The Visible Shape of Christ's Life in Us: Meditations on The Fruit of the Spirit

By Wipf and Stock

How can we live in the world without falling either to the dangerous pitfalls of Christian legalism or the lure of unbridled hedonism, especially in a generation that rejects most formal expressions of Christianity? Saint Paul suggests that there is only one way--to walk in step with the Spirit, while bearing the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives. Because this is a daily process, one fraught with success and failure, the following volume of essays seek to articulate how the Christian can prepare themselves for life in the Spirit, following Paul's admonition to "keep in step with the Spirit" (Gal 5:25) as we move closer and closer to meeting our Lord.
The Visible Shape of Christ Life in Us: Meditations on the Fruit of the Spirit is a collection of essays originally preached in the Founders Chapel of Wycliffe College, University of Toronto, in the fall semester of 2018. Originally intended for a diverse audience of students, faculty, and professional clergy, these essays represent the best of Anglican theological insight in the context of the greater Christian community. They are intended for personal reflection, and daily devotion--a welcoming, accessible addition to any theological collection.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Release date: Sep 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9781532675171

Book preview

Introduction

Bruce Worthington

To inquire about Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:16–23) is to explore Paul’s use of fruit theologically, in conjunction with other occurrences of fruit in the Bible. Feel free, as we begin, to explore those multiple occurrences in your mind, let it run over the topic of fruit, and how or where it appears. You can be certain that all these resonances can be included in how we think about the topic of fruit. The metaphor of fruit does not begin with Paul (see the tree of life in Genesis 2–3; the vine and the branches in John 15:1–8; the fig tree in Mark 11:12–25; a tree and its fruit in Luke 6:43–45), and it certainly does not end with him either (see Rev 2:7, 22:2–19). The metaphor breaks down, however, when we conclude that we are (of course) the good farmer, and there is a causal or necessary relationship between the abundance of fruit and our own efforts, or insight, into its production. Unlike normal farming, there are no laws to the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:23), and when fruit does appear, it is always a grace to the situation. The fruit appears, and the farmers conclude they had nothing to do with its appearing. Here, Christianity introduces a break into the system of ethics which is typical of most religions: that there is a connection between rigorous thought and action that produces a positive change in behavior. Christianity, in order to appear rational and ordered, is often tempted to configure itself in similar terms of a coherent ethical system—an integrative model that connects thought and action in a manner that is holistic. This, perhaps, overlooks the fractured manner in which the believer always proceeds—an opposition between flesh and Spirit that cannot be reconciled by ourselves alone. Galatians 5:16–23 is not, then, Christianity’s attempt at a formal system of ethics; yes, there are behaviors to avoid, and behaviors to encourage, but no amount of human effort can achieve the desired outcome—they are the fruit of the Spirit, not fruits of your own efforts.

In this manner Paul instructs us to walk in the Spirit (Gal 5:16), which is, of course, suggestive of movement, pilgrimage, and destination. Humans typically walk for two reasons: to flee a dangerous situation, or to arrive at a more desirable location. This is notably different than the walking of the Lord, who walks for enjoyment (Gen 3:8). There is nothing inherently conservative about walking, except for when we must walk back to the place that we should have never left. For some of us then, the command to walk in the Spirit may require us to move from the place we are in and discover some place that is new—you are stagnant, stuck, repeating the logic of a failed encounter. In this manner, you may need to leave the place that is comfortable and explore the consequences of a new encounter with the Holy Spirit (don’t just wander around the desert forever). For others, the command walk in the Spirit requires you to return to the place you never should have left. This is the walking backwards of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32), an eating crow, a gesture of return to the Lord and his visible apparatus in the world, which we know as the church. For many of us—myself included—walking in the Spirit is often the walking backwards of repentance, tearful apologies, and gestures of forgiveness. As you read these reflections, may you be directed to walk in certain ways that reflect the character of your travelling partner, the Holy Spirit, who (should you grow tired in walking) grants you the ability to eat his fruit, and drink living water along the way.

Typically, these reflections are unique engagements with the text of Galatians 5:16–23, with each addressing a particular fruit of the Spirit, which we formally know as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. They reflect an interesting combination of academic theological engagement, along with practical experience for the daily Christian life.

Stephen Andrews provides a spirited introduction to the book of Galatians, framing the conflict or divisions in the churches of Galatia as indicative of struggles between the modern typology of Type A and Type B personalities. My reflection on the topic of works of the flesh highlights a renewed emphasis on flesh in postmodern culture, and how the Christian life must now manage the conditions of two things: both flesh and Spirit as authentic human existence.

The rest of the volume follows the typical structure of the fruit of the Spirit, as outlined in Galatians 5:22–23 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). Mari Leesment in her treatment of love inquires about the relationship between love and law in the context of Galatian Christianity in the Roman province of Asia Minor. Glen Taylor offers the second reflection on the interesting topic of militant joy, looking at the distinction between cheap happiness and an enduring sense of deep joy that the Spirit can offer, a joy that is offered to Christians even under hostile circumstances like persecution. Marion Taylor addresses the topic of peace, through looking at the Old Testament character of Mordecai. Her reflection is particularly useful in determining the relationship between peace and peacemaking, especially in the context of evangelical social ethics. Joseph Mangina offers an intriguing reflection on the topic of patience, underscoring its value in our relationship with God, and thus also in interpersonal relationships. Patience is a gift that is given to us by God, and related then to other fruits like peace and goodness. Andrew Witt, in his reflection on the topic of kindness, places Paul’s use of kindness in the context of the Hebrew Bible, specifically the book of Psalms. In this regard, he suggests that kindness is a process, a lifetime spent learning from the ways God infused the world with his own kindness. Thomas Power offers a very thorough and accurate presentation of the topic of goodness, or generosity, as a gift that is given to the believer by God. He offers a number of very practical principles of generosity, outlining how Christian generosity should always contain a certain level of extravagance, and even spontaneity.

Ephraim Radner’s reflection on the topic of faithfulness is both profound and simplistic, suggesting that, often, faithfulness simply means just showing up, being faithful to the mundane tasks and obligations of daily life. Judy Paulsen offers an intervention on the topic of gentleness, highlighting how often the topic of gentleness is overlooked in our contemporary context, specifically in the antagonistic world of contemporary politics. Gentleness is not to be overlooked: it is, as Paulsen notes, an essential element to Jesus’ teachings, and thus to the Christian life.

We all stand to benefit from Peter Robinson’s reflection on the topic of self-control. In his reflection, self-control is a disposition of the believer that is oriented towards God—not a collection of rules or do’s and don’ts. Here, Robinson strikes a key balance between self-control and rules-based religion, configuring self-control as always a grace to the believer, not a result of one’s personal moral determination. While falling outside the formal list of fruits of the Spirit, Professor David Kupp’s reflection on the topic of farming is an interesting foray into the world of agriculture and the insights that agriculture offers to the topic of fruits of the Spirit. Kupp uses a land based approach