How does God change us?
Nov 9, 2011
The Race for Grace - part twenty-two in a study of the book of Galatians
By Mike Gaudet
How does God change us?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” Galatians 5:22-26
God uses the concept of fruit production to address two critical questions that relate to His influence in our lives . . .”what” and “how.” Agricultural imagery helps to illustrate “what” changes God makes in our lives and “how” He makes them.
“What” changes does God make in us?
God cultivates “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” within us. These qualities are called “fruit of the Spirit” because they are natural by-products of the influence of the Spirit of God in our lives.
Fruit is the natural by-product of the life of the vine. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
A branch that “remains” in a life-giving vine will bear fruit. Jesus is the “vine.” We are the “branches.” The Spirit is like the life giving “sap” that flows from the vine into the branches. God pours out His Spirit into His children to produce the “fruit” of love, joy, peace etc.
A tree that bears fruit cannot enjoy the fruit it produces. You’ve never witnessed an apple tree curve one of its branches in toward itself and stuff an apple into its bark! The fruit a tree produces benefits others. Similarly, the “fruit” the Spirit produces isn’t intended for our benefit . . . it benefits those around us.
In recent years there has been the resurgence of a phenomenon that came to national attention in the early 1990’s called “holy laughter.” Churches are once again reporting that “due to the influence of God’s Spirit” spontaneous, uncontrollable laughter erupts from their congregations. Some churches report uncontrollable weeping, falling to the floor in ecstatic trances, and animal noises such as barking like dogs and roaring like lions.
These various manifestations are said to originate from the Spirit of God. This seems unlikely. God doesn’t place His Spirit in us to provide us with mood-altering religious experiences. He places His Spirit in us to enhance the way we interact with others. The changes God makes in us through His Spirit enable us to relate more lovingly to others.
"How" does God make changes in us?
Think about the way a tree produces fruit. Apples don’t burst forth from branches like popcorn. The development of fruit is gradual. In the same way, the Spirit of God promotes gradual change. God doesn’t need to engineer spiritual “quantum leaps.” He is neither frustrated nor impatient with us. In fact, He embodies the same qualities that He produces in us. He is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, gentle, patient and self-controlled.
The kind of change God cultivates is not based on law . . .”against such things there is no law.” “Law” depends on clear standards of behavior and consistently applied consequences. God doesn’t angrily demand that we comply with His decrees . . . or else. This is not how God changes us.
The influence of law is associated with “provoking and envying each other.” Law-based change is driven by the fear of condemnation and the shame of failing to measure up. This is not the means by which the Spirit births love in us. The Spirit does not shame us into changing.
The fruit of the Spirit cannot be legislated. Law might be effective in creating social order . . . but it cannot generate love.