Have we the Fruits of the Spirit?

Have we the fruits of the holy spirit?
我们有圣灵的果子吗？Wǒmen yǒu shènglíng de guǒzi ma?

The Year 2021 is about to come to an end. This may well be the time for us to reflect on one of the key questions of all Christians. “Have we demonstrated to others the fruits of the Holy Spirit?”

2021年即将结束。这很可能是我们反思所有基督徒的关键问题之一的时候了。 “我们有没有向别人展示圣灵的果子呢？”

2021 Nián jíjiāng jiéshù. Zhè hěn kěnéng shì wǒmen fǎnsī suǒyǒu jīdū tú de guānjiàn wèntí zhī yī de shíhòule. “Wǒmen yǒu méiyǒu xiàng biérén zhǎnshì shènglíng de guǒzi ne?”

What, then, are the fruits of the Holy Spirit? In his letter to the Galatians, Paul said (in Chapter 5 verses 22 to 25):

“²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³meekness, temperance; against such things there is no law. ²⁴And they that are Christ’s crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.”

那么，圣灵的果子是什么？保罗在给加拉太人的信中说（在第 5 章 22 至 25 节）：Nàme, shènglíng de guǒzi shì shénme? Bǎoluó zài gěi jiā lā tài rén de xìn zhōng shuō (zài dì 5 zhāng 22 zhì 25 jié):  
“22但圣灵的果子是仁爱、喜乐、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信心、23温柔、节制；这样的事，没有律法禁止。24那些是基督的将肉体连同肉体的情欲和欲望钉在十字架上的人。 25我们若靠圣灵而活，就当顺着圣灵而行。26我们不要自负，彼此挑衅，彼此嫉妒。”  “22 Dàn shènglíng de guǒzi shì rén'ài, xǐlè, hépíng, rěnnài, ēncí, liáng shàn, xìnxīn,23 wēnróu, jiézhì; zhèyàng de shì, méiyǒu lǜ fǎ jìnzhǐ.24 Nàxiē shì jīdū de jiāng ròutǐ liántóng ròutǐ de qíngyù hé yùwàng dīng zài shízìjià shàng de rén. 25 Wǒmen ruò kào shènglíng ér huó, jiù dāng shùnzhe shènglíng ér xíng.26 Wǒmen bùyào zìfù, bǐcǐ tiǎoxìn, bǐcǐ jídù.”

Love for God and for others is the result of first receiving God’s love for us. Accepting others as they are and living peacefully for others without selfishness. This love is unique in the sense that our love for others must actually extend to ALL others, not only love for those who have the same religious belief as ours. Just think back to the days of Jesus Christ on earth. Did He say that He loved only those who were Christians, who believed in Him? Certainly not, and if we come to think about this agape love for others, we are reminded that it is so easy for us to love those who have the same ideas and the same beliefs as we have. It is the love for those outside our normal circle of friends and relatives that is important. Showing these outside groups that we care for them and for their needs exemplify the concept of agape love - the love from God. Agape love is the serving of people selflessly for their own worth, not for how they make us feel.

对上帝和他人的爱是首先接受上帝对我们的爱的结果。接受他人的本来面目，为他人而平静地生活，不自私。这种爱是独一无二的，因为我们对他人的爱实际上必须扩展到所有其他人，而不仅仅是对与我们具有相同宗教信仰的人的爱。回想一下耶稣基督在地上的日子。他有没有说他只爱那些相信他的基督徒？当然不是，如果我们开始考虑这种对他人的爱，就会提醒我们，我们很容易去爱那些与我们有相同想法和相同信念的人。重要的是对我们正常朋友和亲戚圈子之外的人的爱。向这些外部群体展示我们关心他们和他们的需要，体现了 agape 爱的概念——来自上帝的爱。 Agape 的爱是为人们无私地为他们自己的价值服务，而不是为了他们给我们的感受。

The definition of the word “Love” has been given in 1 Corinthians 13 as follows:

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸ Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. ¹² For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

爱的真谛

1即使我能说人类和天使的各种语言，如果没有爱，我不过像咣咣作响的锣和钹。 2即使我能做先知讲道，又明白各样的奥秘，而且学问渊博，甚至有移开山岭的信心，如果没有爱，我仍然算不了什么。 3即使我倾家荡产周济穷人，甚至舍己捐躯任人焚烧，如果没有爱，对我也毫无益处。

4爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈；爱是不嫉妒，不自吹自擂，不骄傲自大， 5不轻浮无礼，不自私自利，不轻易动怒，不怀怨记恨， 6不喜爱不义，只喜爱真理； 7凡事能包容，凡事有信心，凡事有盼望，凡事能忍耐。

8爱永不止息。然而，先知讲道的恩赐终会过去，说方言的恩赐也会停止，学问也将成为过去。 9我们现在知道的有限，讲道的恩赐也有限， 10等那全备的来到，这一切有限的事都要被废弃。

11当我是小孩子的时候，我的思想、言语和推理都像小孩子，长大后，我就把一切幼稚的事丢弃了。 12如今我们好像对着镜子观看影像，模糊不清，但将来会看得真真切切。现在我所知道的有限，但将来会完全知道，如同主知道我一样。

13如今常存的有信、望、爱这三样，其中最伟大的是爱。

Joy is the realisation of God’s favour and grace in one’s life, living in the right relationship with God. Biblical joy is happiness that is not dependent o our circumstances. When we encounter difficulties, for instance, we should not let our circumstances affect our degree of Joy for God’s presence in our lives. Such difficulties are trials for us to understand what real joy is all about. Joy is the delight that comes from focusing on Jesus. Joy does not come from personal comfort or emotional highs. It comes as a state of being undisturbed by the negative things in life. Joy also comes from a state of being satisfied of what we have.

喜乐是在一个人的生活中实现上帝的恩惠和恩典，与上帝建立正确的关系。圣经中的喜乐是不依赖于我们的环境的幸福。例如，当我们遇到困难时，我们不应该让我们的环境影响我们对上帝在我们生活中同在的喜乐程度。这些困难是让我们明白什么是真正的快乐的考验。喜乐是来自专注于耶稣的喜悦。喜悦不是来自个人的舒适或情绪的高涨。它是一种不受生活中消极事物干扰的状态。喜悦也来自对我们所拥有的感到满意的状态。

The fruit of Peace: A life of peace is safe and secure both physically and mentally. Peace comes when we have Jesus Christ in our heart. Peace is also the confidence that God cares and He has the wisdom to have control of our lives rather than trying to solve our difficulties ourselves. Peace is not about controlling the storm by ourselves. It is about offering our situations to Christ in the midst of such storm or crisis. When we lead a life of justice, we bear the fruit of peace.

和平的果实：和平的生活在身心上都是安全可靠的。当我们心中有耶稣基督时，平安就会到来。平安也是神关心的信心，他有智慧来控制我们的生活，而不是试图自己解决我们的困难。和平不是靠我们自己控制风暴。它是关于在这样的风暴或危机中将我们的情况提供给基督。当我们过着正义的生活时，我们就会结出和平的果实。

Patience has to be learned. It describes the situation where we are persistent and we endure whatever hardship without blowing up, without giving up and without lashing out in anger or in despair. We find that our stability is in the knowing that God is leading us and He controls both the timing and the circumstances. Patience comes to us when we realise that we are not expecting that our views are always correct. The presence of the Holy Spirit in our heart makes us able to persevere and to be steadfast. When we practice perseverance, forgiveness and forbearance, we are showing the fruit of Patience.

必须学会耐心。它描述了一种情况，我们坚持不懈，无论遇到什么困难，我们都不生气，不放弃，也不因愤怒或绝望而大发雷霆。我们发现我们的稳定性在于知道上帝在带领我们，他控制着时间和环境。当我们意识到我们并不期望我们的观点总是正确的时，耐心就会临到我们。圣灵在我们心中，使我们能够持之以恒，坚定不移。当我们练习坚持、宽恕和宽容时，我们正在展示耐心的果实。

Kindness is the ability to serve others in ways which may be costly or may make us vulnerable. Kindness is an act of service that can be shown in outward pouring of our hearts and our care for others. Our hearts are broken by the same things that break the heart of God. In short, it is an active empathy. The Holy Spirit enables us to have moral integrity with kindness and not trapped in self-righteous judgements. When we share in the sufferings of others and help them cheerfully, we are exhibiting the fruit of kindness.

善良是一种以可能代价高昂或可能使我们变得脆弱的方式为他人服务的能力。仁慈是一种服务行为，可以通过我们内心的倾诉和我们对他人的关心来表现出来。我们的心也被伤透神的心的事情所伤。简而言之，这是一种主动的同理心。圣灵使我们能够仁慈地拥有道德完整性，而不会陷入自以为是的判断中。当我们分担他人的痛苦并乐于帮助他们时，我们就在展示仁慈的果实。

Goodness may appear to be the same as kindness, but if we reflect deeper, goodness is more an inward exercise. It has something to do with personal integrity. Goodness and kindness only appear to be the same as one needs to have goodness in one’s heart before one can exhibit kindness towards others. The Holy Spirit in us teaches us to be upright in our hearts and to do good things. When we grow in benevolence and help others also to grow in it, we yield the fruit of goodness.

善良似乎与善良相同，但如果我们更深入地反思，善良更​​像是一种内在的锻炼。这与个人诚信有关。善良和善良似乎只是一个人在对他人表现出善良之前需要内心善良。在我们里面的圣灵教导我们要在我们的心中正直，并做好事。当我们在仁慈中成长并帮助他人也在其中成长时，我们就会结出善的果实。

Faithfulness is obviously an important fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is not possible to worship two Gods at the same time. Once we recognise our God, we should be able to downgrade the importance of those behaviours and those deeds that do not please our God. Faithfulness is therefore courageous loyalty. It is being reliable, be dependable and honest, even if these seem difficult. The fruit of faithfulness combines dependability with trust based on our confidence in God. When we strongly believe in God, we are living according to His will, and we bear the fruit go faithfulness.

忠诚显然是圣灵的一个重要果子。不可能同时崇拜两个神。一旦我们认识了我们的上帝，我们就应该能够降低那些不讨上帝喜悦的行为和行为的重要性。因此，忠诚是勇敢的忠诚。它是可靠的、可靠的和诚实的，即使这些看起来很困难。信实的果子结合了可靠和基于我们对上帝的信心的信任。当我们坚信神的时候，我们就是在按照神的旨意生活，我们就会结出忠心的果子。

Gentleness is in line with humbleness. It is an act that shows no haste. This fruit of the Holy Spirit has a healing power to those who receive gentleness from us. Being gentle has always been the right behaviour for all well-educated person. When we care for others and deals with them gently, we bear the fruit of gentleness. In Matthews 11:29 it is recorded that Jesus said: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.

温柔与谦虚相一致。这是一个不急不躁的行为。圣灵的果子对接受我们温柔的人有医治的能力。温柔一直是所有受过良好教育的人的正确行为。当我们关心他人并温柔地对待他们时，我们就会结出温柔的果实。在马太福音 11 章 29 节记载，耶稣说：你们当负我的轭，向我学习，因为我是温柔谦卑的人；你们自己就会得到安息。

Self-control enables us to act correctly on the right side when a crisis occurs. It is purposeful living - the ability to pursue the important tasks over the urgent ones. We understand when it is time to relax and we can decide to be with the family rather than with our buddies. The world is always divided into two extremes - the good and the bad. We are always tempted to act on the wrong side of the two but this fruit of self-control enables us to decide against moral temptations. As an example, shall we be making some extra money by charging a higher price for our products? Shall be indulge in more food to more computer gaming time? I short, having self-control is always desirable. When this fruit appears to be lacking in us, we need to pray to God for His wisdom to show us how to refuse falling into temptations. Self- control is the ability to control one’s body and its sensual appetites and desires physically and mentally through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

自我控制使我们能够在危机发生时正确地采取行动。这是有目的的生活——有能力完成重要任务而不是紧急任务。我们知道什么时候该放松一下，我们可以决定与家人在一起而不是与我们的朋友在一起。世界总是分为两个极端——好的和坏的。我们总是倾向于在两者的错误方面采取行动，但这种自我控制的成果使我们能够决定反对道德诱惑。举个例子，我们是否应该通过对我们的产品收取更高的价格来赚一些额外的钱？是否会沉迷于更多的食物以增加更多的电脑游戏时间？简而言之，自我控制总是可取的。当我们似乎缺少这种果子时，我们需要向上帝祈祷，祈求他的智慧向我们展示如何拒绝陷入试探。自控是通过我们内在圣灵的力量来控制自己的身体及其肉体和精神上的感官欲望和欲望的能力。