THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: "BY THEIR FRUIT..."

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The Fruit
of the Spirit

Lesson One “By Their Fruit . . .” ebba Gifty amakye, annet Johnson, adedotun Makinde, ezekiel Okofo-Boansi, eric Pilmoor, albert a. C. Waite
Lesson Two The Fruit of the Spirit Is Love esther aoko, Bob Collins, Flora Kurema, Joash Oketch, Tony Philip Oreso, George Otieno
Lesson Three The Fruit of the Spirit Is Joy Gianluca Bruno, Santhosh S. Jackson, Stephanie Sahlin Jackson, Melissa Sahlin, Monte Sahlin, Norma Sahlin
Lesson Four The Fruit of the Spirit Is Peace lamm B. Fanwar, Joy Kuttappan, esther Synthia Murali, Divya V.
Lesson Five The Fruit of the Spirit Is Patience Marc Chambers, Patricia Haakmat, andre B. Henry, Beverly I. Henry, Carl Henry, Mark Henry
Lesson Six The Fruit of the Spirit Is Kindness Maganjo Kimani, Caleb Muasya, Caroline Mwelu, Charles Nyaranga, Susan Nzyoki, Viola ayoo Odipo
Lesson Seven The Fruit of the Spirit Is
Goodness
Miguel a. lopez, Patty lopez, Carlos a. Quintana, Patricia Flores Sauza, Paul Kevin Wells, Timothy a. Whitley
Lesson Eight The Fruit of the Spirit Is
Faithfulness
Jackline achieng, alice adhiambo, Beatrice akinyi, Saline Khavetsa, rose Oguttu, Samson Oguttu
Lesson Nine The Fruit of the Spirit Is
Meekness
Francia Bissereth, lauren Halstrom, Gladys S. Kelley, Samuel Pegus, andrew Gregory Stoner, Kendall Turcios
Lesson Ten The Fruit of the Spirit Is
Self-Control
edinor lindiwe Donda, Khaka Gomba, Nkosazana Uviwe Maxhela, Xhantilomzi Perseverance Mlamleli, Sipiwe Nelani, Khwezi yanga Toni
Lesson Eleven The Fruit of the Spirit Is Righteousness
Braden Blyde, larissa Gredig, Kate Hollingsworth, Desré Nikolich, Katelyn reed, lincoln Steed
Lesson Twelve The Fruit of the Spirit Is Truth Jason Gibson, Kimberly a. Hudgens, Stacey-ann Montañez, Kathleen Nelson, Neville and Keisher Peter, Daniel Smith
Lesson Thirteen The Fruit of the Spirit:
The Essence of Christian Character Kimberley Cadogan, alicia Haynes, Greig Jordan, George McCallum, lisa Thorne, Terry Williams

The CQ Insiders for This Quarter Are
alanie lewis, Jamaica
Chard Forsyth, Granada
Tommica, Granada
Danniella J. P. Hamlet, Trinidad and Tobago
edson Simon, U.S.A.
andrew lawrence,
Jamaica
Fayeann Crawford, U.S.A.
Gesine Schuchert, Germany
Junior Metayer, U.S.A.
Kirsha Cambell, Jamaica
Myrtle reynold, Trinidad and Tobago
Karlene D. Beckford, Jamaica
Tony Phillip Oreso, Kenya
Mpabansi Protais, U.S.A.
Stacy-ann Mc Sween, Trinidad and Tobago
Worthy Habla, Philippines
alejandro Juarez, U.S.A.

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This Quarter’s Illustrator
Tanya Fowler was born in the Midwest portion of the United States. as a member of an evangelist family in the adventist Church, she has traveled all over the United States. In 1988, she graduated from Highland View academy in Hagerstown, Maryland. Currently she is the project manager for the advertis- ing department of affiliated Foods Southwest in little rock, arkansas. Tanya writes, “I’m thankful every day for the lord’s blessings, and that I have a career I love. Our world is fast chang- ing, and we know time is short. For me to be able to use my talents to help bring awareness to the responsibility that we as Christians have toward each other and our world in sharing our faith gives me great pleasure.”

Getting the Most Out of CQ
FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
CQ is based on the conviction that the Word of God offers transforming power and that group study is one important way to tap into that power. CQ ’s purpose is to provide Seventh-day adventist young adults with a resource for devotional study on mutual topics, which can then be discussed each week in Sabbath School. Many who use the Adult Bible Study Guide find that because CQ deals with the same topics, it enriches lesson study and discussion as a
supplemental aid. about four hundred adventist young adults contribute to CQ each year. The
wide variety and occasional repetition of the content reflect the great diversity of its contributors around the world as they respond creatively and individually to the subject.
Circulation of CQ is about 72,500.

POINTERS FOR STUDY
1. Through prayer, open your mind to the Holy Spirit’s guidance as you study.
2. The Bible passages on which each week’s lesson are based appear in bold type in the “logos” portion of the lesson. read these entire passages.
3. The Bible passages for the week are usually divided into sections on the “logos” pages. When studying these sections, carefully reread the Bible passages indicated in bold headings before reading the comments beneath the headings.
4. read the other sections for the week with the perspective you have gained from your own study of the biblical passages.
5. Keep in mind the purposes of each section of the Bible study guide: “Introduction” is designed to stimulate your interest and focus your thinking on the week’s theme. “Logos” is a guide for direct study of the Bible passages for the week. “Testimony” presents ellen White’s perspective on the lesson theme. “Evidence” approaches issues raised by the lesson from a historical, scientific, philosophical, or theological perspective. “How-To” discusses what the abstractions in the lesson mean for day-to-day living. “Opinion” is a personal viewpoint on the lesson meant to encourage further thought and discussion. “Exploration” provides the reader with a variety of open-ended, creative ways to explore the topic of the week’s lesson.

CQ AND THE CHURCH CQ is the General Conference–approved Bible study guide for the young-adult age group. It upholds the beliefs of the Seventh-day adventist Church. However, its contents should not be regarded as official pronouncements of the church.







“By Their Fruit . . .”

“ ‘Therefore by their fruits you will know them’ ” (Matt. 7:20, NKJV).



What Fruit Do You Display?
Adedotun Makinde, Reading, United Kingdom
Sabbath Afternoon
Introduction
Ps. 34:8; Matt. 7:16


The banana is one of the most widely eaten fruits in the world. But how many of us could identify a banana plant on a tropical plantation? This might not be difficult for someone living in the tropics. However, how many people living in Britain, the United States of america, France, or Canada could distin- guish between the fruitless plants of a banana and a plantain?

We are all known by our fruit.

It wouldn’t be difficult to identify the plant if you were to see bananas grow- ing on one. One recognizes a plant by the fruit it bears. The banana plant is not trying to prove its identity by yielding bananas. It just cannot bear fruit other than bananas.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, “ ‘you will know them by their fruits’ ” (NKJV). Have you wondered how quickly you can determine your comfort level in the company of strangers? you tag them based on their behavior—the fruit they display the first half hour or so you are in their presence.
a plant generally bears one type of fruit. However, if a branch from a Granny Smith apple tree were to be grafted onto a Golden Delicious apple tree, that tree could yield two different kinds of apples. The tree would still produce apples and would still be known as an apple tree because of its fruit.

On the other hand, it would be difficult for the ordinary person who saw the dual apple tree for the first time to say it had a grafted branch without see- ing it during harvesttime. likewise, it is difficult to distinguish between trees that produce bitter and sweet oranges. But once the fruit has been formed and tasted, the distinction is easy.

Psalm 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the lord is good.” The tree that yields sweet fruit can yield only sweet fruit of that kind. Similarly, we can rely on Jesus because He can do only good for us. But because humans deal in wickedness and “have eaten the fruit of lies” (Hosea 10:13), they are untrustworthy. We would, therefore, be wise to check out the fruit of a person before taking them into our confidence.

We are all known by our fruit. This means that the same way I am assessing others by their fruit, they are assessing me by my fruit. as you study this quarter about the fruit of the Spirit, ask yourself, What fruit do others see in me?




Perception and Anatomy
of Your Spiritual Fruit
Ezekiel Okofo-Boansi, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Sunday
Logos
Luke 13:6–9; John 11:1–4; 12:28; 15:1–16; 2 Tim. 3:1–5

Promises: Living in Hope and Faith (Gen. 15:14−16)
a fruit is a “seed and its envelope,” a result, benefit, product, yield, advan- tage, harvest, consequence, outcome, a “realization of hope.”1 Jesus utilized this symbol of fulfillment and reality to help us understand how we are to grow as Christians, how we are to be transformed into His likeness. The fruit we produce is a result of spending time with Him through prayer, Bible study, service, etc.

Like dried or dormant seeds, our lives are full of possibilities.

Fruit describes the specific tree, vine, or bush it represents. We say an apple tree, a grape vine, or a blueberry bush. Fruit maintains and promotes offspring and helps to sustain and preserve the lives of humans and animals. Thus, when people see us, they should know we are Christians by our fruit.

Read and Think (John 15:1–16)
What other significant examples can you identify with fruit? What is your assessment of a fruit-bearing or non-fruit-bearing Christian? Why does it mat- ter whether or not other people see the fruit of the Spirit growing in us? How would you illustrate the concepts in John 15:1–16 in a nonagrarian sense?

The Fruitless Tree (Luke 13:6–9)
In the parable of the fruitless tree, Jesus warns us against being hypocrites. He is saying that we should practice what we preach. This parable also echoes the warning given to us in revelation 3:14–22. To bear the fruit of the Spirit is to really be who we say that we are.

Christ is the Vine, and believers are the branches—not the fruit. yet, His reference to fruit bearing (John 15:1–10) points to an unspoken fact—the purpose of growing branches. Fruitless branches lower the overall productiv- ity of the fruit tree. Consequently, they are pruned to make way for healthier branches. However, the farmer certainly must be interested in the fruit. He even supports fruit-laden branches to help them bear the weight of the fruit. Is the fruit in this parable an end in itself or a means to an end, even though the emphasis is on branches that bear fruit?

Bearing Fruit as Corporate Action (John 15:1−16)
read John 15:1–16 again and think about the significance of how branches become fruit bearers. Where does the fruit actually come from—the tree or the branches—and why? If the branch could bear its own fruit by choice, why would it still need the tree trunk and roots? What does this teach us about the role of the church in helping its members to bear fruit?

Making the Connection (John 15:1−16)
What sense can you make from Jesus’ comparison of Himself as the Vine and us as the branches? as you read the following verses, try to identify other ways fruit bearing is manifested (a) Matt. 28:19, 20; (b) rom. 15:25–27; 2 Cor. 8:1, 2 and 9:12; (c) Gal. 5:16, 22, 23; 2 Pet. 1:5–8; (d) Heb. 13:15.

How does misunderstanding the need to bear fruit affect our liberty in Christ? There is great emphasis on unlimited liberty among many Christians today. But it is an irresponsible liberty, a freedom without accountability. In Luke 13:6–9, Jesus reveals the intimate love that both the farmer and the caretaker possess for the fruitless tree. yet, both agree the tree must be uprooted if it remains fruitless.

As individual believers, our individual motives for first seeking Christ were most likely quite different. However, the closer we get to Him, our motives become one—to become like Him. This is what spiritual growth is all about. Bearing spiritual fruit is expected of every Christian. It indicates the process of ongoing spiritual growth. There is a positive relationship between growing in Christ and working for Him. “While it is true that our busy activities will not in themselves ensure salvation, it is also true that faith which unites us to Christ will stir the soul to activity.”2

Reflection (John 11:1–4; 12:28)
We are always influencing someone, even if we don’t realize it. Normally it’s rather difficult to recognize our own potential. yet, like dried or dormant seeds, our lives are full of possibilities, that when lived appropriately, could enhance and hasten God’s work. remember, branches can never survive without the vine; but the vine can always grow new branches.

“Abiding in Christ means a constant receiving of His Spirit, a life of unreserved surrender to His service. The channel of communication must be open continually between man and his God. as the vine branch constantly draws the sap from the living vine, so are we to cling to Jesus, and receive from Him by faith the strength and perfection of His own character.”3
____________
1. Collins Shorter Dictionary and Thesaurus, s.v. “Fruit.”
2. Our High Calling, p. 121. 3. The Desire of Ages, p. 676.




Step Up and Be Counted
Eric Pilmoor, Binfield, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Monday
Testimony
Ezek. 36:26, 27; John 3:1–21; 2 Cor. 5:17

How can people be born again when they are old? Jesus revealed to Nicodemus the fact that the natural man receives nothing spiritually eternal except through the Spirit of God. review John 3:5, 6.

“Our words and actions are the fruit we bear.”

“By nature the heart is evil, and ‘who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.’ Job 14:4. No human invention can find a remedy for the sinning soul. ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.’ ‘Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.’ Rom. 8:7; Matt. 15:19. The fountain of the heart must be purified before the streams can become pure. He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law is attempting an impossibility. There is no safety for one who has merely a legal religion, a form of godliness. The Christian’s life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit.”1

“The faithful Christian will bear much fruit; he is a worker; he will not lazily drift, but will put on the whole armor to fight the battles of the lord. The essential work is to conform the tastes, the appetite, the passions, the motives, the desires, to the great moral standard of righteousness. The work must begin at the heart. That must be pure, wholly conformed to Christ’s will, else some master passion, or some habit or defect, will become a power to destroy. God will accept of nothing short of the whole heart.”2

“If all who profess to be followers of Christ would improve the time out of meeting in conversing upon the truth, in dwelling upon the Christian’s hope, in searching their own hearts, and in earnest prayer before God, pleading for His blessing, a much greater work would be accomplished than we have yet seen. Unbelievers, who falsely accuse those who believe the truth, would be con-vinced because of their ‘good conversation in Christ.’ Our words and actions are the fruit we bear; ‘wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.’ ”3
____________
1. The Desire of Ages, p. 172.
2. Fundamentals of Christian Education, pp. 118, 119.
3. Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 598.




What’s Your Fruit Bowl Showing?
Albert A. C. Waite, Riseley, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Tuesday
Evidence
Luke 13:6−9; John 15:1−10

A fruit bowl is normally placed in a prominent area of the home in order to effectively display the bananas, kiwi, mangoes, apples, grapes, and other fruits. If the bowl contains only a few fruits or is empty, that too will be observed.

Each one of us has a responsibility to strive to increase the contents of our own fruit bowl.

There is something common about the education of young people in almost every country—the examination results are made public. In england and Wales, for example, the General Certificate of Secondary education (GCSe) results of 16-year-olds are published every year in late august. During September, a league table of schools, based on the number of their students achieving five or more subjects at grades, is also published. The public can then see how each school has performed and where their children will receive the best education.

While many schools perform with greater than 80 percent of their students achieving more than 5 a*–C, there are some schools in which fewer than 30 per- cent gain 5 a*–C. yet among those poorly performing schools, often one or two students gain 10 or more subjects with a*–C grades. For them, the fruit bowl of their school gives a poor picture, but their individual fruit bowl tells a different story. In John 15:1–10, the emphasis is on the individual: “every branch.”

In Christ’s eyes, students who did not study diligently or who wasted their time should be given a chance to improve. In luke 13:6−9, the nonproduc- ing fig tree was ordered to be cut down because it was wasting space. But the gardener said, “Sir, let me dig around the roots and fertilize it for another year. Then if it doesn’t bear fruit, we can cut it down” (paraphrased).
God expects us to do all we can to help each other bear fruit. But individu- ally, each one of us has a responsibility to strive to increase the contents of our own fruit bowl. The kingdom of heaven will be occupied by people who bear fruit. Individual production rates will vary, with some producing 30 percent, some 60 percent, and others 100 percent (see Matthew 13:8). yet they will all be there together, because with the Holy Spirit’s help, each of their fruit bowls will display the maximum for their individual situation.

REACT
review luke 13:7, 8. For how long should a second chance be extended?




Living Like Jesus
Annet Johnson, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Wednesday
How-to
John 15:1−10;
Gal. 2:20

If we live in Jesus, it will be evident to others, and we’ll want to speak about His love, kindness, and mercy. The truly fantastic thing is, if we abide in Him, we may ask Him for whatever is good for us, and He will provide it. The unfortunate thing is, if we do not abide in Him, we won’t bear quality fruit, and in the end, we will be “cut off.”

How can we prevent ourselves from being cut off? In John 15, Jesus gives us three serious pointers, which if we adopt, will keep us firmly attached to Him.

Our habits—the fruit in our bowl—will show that we belong to Him.

“Live in Me.” (Listen to Him.) In John 10, Jesus stresses that His sheep should hear His voice and follow Him. He also reminds us that He knows who is fol- lowing Him (verse 14). He further assures us of eternal preservation—that no one can take us away from Him. Therefore, we are expected to live a life of obedience to His Word.

“Let Me live in you.” (Invite Him in.) When we invite Jesus into our lives, He will live in us. review Galatians 2:20. Inviting Jesus into our lives means that we will want to live in a way that pleases Him. Then others will see the differ- ence in the way we live. When we surrender to His will, life may not always be easier; but through trust and faith in Him, we can be sure He will guide us through the storms.

“Obey My commandments.” (Stay in touch with Him.) Obedience to God’s Word is necessary for the qualities of Jesus to be evidenced in our lives. It isn’t enough to simply believe in Him. read John 14:15. When we obey Jesus’ commandments, our habits—the fruit in our bowl—will show that we belong to Him.

How do we live like Jesus? Decide to follow Him and accept the help He offers.

REACT
1. In addition to the ways mentioned above, how else can we maintain a meaningful relationship with Jesus?
2. Do you think that people see the fruit of the Spirit demonstrated in your life?
3. Keeping the commandments are important/not important. What do you think, and why?




The Source
Ebba Gifty Amakye, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Thursday
Opinion
John 15:1−10


I had traveled from england to West africa and was now standing beneath a tree at aburi Botanical Gardens in Ghana. above me were large green grape- fruits hanging from the branches, and beside them were what I thought to be smaller orange grapefruits. I asked our guide why those grapefruits were differ- ent in color and size. He replied, “Oh, those are oranges!”

This was the first time I had seen one fruit tree bearing two types of fruit. I enquired how this could be. I was told that by grafting two varying species of the same type of fruit onto one rootstock, such a tree could be produced.

Christ uses the image of bearing fruit to encourage us to abide in Him. read John 15:5. like the orange and grapefruit, we cannot bear any fruit unless we are “grafted” into Christ’s rootstock.

Christ uses the image of bearing fruit to encourage us to abide in Him.

Although the tree I saw bore two different fruits from the same family, all the fruit received its nutrition from one rootstock. Similarly, the “food” to grow a variety of spiritual fruits comes from one Source—the power of the Holy Spirit. During the growth of the tree, branches that do not bear fruit are cut off so that new branches can be grafted to the tree. read romans 11:1–24.

The ability of a tree to produce fruit is influenced by the health of the tree roots, its environment, its fruiting habits, and the cultural practices of the gardener.* These factors cannot be controlled by the branches (you and I) of the tree, but rather are controlled by the Gardener (God). Bearing good fruit in- volves surrendering to God. We are to remain in Christ, thus glorifying God and becoming disciples strengthened by His power. read Paul’s proclamation in Philippians 4:13. This verse gives us confidence in the Source of our spiritual nutrition. The fruit that we bear is testimony to our full surrender to Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to change our lives.

REACT
1. How does one become “grafted” to Christ?
2. In what ways does your life indicate that you are bearing fruit?
____________
*Esteban Herrera and Darrell Sullivan, Why Fruit Trees Fail to Bear: Guide H-308 (las Cruces, N. Mex.: College of agriculture and Home economics, New Mexico State University, 1994).




What Kind of Branch Are You?
Cheryl Des Jarlais, Ronan, Montana, U.S.A.
Friday
Exploration
Matt. 7:20; John 15:1–16
CONCLUDE

Christ says in John 15:5 that He is the Vine and His followers are the branches. If they stay connected to Him, they will be able to produce good fruit. Matthew 7:20 says that “ ‘by their fruit you will recognize them’ ” (NIV). True followers of Christ (those who remain connected) will be known to all around them by their actions, their words, and their good deeds. They will not have to advertise, “I am a follower of Christ! look at me!” Their connection to the Vine will be evident to anyone who comes in contact with them through simple, daily activities.

CONSIDER
.Creating a poster or picture of a bowl of fruit. On each piece of fruit in the bowl, write an attribute that you possess by which others will identify your connection to Jesus.
.Analyzing your own personal strengths and weaknesses when it comes to your “fruit.” Focus on your areas of weakness and devise a plan to strengthen those areas.
.Paraphrasing John 15:1–16 for a children’s Sabbath School class. Create a small activity or craft for them to take home to reinforce the lesson.
.Composing a short song to help you remember the main idea in either Matthew 7:20 or John 15:1–16. Teach the song to your Sabbath School class or to a group of children.
.Interviewing several friends about people whose “fruits” have blessed their lives. reflect on how you might be able to apply those fruits to your life.
.Observing how different types of trees, plants, and bushes produce fruit. Notice what kind of trees produce good fruit and what kind of trees pro- duce bad fruit.

CONNECT
The Sanctified Life, chap. 10, “Christian Character.”

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