Dear Christians: Do you have these traits?

Question

1) Love
2) Joy
3) Peace
4) Longsuffering (Patience)
5) Gentleness (Kindness)
6) Goodness
7) Faith (Faithfulness)
8) Meekness (Gentleness)
9) Temperance (Self-control)

This is the list of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, as in Galatians 5:22-23, with King James Version on the left (and NIV in parenthesis, if the Greek is translated different).

And before you say, “I try”, as many answered my last question...

Notice that they are the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Does fruit on a tree come naturally?
Yes: With the Sun, Water, and Food!

So does the fruit of the Holy Spirit come naturally from one born of Spirit?
Yes: With the Son, Holy Spirit, and Word of God!

In other words, these characteristics are not something we “try to be”.
Instead, they (super)naturally flow from one saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, walking by the Holy Spirit, and feasting on His Word (the Bible).

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If you are “attempting” to “produce” these fruit...you have fallen into the error of the Galatians! (See chapter 3)
So if you lack these, stop “trying”...and instead repent.

“Trying” is a works-based theology error...doomed to fail.
The whole world “tries” to obtain a works-based righteousness!
Instead: repent and believe...and God will bring the growth, even the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

So again, dear Christians: Do you have all of these traits?

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And reflecting back on my question: the same goes for non-Christians:
Stop "trying"; instead: repent and believe on the Lord Jesus...and you will be set free!

†lifeonl:
Salvation involves justification (imputed righteousness) as a one time event, sanctification (imparted righteousness) as an ongoing process of growing in the Lord from time of conversion until death (or the Lord comes again), and glorification (impeccable righteousness) in heaven.

You are right, we are not made perfect this side of heaven...but trying to "begin in the Spirit" and then attempting to "attain your goal by human effort" is a the great error of the Galatians! Please read Galatians, chapter 3 (as I indicated in my question).

"Magic" is not right...but "supernatural" is correct. The Holy Spirit works in and through us - all by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

The maturing life of a Christian goes from less and less "trying" to more and more "repenting and believing"...

And supernaturally, in this process, we are gradually sanctified, conformed into the image of His Son!

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Gay Man:
See...you missed my whole point.
These very virtues become traits, via the working of the Holy Spirit in the new creation of a Christian.

Answer 1

No not at all but even if I had just one I would hate to say I did. My arrogance is so big in my head i try not to find my gift as some say or my calling wherever it may be. I try hard to just serve God willingly. 1 Thess. "Therefore do not grow weary in heart or in doing good to all men especially those that are in the church of Christ." I love how romans says "Not counting our trespasses or sins against us so that we may be reconciled back to the Father through Jesus Christ" Spurgeon a theologeon said "And I know it was all Gods soveriegnty in choosing Me as a son adopted through Jesus Christ for if He would have left me alone by myself without the Holy Spirit working in my heart I would have never found my way to Him" I like your Question God bless

Answer 2

Yes to 1, 5, 6, 7...God's still working on 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9 but I'm seeing some positive signs of change!

One thought, you said the fruit comes naturally with sun, water and food. I do repent, often daily...it is far too easy to forget to eat when I get busy with the demands of the world (work, parenting, keeping house, etc...) and when I do, #4 especially tends to fly out the window!

Remember that it can take about 15 years from the time a seed is planted for an orange tree to bear its first fruits!...and these first fruits are often undersized and less flavorful than the fruit of the mature tree! In addition, the younger the tree, the more vulnerable it is to a lack of adequate nutrition...in poor soil, the fruits can also come out bitter, sour, misshapen, or otherwise less than perfect!

From this perspective, "I try" is a pretty good answer...I strive to manifest all these fruits and when my less than fully developed tree produces less than perfect fruit (which it does, a lot), I'm eternally grateful that God keeps giving me another chance to adjust the inputs to improve the outputs. "I try" recognizes that mistakes aren't a valid excuse for giving up and I plan to keep trying to improve the quality of my fruit for the rest of my life!

Answer 3

Isn't it glorious that God used his creation to teach us about Him!! We are the trees of His forest, and are known by the fruit which we bare; Luke 6:44. Jesus, being the tree of life, I would like to add a thought concerning Revelation 22:2, "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, the tree of life, which bare 12 manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the LEAVES of the tree were for the healing of the nations." This tree of life is the Word of God, and I believe those LEAVES are the leaves of the book which contains His truths, the Holy Bible.

What is the "river"? John 7:38-39, Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow RIVERS OF LIVING WATER. ( But this spake he of THE SPIRIT, which they that believe on him should receive:" Yes, that river is the Holy Spirit within the believers, and thus the 12 manner of fruit referred to in Rev 22:2. It is interesting that their were 12 apostles, and 12 tribes mentioned in the previous chpt, 11:12-14; "And the wall of the city had 12 foundations, and in them the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb", the written Word of God.

Answer 4

Oh, but I do think you are being somewhat unfair. Jesus does not work "magic" upon us when we accept Him. We are told to "grow in Christ" and "not one is perfect" except Him.

Jesus did indeed change many , many things in my life, but He did not grant me perfection. I must do my share of self improvement as well.

Truthfully, I often run short of patience, sometimes of mercy, I excel at faithfulness and do very well with self control. If I were made perfect, there would no longer be a need for bible study, prayer and His guidance.

When I falter, He lets me know. It is when I fall short that His Glory becomes manifest.

I invite you to take another look at your fellow Christian and at yourself................

we do not each have all of them in the same measure.......Jesus knows this about us........

Answer 5

I do find it strange how people want to draw people to Christ but do not realize they are supposed to be the bait. Those who exhibit the gifts of the spirit will have people come and simply ask them their secret - the source of their calm and joy. But no, they want to act like jerks instead and make rude comments and demand people listen to the words we all hear over and over again. "Where's the fruit?"

Answer 6

Yes, sometimes less and sometimes more. These fruits of the spirit are important when doing business with God. Love your Lord with all of your heart and also your neighbors.

Answer 7

if you have these traits you are having a good relationship with fellow man and that please Jehovah very much because his son was a perfect example of these traits and he is our Lord and savior and an example to follow

Answer 8

yes, but some are not completely ripe yet

Answer 9

What you have described are not 'traits' they are virtues.