Todays Lesson FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT GENTLENESS GALATIANS

Today’s Lesson: FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT “GENTLENESS”

GALATIANS 5: 22, 23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, GENTLENESS, self-control. “Meekness” (KJV) Against such there is no

Blessed Meekness “Blessed are the MEEK, For they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5: 5)

Defining “Gentleness/Meekness” Gk. praotes (4236, Online Bible Greek Lexicon) gentleness, mildness, meekness “. . . is founded upon this idea, [of thinking little of your self, sjw] and goes beyond it. It is the attitude of mind and behavior which, arising from humility, disposes one to receive with gentleness and meekness whatever may come. ” (5898, Online Bible Greek Lexicon)

“Gentleness/Meekness” “Prautes, according to Aristotle, is the middle standing between two extremes, getting angry without reason, and not getting angry at all. Therefore, prautes is getting angry at the right time, in the right measure, and for the right reason…[I]t is a condition of mind and heart which demonstrates gentleness, not in weakness, but in power. It is a balance born in strength of character. (p. 1209 -1210)” Ritenbaugh, John W. “The Fruit of the Spirit: Meekness. ” The Fruit of the Spirit: Meekness, 1 Nov. 1998, www. bibletools. org/index. cfm/fuseaction/Library. sr/CT/PE RSONAL/k/237. Quoting: Spiros Zodhiates, In The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament.

“Gentleness/Meekness” “Meekness is patience in the reception of injuries. It is neither meanness, nor a surrender of our rights, nor cowardice; but it is the opposite of sudden anger, of malice, of long-harboured vengeance. Meekness produces peace. It is proof of true greatness of soul…”

“Gentleness/Meekness” “…It comes from a heart too great to be moved by little insults. It looks upon those who offer them with pity. He that is constantly ruffled, that suffers every little insult or injury to throw him off his guard, and to raise a storm of passion within, is at the mercy of every mortal that chooses to disturb him. He is like the troubled sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. ” (Barnes On the New Testament, Vol. 1, p. 41)

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11: 29, 30, KJV) I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ” (Ephesians 4: 1 -3, KJV)

Meekness Requires Abasement A self-inflated view inhibits being spiritual as well as gentle – Rom. 12: 3 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (NKJV). – Gal. 6: 1

DAVID • When persecuted by Saul – 1 Samuel 24: 14, “After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? ” • Places personal injuries into God’s hands – 1 Samuel 24: 15, "Therefore let the LORD be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand. "

Meekness MEEKNESS DOESN’T FORBID BUT REGULATES BEING: – FIRM – ASSERTIVE – ANGRY

MOSE S Number 12: 3, “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

PAUL “What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness? ” (1 Cor. 4: 21, KJV)

A MEEK PERSON • doesn’t excuse sin/doctrinal infractions • doesn’t get carried away by personal success • can sense and feel the wrong directed towards him without desiring retaliation

A MEEK PERSON • retains gentleness when chastened by God – Aaron (Lev. 10: 1 -3) • retains a teachable spirit in times of controversy – (Lev. 10: 16 -20) • understands sin, its effects, its desire, its hold, its control (2 Tim. 2: 24 -26)

2 Timothy 2: 24 -26 (NKJV) 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility [meekness, KJV] correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.