ガラテヤの信徒への手紙5:22-23 Galatians 5:22-23,

これに対して、霊の結ぶ実は愛であり、喜び、平和、寛容、親切、善意、誠実、柔和、節制です。これらを禁じる掟はありません。

（ガラテヤ5:22-23）

「霊の結ぶ実」の最初に「愛」が挙げられているのは、13節で「愛によって互いに仕えなさい」14節で「律法全体は、『隣人を自分のように愛しなさい』という一句によって全うされる」と記されているように、パウロが「愛」を最も大切なものとして考えていたからでしょう。ここで、「愛」と翻訳されているのはアガペーというギリシア語です。ギリシア語には親しい友の愛を表すフィリアや、性的な愛を表すエロースや、家族同士の愛を表すストルゲーという言葉があります。しかし、新約聖書で神様の愛を表すときには、このアガペーという言葉が用いられます。

代表的な例を挙げれば、ヨハネの手紙一の4章9節には次のように記されています。「神は、独り子を世にお遣わしになりました。その方によって、わたしたちが生きるようになるためです。ここに、神の愛がわたしたちの内に示されました。」そして、その神の愛に基づいて互いに愛し合うべきことが、同じヨハネの手紙一の4章7節で、「愛する者たち、互いに愛し合いましょう。愛は神から出るもので、愛する者は皆、神から生まれ、神を知っているからです」と教えられています。パウロもまたエフェソの信徒への手紙5章2節で、キリストの愛を土台として愛をもって生きるようにと次のように勧めています。「キリストがわたしたちを愛して、御自分を香りのよい供え物、つまり、いけにえとしてわたしたちのために神に献げてくださったように、あなたがたも愛によって歩みなさい。」これらの用例からわかりますように、アガペーはキリストの十字架によって示された自分を犠牲にする愛を表します。そして、父なる神様とキリストの愛を聖霊によって注がれた人は、自分をほかの人々のために犠牲にするような愛をもつようになるのです。

「喜び」は、信仰によって与えられる喜びのことを指しています。ローマの信徒への手紙15章13節には「希望の源である神が、信仰によって得られるあらゆる喜びと平和とであなたがたを満たし、聖霊の力によって希望に満ちあふれさせてくださるように」というパウロの祈りが記されています。普通は「喜び」と言うと、楽しく幸せな状況にある人がもつものと考えられているのではないでしょうか？ところが、信仰による喜びは苦難の状況の中でも与えられます。パウロは迫害のために監禁された状況の中でフィリピの信徒たちに書いた手紙の2章17節で、わたしが自分自身をあなたがたとともに犠牲として神様にささげたとしても「わたしは喜びます。あなたがた一同と共に喜びます」と書いています。それは、信仰による喜びは、自分がキリストと一つに結ばれていることによって与えられるからです。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（6月30日の説教より）

It is very difficult to live this one life as a good and fruitful life. We human beings make many mistakes and errors. Not only that, but we can even become like demon-possessed and commit great sins. Therefore, since ancient times, humans have been taught to think of virtues for living a good life and to practise them. For example, Confucian teachings include five cardinal virtues. The five virtues are Jin, Gi, Rei, Chi, Shin, i.e., benevolence, justice, politeness, wisdom and fidelity. Jin (benevolence) is the act of caring for others, Gi (justice) is the act of doing what needs to be done without being caught up in greed, Rei (politeness) is the concrete expression of Jin, Chi (wisdom) is a thorough knowledge of reason, and Shin (fidelity) is a strong sense of friendship and never failing to do what one says. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle also considered moderation, i.e., avoiding too much or not enough, and pursuing the middle ground, to be virtuous. And after listing courage, self-control, liberality, the greatness of soul and gentleness as virtues, he taught the importance of justice.

These teachings of Confucianism and Greek philosophy are interesting in their own right. However, it will not be easy to apply these teachings to life in real life. For example, when we are told that “benevolence,” or “caring for others,” is important, it may be difficult to judge whether it is “caring” to accept a friend’s unreasonable request, or whether it is “caring” to refuse the unreasonable request outright. Or when we are told that “courage” is important, but when we are asked to do a difficult task that we don’t think we can do, it is not easy to decide whether it is “courage” to just go for it or whether it is “courage” to refuse without fear of offending the client.

Today’s Bible passage describes the virtues that Christianity teaches as follows.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Reading this passage, one might think that Christianity, like Confucian ethics or Greek philosophy, teaches that these virtues should be kept in mind and practised. However, Christianity, unlike various other teachings, is based on a deep insight into human beings. The Bible teaches that human is a sinner. In other words, it teaches that all human beings have a nature that is opposed to God because our ancestors, Adam and Eve, were opposed to God. The nature that opposes God is called “original sin” in Christian language. Reformer, John Calvin, wrote as follows.

Original sin, then, may be defined a hereditary corruption and depravity of our nature, extending to all the parts of the soul, which first makes us obnoxious to the wrath of God, and then produces in us works which in Scripture are termed works of the flesh. (Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2, Chapter 1, 8).

In other words, man’s innate nature is distorted in such a way that his emotions, reason and will are all in opposition to God.

Such an old sin-driven ego, which man is born with, Paul called “the flesh.” Some may think that by the word “flesh” he means the body. But “the flesh” to which Paul refers is not just the body, but the old sin-driven ego, which includes both soul and body. Verses 19-21 describe in detail what such thoughts and deeds of the old ego of human are like.

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.

The fifteen vices mentioned here were discussed in detail in last week’s service. Many of you may think, “Oh, I used to be like that,” or “I still have something like that in me.” For those who think so, the last words of verse 21, “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God,” may sound very harsh. And perhaps you might say, “Oh, so that means I cannot go to heaven. Then I want to stop believing in Christ.” However, the words “those who do such things” are written with the present participle of the Greek verb, which a biblical scholar interpret as indicating that the deeds are continuous. That is, the words, “those who do such things” do not refer to persons who are sometimes defeated by these vices even though they strives to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, but to persons who always live doing these vices. To make the most of this nuance, one English Bible translates it as “those who live like this” (NIV 2011).

Even when we live by faith in Christ, these “flesh” thoughts and deeds remain in our personalities. And within the Christian soul, two forces are always in conflict with each other. One force is the power of the old ego, the sin-driven ego that we are born with. The other power is the power of God the Holy Spirit. Sometimes both forces do not give way to each other and may come to a stalemate. Or sometimes the power of the old ego may temporarily prevail, and this may be its own will and action. But in the long run, God the Holy Spirit’s power will outweigh the old ego’s power, and God the Holy Spirit will prevent the old ego from doing what it took for granted.

God the Holy Spirit does not only prevent the old ego from doing what it took for granted. He gives man new thoughts and deeds. The new thoughts and deeds given by God the Holy Spirit are called “fruit of the Spirit” in today’s scripture. Notice the word “fruit.” Paul is not telling the Galatian believers that the Christian virtues are this and that, and that you should strive to practise these things. He is teaching that God the Holy Spirit will dwell in each one of you and in your community, the church, and produce good “fruit.” That is why Paul encourages us in verse 16 to “walk by the Spirit.” To “walk by the Spirit.” means continually opening our hearts to God the Holy Spirit and accepting his work. It means that when we surrender our souls to the guidance of God the Holy Spirit, rather than to the impulses of the old sin-driven ego, good “fruit” will arise, which the old ego never produced. This cannot be separated from constant prayer in the life of faith. This is because God the Holy Spirit’s guidance is given through constant prayer.

Paul lists “fruit of the Spirit” as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” The reason “love” is listed first among the “fruit of the spirit” is probably because Paul considered “love” to be the most important, as in verse 13, “through love serve one another,” and verse 14, “the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” The Greek word translated here as “love” is agapē (ἀγάπη). There are other Greek words such as philia (φιλία) for the love of close friends, erōs (ἔρως) for sexual love and storgē (στοργή) for love between family members. However, when describing God’s love in the New Testament, the word agape is used.

A typical example is found in 1 John 4:9, where it is written: “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” And that we are to love one another on the basis of the love of God is stated in 1 John 4:7: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” Paul also encourages us to live in love on the basis of Christ’s love in Ephesians 5:2, where he says: “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” As these examples show, the word agapē expresses the self-sacrificing love demonstrated by the cross of Christ. And those who are poured out the love of God the Father and of Christ by the Holy Spirit will have a love that makes them willing to sacrifice themselves for others.

“Joy” (χαρά) refers to the joy that comes through faith. In Romans 15:13, Paul’s prayer is recorded: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Normally, “joy” is thought of as something that people have when they are in happy situations. However, “joy” through faith can be given even in situations of hardship. In the midst of persecution, Paul wrote to the Philippians, even if he has offered himself as a sacrifice to God, “I am glad and rejoice with you all” (Phil. 2:17). This is because “joy” through faith comes from being united with Christ.

“Peace” (εἰρήνη), according to ancient Greek philosophy, referred to the absence of physical pain and mental anguish. In the New Testament, however, God himself is referred to as “God of peace” (e.g. Rom 15:33, 16:20). That is, God is the one who has “peace” in himself. And God makes “peace” between God and those who believe in him through the cross of Christ (Rom 5:1). And God makes peace in the hearts of those who believe, and he makes peace between believers (Col. 3:15). This is evidenced in Philippians 4:6-7, where it is stated: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The Greek word macrothumia (μακροθυμία), translated as “tolerance,” in Japanese Bible, is also translated as “patience” in English Bible. In 1 Timothy 1:16, Paul states that he was saved by Christ though he was persecuting Christians because “Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience.” The word which is translated as “patience” in that passage is the same word. Those who know the “patience” of Christ will “be prepared to endure everything with patience” (Col. 1:11, NRSV). So what is meant here by the word is the “patience” to endure without taking revenge when others do bad things to you.

The word chrēstotēs (χρηστότης), translated as “kindness,” is also a word for God’s mercy. It is this word that is used when Paul says in Romans 11:22: “Note then the kindness and the severity of God.” So we can say that being “kind” to others is based on “kindness” of God. And the next word “goodness” (ἀγαθωσύνη) can be considered to mean almost the same as “kindness.”

The word pistis (πίστις), which is translated as “faithfulness,” is a word often translated “faith,” i.e., human’s “faith” in God in the New Testament. It is also a word for God’s faithfulness to man. Using the adjective form of this word, Paul often writes in his letters that “God is faithful” (1 Cor 1:9, 10:13; 2 Cor 1:18). This reminds us that the reason people can be “faithful” to others is because God is “faithful” to human beings.

The Greek word prayutēs (πραΰτης), translated as “gentleness,” means “the quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance.” The next Greek word translated as “self-control,” enkrateia (ἐγκράτεια), means “restraint of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires.” Interestingly, the same two words are also found in the book of Aristotle, which I spoke about at the beginning of today’s sermon. The good fruit given by the Holy Spirit is not the same as the virtues of Greek philosophy. The biblical teaching of love is unique and different from Greek philosophy. However, it may be that part of the good fruit given by the Holy Spirit overlapped with the virtues of general society in New Testament times. In this way, “gentleness” and “self-control” of Christians would have given the Greeks and Romans the opportunity to be led to the “love” of God that Christians believe in. And this, I believe, also gives us, living in the present day, a clue to witnessing to Christ. If we live with “gentleness” and “self-control,” I believe that people will be led to God’s “love” by thinking about what is the source of that “gentleness” and “self-control.”

After listing the good “fruit” given by God the Holy Spirit, Paul writes: “against such things there is no law.” When we read this, we are greatly encouraged. Paul is not listing these virtues and commanding us to observe them. If he did, we would be tempted to excuse ourselves by saying, “We are told to observe them, but it’s not easy to do so.” What Paul is teaching is that if we walk by the leading of the Holy Spirit, we will be given the fruits of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” And these are such wonderful things that God’s law does not forbid, but rather fulfils God’s law, as verse 14 says. We do not live by telling ourselves to observe God’s law. We are set free from the slavery of the law so that we can live according to the guidance of God the Holy Spirit.