (makro = large, great; thumia = rage, passion, anger) There cannot even be negative passions brewing underneath.

James 5:7-8 (In verse 7, the farmer is patient because he understands the process and that, no matter what he does, it is going to take time.)

I Peter 2:20  (Even the world clearly understands that the consequences of wrongs being committed result in our accepting punishment.)

KINDNESS = Chrestotes. Being of service to others to lead them into God’s grace.

Ephesians 2:7 (God demonstrated His grace by an act of service to all mankind, that act of service being our salvation, and as His workmanship He intends for us to demonstrate His kindness to others.)

Luke 6:35  (As God is kind to evil men, so are we to demonstrate kindness through serviceable acts, without ulterior motives, other than to help others toward the truth and benefits of God’s ways.)

GOODNESS = Agathosune. This is moral goodness; comparison with God. In fact the English words, “God” and “good” are etymologically related…God-like-ness.

Ephesians 2:10 (We are created for works that bear the image of God and His goodness.)

Luke 18:19  (Jesus points out that no one is good except God alone.)

FAITHFULNESS = Pistis. This is literally the noun, faith. It means trustingness; the level at which we trust God and His ways increases as we let Him work in our lives.

James 1:3-4 (Our ways are not God’s ways. As such, to do things His way doesn’t naturally seem right to us, so we have to trust that God’s ways do work. Acting upon this trust enables us to see and thereby validate that God is trustworthy. This results in us growing more godly, and as we do so, then God continues to lead us toward the next step.)

I Peter 1:7 (The proof of our faith as seen by others, which equals trustingness, is that same godliness which was built into our lives by God as a result of the trust we have already placed in Him.  Others see that God’s ways work!  That is how we bring honor and glory to God.)

MEEKNESS = Praus. This word speaks of excellence of character, a demeanor of gentleness, humbleness, mildness.

Matthew 5:5 (This word demonstrates the gentleness which comes from one whose spirit is under the control of Christ; it pictures a horse which has been tamed.)

II Corinthians 10:1 (Paul recognizes that the Corinthians he is addressing have a lowly perspective of him and think of him as unimportant, and he is willing to accept their appraisal.)

SELF-CONTROL = Engkrateia. Literally, “in” and “strength,” to mean inner strength.

I Corinthians 9:25 (The words, “temperate,” “strict training” and “self-control” are all translations of engkrateia.  Self-control will require maturity in the human spirit.)