Enye yezimpawu zikaNkulunkulu ubuhle bayo. When we become a new creation and the Holy Spirit dwells in us, then we shall also bear the fruit goodness. Kuyo yonke ibhayibheli, we read about God’s goodness and His mercy. His goodness is very well described in IHubo 107. It shows the great mercy of God; His goodness and how the Lord saves (redeem) man all the time. It didn’t matter in what situation His people were in, as soon as His people cried out to the Lord in their trouble and asked Him for help, He always there to help them. What does the Bible say about the fruit goodness?
The goodness of God
God is full of goodness and always willing to save people, and to rescue them out of their trouble, when they call and reach out to Him. Kuyo yonke iTestamente Elidala, we read about God’s goodness:
- The LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison (Gen 39:21)
- The LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, ukubekezela, and abundant in goodness and truth (U wanga 43:6)
- Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; (Kwanikeza 7:9)
- I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation (IHu 13:5)
- Oh how great is Thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men! (IHu 31:19)
- He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord (IHu 33:5)
- Ngoba izintaba ziyomuka, namagquma asuswe; kepha umusa wami awuyikusuka kuwe, nesivumelwano sami sokuthula asiyikususwa, usho uJehova okuhawukelayo. (Isiboshwa 54:10)
- Kepha ozibongayo makazibonge ngalokhu, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, isahlulelo, nokulunga, emhlabeni: ngoba lezizinto ngiyathokoza, kusho uJehova (Ngoba 9:24)
- Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. (Mic 7:18)
The goodness of Jesus
ETestamenteni eNtsha, Sibona -njalo character of God in Jesus Christ. This is no coincidence, because after Jesus was baptised, the Spirit of God; uMoya oNgcwele, descended and came upon Jesus, and dwelled in Him.
Jesus had received Gods nature in Him, including His goodness. His goodness was revealed in the fact, that He forgave the sins of man, healed all those who were sick, and casted out devils. Yebo, Jesus redeemed people from the oppression of the devil, whether they deserved it, noma cha.
Jesus came to the earth to do good. He came to the earth to fulfill the work of His Father. Jesus was a reflection of God. Konke okwenziwe nguJesu, Wayembonile uYise enza; God was Jesus His example.
UNkulunkulu, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are One. They can’t operate independently. They are bound to each other forever.
There was only moment, when they were separated from each other and that was during ukubethelwa. When Jesus carried all the sins and all iniquities of the world. Ngaleso sikhathi, Jesus was separated from God, because God couldn’t have communion with sin and therefore God left Jesus. If you would like to read more about this, you can read the following post: ‘sekuphelile‘.
Jesus came to do good and showed His goodness
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, ngokuba ungigcobile ukuba ngishumayele ivangeli kwabampofu; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, ukushumayela ukukhululwa kwabathunjiweyo, nokubona kwezimpumputhe, ukukhulula abachotshoziweyo, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord (Luk 4:18-19)
INDODA NKULUNKULU Agcotshiwe Ngayo Jesu KwamaNazaretha ngoMoya oNgcwele namandla: owahamba enza okuhle, nokuphulukisa konke okwacindezelwe uDeveli; ngoba uNkulunkulu wayelaye (Dlala 10:38)
Jesus could not fulfil His work, until He was cleansed, Ogcotshiweyo, and baptist with the Holy Spirit. The word anoint comes from the Greek word ‘chriõ’ (G5548 Strong Concordance) kanye nezindlela: to smear or rub with oil, leyo, (by implication) to consecrate to an office or religious service: – anoint
He was anointed, which means that He was put into a position to fulfil Gods plan.
UJesu weza enyameni, but walked after the Spirit
UJesu weza enyameni and received Gods nature; uMoya oNgcwele. UJesu weza enyameni, but He walked after the Spirit and not after the flesh. Although He had the ability to walk after the flesh.
Kepha uJesu wayethanda uYise, and walked in His commandments. Therefore Jesus walked after the Spirit, and produced the fruit goodness. UJesu wahamba enza okuhle, and healed all that were oppressed of the devil, ngoba uNkulunkulu wayenaye.
Just like God redeemed and rescued man in the Old Testament, Jesus also redeemed man in the New Testament.
Khumbula: The New Covenant came into being, when Jesus went into the Holies and sat down on the mercy-seat on the right hand of the Father (Funda futhi 'Yini usuku lokukhuphuka?')
When Jesus had fulfilled His mission on the earth, sat down on the mercy-seat, and when the Holy Spirit was send to the earth, it became possible for humanity to azalwe kabusha in the Spirit and ube yindalo entsha, by believing in Jesus Christ, making Him Saviour and Lord, futhi lemukele uMoya oNgcwele.
The goodness of the new creation
I kuzalwa kuphindelwa ikholwa, who has become indalo entsha, has laid down his life in the water (ubhapathizo) and is raised in newness of life, not to pick up his old life again, but to start walking after the Spirit. The old life; walking after the flesh is over, and now it’s time, to walk after the Spirit. God’s nature abides in the new creations.
Ngakho-ke, when we have His nature abiding in us, we should live according to His commandments and His will. When we live after His will, we will automatically fulfil the law kaMoya.
Nakhu cha more rebellion against Him, and against the Word of God. Because we have what God has; His Spirit and we belong to Him. NjengoNkulunkulu noJesu, the new creation shall also walk after the Spirit, doing good and walking in goodness, and bear the fruit goodness.
Jesus fulfilled the will of His Father
Just like Jesus fulfilled the intando kaBaba Wakhe, shall fulfil the intando kaJesu, which is the same will as the Father. When we bear the fruit goodness, and walk in goodness, we deliver people from the oppression of the devil, just like Jesus did and just like God did.
Jesus even promised us, that we should do greater things than He did. One of these greater things could be that we are able to give eternal life. Jesus couldn’t do that yet, He could only forgive sins, because He was not crucified yet, His work was not yet completed.
He had not taken the keys, from dead and hell; He had not taken the authority from the devil and bound the strong one yet.
But when He took the keys from dead and hell, He got konke authority in heaven and on earth.
When we live and abide in Him (iZwi), we have the power over the devil, dead and hell and we will give life to the people.
When we walk after the Spirit and bear the fruit goodness, we will love our neighbour. We will deliver people who are oppressed by the devil, we will heal them, deliver them from evil spirits, forgive their sins and give life.
Jesus came to serve people
That is the goodness, that the Bible is talking about. uJesu wafika sebenzela abantu, He didn’t came to walk in pride and fame; showing of everyone, ukuthi wayeyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu. We are not standing above our Master, so we should also serve the people and deliver them from any oppression, and not reign over people.
We can only do good, and walk in His goodness, when we walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh.
Jesus made His flesh submissive to His Spirit, and therefore He walked after the Spirit. We should follow His example, and submit our flesh to the Spirit, so that we shall walk after the Spirit and become like our Master.
When we renew our mind ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu (which is our Example), we will become like the Word and shall walk like Jesus walked.
We have no more excuse, kwa- hhayi become like Him, because we have His nature dwelling inside of us; UMoya waKhe oNgcwele.
The fruit goodness
The fruit goodness is part of the nature of the new creation. Therefore if you have become a new creation, you shall also produce the fruit goodness. Which means that you love your neighbour as yourself and hand out His goodness to them. Don’t look at the fact, whether they deserve it or not, if they want it, just give it to them.
You didn’t deserve the goodness of the Lord neither, but you got it anyway when you asked for it. That’s the grace of God.
When someone is mistreating you, don’t hold them responsible. Forgive that person and remit his/her sin(s), you have the power to do that. Let the devils nature don’t get hold on you and possess you, but let Gods nature reign in you, so that you bear the fruit goodness, and walk in His goodness.
‘Yibani usawoti womhlaba’
