Date: Wednesday, 5th June, 2024
Text: Galatians 5:22-23
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
As a secondary school student looking for admission into higher institution there are some subjects that are mandatory for you to take and score a minimum of a credit grade in each. For example Mathematics and English Language are very compulsory for students across most , if not all disciplines.
In the same vein, when you get to the higher institution of learning, there are some courses that are labelled as ‘core courses’ and the others as ‘electives’. Without passing the cores courses, the student cannot graduate. However, elective courses can be waived.
In the life of a Christian whose aim is to please God daily and make Heaven (graduate successfully from this world), there are compulsory qualities that must be found. They are called the fruit of the Spirit. According to Galatians 5:22, there are nine of them, namely, love, joy, peace, long suffering (patience, forbearance), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (humility. meekness) and self-control (self discipline).
Take note that the first quality mentioned above is love, sacrificial love.
The word of God says, “These are the qualities you need, and if you have them in abundance, they will make you active and effective in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if you do not have them, you are so shortsighted that you cannot see and have forgotten that you have been purified from your past sins.” 2 Peter 1:8-9
There are some other nine spiritual electives that are recommended for all Christians but not compulsory. The word of God describes them as gifts of the Spirit, also there are nine of them, namely, the word of wisdom; the word of knowledge; faith, healing, working of miracles; prophecy; discerning of spirits; divers kinds of tongues; and the interpretation of tongues- 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
The nine fruits are likened to a piece of cake while the nine gifts are like icing on the cake.
Jesus said by their fruits you shall know the true disciples, not by their gifts- Matthew 7:20. The gifts are great and they are the only things the word of God permits us to covet for the edification of the church and the profiting of God’s kingdom; however, don’t be carried away with the charisma attached to them that you miss the real thing.
Action Nugget- Pay more attention to developing your fruits.