BEING A GOOD PERSON (IV)
How ‘human progression’ steals, kills, and destroys the produce of healthy, Holy fruit
Being a GOOD PERSON – Part 4 – Producing good fruit
If you’re still here, I hope you’ve gathered that it’s not my powers of intelligence, curiosity, or wisdom that have led me to the discussion topic at hand.
It’s surrender to God’s will that has illuminated the subtle problems of technological human progression.
I don’t dislike technology.
I love some of its conveniences and benefits. But I’ve experienced and witnessed the damage it can do when given over to excessive use, dependence, and/or reliance.
The truth is, I would never have made such a statement as:
“…human progression steals, kills, and destroys the produce of healthy, Holy fruit…”
…but, it’s because of God’s way in my life that I’ve seen this and feel passionately about sharing the reasons why.
Before I dive into the central message of this piece, it’s only fitting that I describe what this healthy, Holy fruit is…
The Bible—as well as being God’s divinely inspired Word, and a love letter to humanity—is a history, detailing the beginning of man and spanning millennia.
So why don’t people see the Bible as a history?
Why do they reject the Judeo-Christian God and His Word?
One of the principal reasons why people choose their perception of reality over the resurrection story of Jesus Christ, is because unlike a history of ancient civilisation, writings about World War 2, or a philosophy from Ancient Greece, the Bible’s historical account reveals moral absolutes and judgements.
It expresses boldly that coveting, envying, lying, stealing, infidelity, sexual immorality, and murder will cause immense strife for us as individuals and as a collective.
Very significantly, it tells us that having any other God but our Lord Jesus, whether it be another actual god, celebration of a person, worship of a feeling/addiction/or lifestyle, exaltation of self, etc. will cause great trouble for us and worse…
Even more difficult to digest for us, the Word of God tells us that humans are riddled with a spiritual ‘disease’ called sin – a corruption, curse, and fall from the perfect, Holiness of God, passed down from the first human beings created.
Overall, the Word of God is like a double-edged sword, piercing right through the tiniest of details, judging what is Truth or Deception, Good or Evil, Right or Wrong. (Hebrews 4:12)
Because it talks about the human condition with this height of uncompromising Truth, we as people naturally reject such sovereignty (judgement) over our lives.
But, similar to how we know we NEED to be healthy, eat, excrete, sleep, and enjoy social interaction in order to live, the Bible tells us we NEED God for spiritual restoration (which is everything).
In becoming a Christian and surrendering to Jesus as Master over us, the Bible tells us we will produce fruit.
Galatians 5 explains the difference between the produce of ‘the flesh’ and the fruit of the Spirit in acute fullness.
For sake of clarity, acts of the flesh can be seen as a purely self-indulgent mindset:
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5: 19 – 21
The aforementioned is not to say people who aren’t Christian cannot produce good things.
Such a statement would be inaccurate and condemning.
If you’re reading this as a non-believer, it’s to understand that there are very natural, uncontrollable by-products of our choices.
It’s down to the individual to bring themselves to humble, vulnerable, transparent awareness of where their heart’s intentions lie.
When we surrender to the Lord, He produces the following Holy fruit without our human striving:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and temperance. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh 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
This is not to say that all people who call themselves Christians will produce this fruit – not by any means! We are all human and we make mistakes.
But, if there is a direction in a Christian’s life, it should be to hope and pray that God works in us to produce this fruit as it’s nourishment for everyone.
Like fruit from a tree, it’s not about the actual tree enjoying its produce as it is about the people around; however, this same produce is the healthy holy fruit that can come under fire when technology is made a dependency.
There is no ‘trying’ in order to accomplish these attributes of Holy fruit. They’re a natural result of following Jesus in everything we do.
Some believe the fruit are counted as nine.
Others believe eight of the fruit are components of the first and only fruit, “love.”
What’s important is their meaning.
I took these definitions of the fruit from my church as they’re very clear in their technical differences.
(1) Love is the “God kind” of love which excels all other types of love. It’s a sacrificial, willing, cheerful love, expecting no reward.
Love is best described here:
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
1 Corinthians 13:4- 7
It’s a ‘love’ that very simply ‘gives,’ which is why a more accurate translation of the original Greek word is: charity – selfless, willing, obedient sacrifice.
It’s not a fruit that can be learned through more reading or declaration.
It’s a supernatural result of God residing in us, unencumbered by our selfish ambition, vain conceit, self-preservation, or attempts to control life.
It’s completely contrary to the fleshly, biological, survival-driven, broken nature of the human condition.
(2) Joy–the emotional feeling that comes from fresh encounters with the Holy Spirit and the truth of God’s Word.
It’s an outward display of confidence in Jesus Christ.
(3) Peace–the wholeness, assurance, confidence, security and prosperity of soul that comes only from trusting in the Lord alone.
(4) Forbearance/Patience–better translated “long-tempered”. The word really means a gritty, determined resolve that never gives up.
(5) Kindness–reflects an attitude that remains positive towards people, even when they don’t deserve it.
(6) Goodness–a big-hearted generosity to others, both in word and deed.
(7) Faith or faithfulness–reflects a profound trust in God with a subsequent faithfulness to his will.
(8) Gentleness–strength, authority, and power kept under control for the benefit of others.
(9) Temperance/ self-control–yielding to the Holy Spirit and allowing him to take a “powerful grip” upon our whole life.
In the next parts, I will show simple living examples of how the cultivation of these attributes is afflicted by the growing dependency on technological advancement.
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