Character Formation: Fruit of the Spirit

In many churches, you will never hear anything about self-control, spiritual discipline, death to self, holiness, or becoming a new creation in Christ. But for the believers that will be the bride of Christ, the fruit of the Spirit and character formation are a natural consequence of obedience to the Holy Spirit and the word of God.

We need to make it clear from the start that it is only by the grace of God that anybody is saved, filled with the Spirit, or able to glorify God with their life. We do not want to confuse the obedience of grace with the law, and we oppose any form of works-based salvation or religious legalism. Salvation is by God's grace, and it is God who works in us to make us willing to do his will.

There are two applications of sanctification or holiness. The first was imputed to us as a gift by faith in Christ when we were born again. When Christ died for us on the cross, he became our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption before God as the only means of salvation. Nobody could ever earn salvation by their works, but God gives it as a gift through faith in Christ, so all the glory belongs to Christ alone.

The second application of sanctification is the practical outworking of holiness and could include character formation and fruit of the Spirit. The practical application of being sanctified is a process whereby we separate from worldliness and sin and become more like Jesus. If we claim salvation and the righteousness of Christ, people will watch to see if we are legitimate in our profession. Jesus said we know a tree by its fruit, good or bad. If our lives reflect holiness or the Devil, people see it. Working out our salvation with fear and trembling is a practical part of our sanctification and spiritual growth.

When we yield to the Holy Spirit and die to our self-will and sinful nature, we receive power from the Spirit that lifts us above our natural abilities and circumstances. Walking in the Spirit will guide us to publicly manifest the character of Christ in every situation and at all times. They say you don't know a Christian by how they act but by how they react. Everyone can be happy and friendly in the good times, but how do we respond under pressure when attacked, wronged, angered, or tempted?

As followers of Jesus, we should develop consistent spiritual disciplines that control every aspect of our lives and not live a disorganized and chaotic spiritual life. Paul compares godly discipline to athletic training, so being filled with the Holy Spirit supernaturally lifts us above our sinful nature and our physical limitations to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our character.

We are in the end times; our world is changing quickly to line up with Bible prophecy. Jesus said the signs of his return would be like birth pangs, growing in intensity and frequency and globally. All those signs happen at once, and we can see them happening in real-time with wars, food shortages, pandemics, shutdowns, and natural disasters, all leading to a one-world government ruled by the antichrist. Also, there will be a great falling away from Christ, with churches becoming perverted, politically woke, and government-controlled. Eventually, all true believers will have to come out of the dead institutional denominations and fake churches. Thank God we have a blessed hope that Jesus will rapture the church before wrath and judgment hit the earth!

While we have time and freedom, we should study the scriptures, share the gospel, and learn to live by faith. This book is part of a series of basic teachings that all Christians should know and teach. We call it the "toolbox series" because each study is a tool for you to share your faith with others. For free resources and study materials, visit our website at Ears2Hear.online.