SECONDLY, when one is born again, the fruit of joy is noticeable in such a one’s life. This joy I believe emanates from the fact that one is saved as David exclaimed in Psalm 51:12. A born again Christian is joyful in sorrow and in happiness. Acts 16:16-40; Job 1:1-22.

Thirdly, is the fruit of peace, peace for the children born of God is not merely the absence of war or trouble but a tranquility amidst storms of life that comes as a result of one’s ‘trust in GOD, Matthew 8:23-26; Philippians 4:6,7. This kind of Peace only the Lord can give to such who have a living relationship with Him (John 20:21). The first three triad of the fruit of the Spirit describe the state of mind of the individual Christian, he/she Loves, is joyful and peaceful in demeanor.

Fourthly, is the fruit; long-suffering or patience. A child of God who is born again suffers long for the Glory of God as it were in Isaiah 40:28-31. He is patient because he knows that God is not a promise breaker like man, Numbers 23:19.

Fifth, when one is born again, the fruit of kindness is ever the controlling motive in the life here where we have the poor always with us. When you are born again, you are kind by virtue of the Holy Spirit abiding in you. Kindness here can also mean being compassionate and sympathetic and empathetic. For God Himself is all these attributes (Exodus 34:6,7) of the Spirit, for God Himself is Spirit and they that worship Him must DO so in TRUTH and SPIRIT (John 4:24-26).

Sixth, is the fruit of goodness. You as a child of God will be good to all your neighbours and a neighbour is anyone who is in need not only those next door to you. As a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit, one will have received commandment from the Word of God (Romans 12:17-21) which was written by men who were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17) to do good always. The triad of patience, kindness and goodness are attributes that a born again Christian relates to others, while Love, joy, and peace relate to one’s condition and how they feel about themselves.

Seventh, is the fruit of the Spirit humility or meekness? One who is born of God is humble before and in the presence of God. He is mindful how He addresses our Father who art in Heaven in all His holiness (Luke 18:9-14). We live in a time when pride is the rule of the day and thank God it is thus, for that’s the only way we can distinguish the meek or humble when there are many proud ones (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

When we are truly born again, we will be humble and strive to maintain our status.

Eighth, is the fruit of faith or faithfulness? When we are born again we will be Faithful. Faith is not only a feeling but much more so a principle and it only and always comes by hearing and hearing the Word of GOD (Romans 10:13-17). When we are born again we will be faithful to God and to all His COMMANDMENTS, for without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:1-6). Are you faithful to God? Am I faithful to God? Some people who profess to be born again go for work very early but go to church late or worse still go to work late and go to church very late or never even go to church most of the time. When we are born again we will be faithful unto death to GOD (Ephesians 6:5-8; Revelation 2:10).

Finally, dearly beloved Zambians and foreigners in this land of our Father who art in Heaven, when we are born again we will be TEMPERANT or SELF-CONTROLLED. Ellen G. White, in the book Temperance on page 3, highlights what temperance is by saying, “True temperance teaches us to abstain entirely from that which is injurious, and to use judiciously only healthful and nutritious articles of food.”-Health

Reformer

, April 1877. A born again child of God does not indulge in his appetite for food first and later all other cravings of the heart, it be sex, buying, business, driving, in all he or she does he or she is self-controlled. And I believe that being self-controlled means let myself to be controlled by the Holy Spirit(1 Corinthians 6:12-20; 1Corinthians 10:31; Proverbs 23:1-3; Daniel 1:8-20).

Be and stay blessed.

•(The author is third year Theology student of Rusangu University)