Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
The word “simplicity” is a moral trait describing purity of motive. It is an openness and sincerity in sharing with others. It means “generosity, liberality”. The infant church in Jerusalem after Pentecost demonstrated such a spirit – Acts 2:44-45 “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.”
(1) The Fruit of the Spirit is Temperance
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.
The word “temperance” means exercising restraint, having self-control. It is the exercise of a Spirit-given, Spirit-enabled restraint against the fallen, corrupt human nature called the flesh. It is the intervention of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life to enable him to put under subjection fleshly passions and appetites (Gal. 5:19-21).
King Solomon wrote in Proverbs 25:28, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls”. The literal translation may be, “A city being broken down with no wall is like a man who has no control over his spirit”. He who has no self-control is like a dilapidated city (Timothy Tow, Pearls of Great Wisdom – A Study of the Book of Proverbs). Self-control is the spiritual quality or virtue that enables a Christian to have the power to keep him in check against the sin of the flesh and the spirit.
The word “exhort” in the original comes from a preposition which means “to come alongside” and the verb “to call”. Placed together, the word literally means “to call someone to come alongside”. It means “to comfort” or “to help”. Plumer observed well, “Exhortation, cognate to the verb “beseech in”. It is a very general term and embraces almost every variety of comfort, of encouragement and urgency to duty. This is a great gift.” It involves comforting someone who is suffering from some affliction physically, emotionally or spiritually. It involves helping someone who is in some trouble with words of comfort, encouragement, and advice through prayer and God’s Word. It strengthens the faith of the recipient.
If one is a teacher, let him exercise his gift in teaching, be actively instructing. The word “teaching” is rendered “doctrine”[Plumer]. The source of instruction is God’s Word, the Bible. It is from the Bible that the teacher derives his teaching. He exercises faith in believing God’s Word and hence finds his theology or doctrine which in turn determines his practice.
Our Lord Jesus sets the example of service when he says in Mark 10:43-45 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? 4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
The word “ministry” means literally a “deacon” or “servant”. Barnes observed well concerning the word “ministry”, “This word properly means service of any kind, Lu 10:40. It is used in religion to denote the service which is rendered to Christ as the Master. It is applied to all classes of ministers in the New Testament, as denoting their being the servants of Christ; and it is used particularly to denote that class who, from this word, were called deacons, i.e. those who had the care of the poor, who provided for the sick, and who watched over the external matters of the church.”
This first gift involves the declaration the Word of God. The New Testament church began when the Apostle Peter first prophesied, he preached the word of God to the men in Jerusalem at Pentecost Three thousand souls were saved. God continues to save souls through the preaching of His Word. Indeed, faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God. Amen.
The Apostle Paul exhorts the believers to discover their gifts and exercise their gifts for the blessing of the body of Christ. Each has a contribution to make. As a whole, the body of Christ is strengthened as individual believers are mindful of their gifts and exercise and develop their gifts. Indeed, as the saying goes, “Every person has talent; the secret is discovering what it is and learning the best way to put it into action.”
Acts 2:14-41 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: