Study Material: Ephesians 5:8-9 NIV
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
Today’s Teaching:
Development work and its humanitarian aid does a lot of good around the world. It feeds the hungry and the poor, clothes the naked, and provides shelter for the homeless, advocates for people’s basic human rights and so much more. We do good around the world, but are all aid workers believers? No. Many work in development solely for the paycheck. Do all aid workers have the fruit of the Spirit? Definitely not.
Bill Gates is the world’s richest person and his Gates Foundation does a lot of good. When asked about God, he said that he likes to use the moral system of religion, but for the most part, he is an agnostic (someone who claims
neither faith nor disbelief in God). Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian billionaire dubbed as Africa’s biggest philanthropic spender. He does a lot of good promoting healthcare and other areas of development work, but he is Muslim. Are
they manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit by their deeds?
What separates good deeds from goodness? Righteousness and Truth. Righteousness is of the Kingdom of God (Mtt 6:33); and God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (II Cor 5:21 NIV). Our righteousness lies in Jesus Christ, and He is the Truth; for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth (v9).
Take Home Lesson: Goodness does not lie in how much development organizations or philanthropists spend in aid or how much people give. Goodness, a part of the fruit of the Spirit, comes from Jesus Christ.
Homework: Ask God to help you grow the fruit of the Spirit.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
Today’s Teaching:
Development work and its humanitarian aid does a lot of good around the world. It feeds the hungry and the poor, clothes the naked, and provides shelter for the homeless, advocates for people’s basic human rights and so much more. We do good around the world, but are all aid workers believers? No. Many work in development solely for the paycheck. Do all aid workers have the fruit of the Spirit? Definitely not.
Bill Gates is the world’s richest person and his Gates Foundation does a lot of good. When asked about God, he said that he likes to use the moral system of religion, but for the most part, he is an agnostic (someone who claims
neither faith nor disbelief in God). Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian billionaire dubbed as Africa’s biggest philanthropic spender. He does a lot of good promoting healthcare and other areas of development work, but he is Muslim. Are
they manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit by their deeds?
What separates good deeds from goodness? Righteousness and Truth. Righteousness is of the Kingdom of God (Mtt 6:33); and God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (II Cor 5:21 NIV). Our righteousness lies in Jesus Christ, and He is the Truth; for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth (v9).
Take Home Lesson: Goodness does not lie in how much development organizations or philanthropists spend in aid or how much people give. Goodness, a part of the fruit of the Spirit, comes from Jesus Christ.
Homework: Ask God to help you grow the fruit of the Spirit.
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