"The Fruit of the Spirit; Joy & Peace”

Sunday, March 16

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love,  joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." - Galatians 5:22-23

The scriptures talk a lot about "joy", and it is frequently paired with "peace". It's almost always counter-intuitive; we usually read references to "joy & peace" in contexts of great upheaval, struggle and painful suffering. Joy and peace don't seem to be determined by the immediate circumstances.

What is "joy"? Is it the same as happiness?

And what of "peace"? How is the "peace" Paul is referring to different from everything being, "calm and quiet", and, "everyone just getting along", or, the militarily-imposed "Peace of Rome".

Do this "Joy & Peace" grow from the stem of "Love" that is the essence and nature of the Holy Spirit? Paul describes them as the "fruit"; (the produce) that sprouts up when we are rooted in Love; not seeking to be justified by keeping the Law?

Paul's whole argument; that it was "faith" - trust in the nature of God, and the relationship with Him, that justified Abraham (not his adherence to religious practice, or the keeping of the Law) - just as if is our faith that ultimately justifies us, and everyone else.

Joy and peace come from trusting in God's love regardless of the circumstances.

"...looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame,..." 

- Heb 12:2