Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Some would have you believe there is but one faith. Faith is faith and that is all there is to it. You believe or you don’t. For those who can only see faith as believing, then for them it is that simple. For some there is nothing but the faith that saves. I have put my faith in Christ, everything is in His hands now. He is seated in the heavenlies, I am seated in Christ, done deal.

If that was all there is to faith then why is there a fruit of the spirit called faith? While looking over the use of the word faith I discovered it was only used twice in the Old Testament. Once in Deuteronomy where God declares there was no faith in them. The second was in Habakkuk where He declares the just shall live by His faith. Live by His faith, not their own. Even on this point we concede that there is but one faith. So what is the difference?

If there is one faith, then perhaps we should liken it to a heartbeat. There is a resting heart rate. That heart rate, about 70 beats per minute, is sufficient to maintain life for a couch potato. If you are running, that heart rate goes up to 200 to 250 beats per minute, depending on conditioning. The heart steps up its rate to support activity.

Faith is capable of doing more than just save. Faith can be active, and supportive. I once thought James to be very legalistic in his description of faith and works. I didn’t get it, but now I do.

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

James saw the active side of faith. Faith does not produce good works, it responds to it, joins it, is active in it, is supportive of good words through obedience of faith.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

We were not saved to be couch potato Christians.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Fruit cannot just look good it should taste good. Somewhere along the process the fruit of the spirit should reflect more than just an inner man change. The quality of goodness has a transparency to it. Here we see the glory of God starting to shine forth. We are beginning to transition from the apparent to the inherent.

Ask yourself this; what is the difference between a good person and a good Christian? Doesn’t it come down to the difference between self-glory and God glory? If glory is the essence of who God is in the person of Jesus Christ, then at some point we need to shine forth His light. Perhaps goodness can be seen as keeping the lamp lens clean to allow the light to shine as brightly as possible without casting the shadows of dirt, sin.

Ephesians 3:16-19a That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ,

Comprehend with all saints, to show and know such a great love.