Pointing to Jesus

Ephesians 5:9- (for the fruit of the Spirit is found in all goodness, righteousness, and truth).

Goodness is the sixth fruit of the Spirit listed in Galations 5:22.  Biblical goodness is defined as virtue or uprightness of heart and life. Virtue is moral excellence.

Like all the other fruit of the Spirit, goodness comes as we spend time with the Holy Spirit. It is a character trait that we will naturally possess as we walk close to the Holy Spirit. The closer we are to Him and grow in Him, the more it will naturally flow out of us.

Goodness is seen in our obedience to God’s Word and His commands. It is doing the right thing even when nobody else is doing the right thing. It is living by God’s standard of truth and right and wrong. It is living by our convictions. It starts on the inside of us and works its way to the outside.

God calls us and commands us to live an upright, righteous, holy life. 2 Peter 1:5-8 says, “For this very  reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge self control; and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;  and to godliness mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God wants us to increase in Him.

We live this way, not just so we can say that we are good people, but so that we can be an example to others. God also blesses upright living.

We can cultivate and grow in this fruit of the Spirit when we spend time in God’s presence.  We also grow in it as we spend time reading God’s Word because this is where we find out what God wants and how He wants us to live. We can also ask God to help us.  Get close to Jesus and stay close to Jesus and the Holy Spirit and watch your goodness grow.

God bless,

Desiree