More thoughts on fruit...

Sunday's discussion of John 15:1-17 is swimming around in my being today.  

Someone raised the concern that often times christians judge other christians by the lack of evident fruit in their lives.  It is NOT our place to judge others at all!  That is God's role. 

That said, the way we live our lives, the way we treat others, the way we conduct ourselves when situations don't go our way... all gives testimony to the presence or lack of presence of the Spirit of God at work in us.   We can't just say we are a Christian and then not live like one.    There must be evidence.

That's what Paul works at in Galatians 5:16, 22 -24.... "Live by the Spirit, I say , and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want.... By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generousity, fiathfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  There is no law against such things.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with it's passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit."

The presence of the Spirit in our lives transforms us from desires of the flesh to desires of the Spirit.    May the Spirit work his transforming power in our lives so that the way we live gives testimony to the love of Jesus!