Close

What is the Spirit in the Fruit of the Spirit? (Endnotes)

1. Spirit” in Galatians refers to several things, according to the context: our new divine nature (5:16, 17, 18 and 22), our “attitudes and emotions" (6:1-KJV), and, by the figure of speech Synecdoche, the whole person (6:18). Close

2. For a more complete understanding of the usages of “spirit” in the Bible, see our book The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be like Christ, Appendix B, “Usages of Spirit in the New Testament.” Close

3. Bullinger’s book, The Giver and His Gifts (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI reprinted 1979), is an important work in the field of the gift of holy spirit. The book was reprinted by Kregel in 1985 with the title, Word Studies on the Holy Spirit. For questions on the Trinity and the identity of Jesus Christ, see our book, One God & One Lord: Reconsidering the Cornerstone of the Christian Faith and TruthOrTradition.com/trinity. For questions about the gift of holy spirit versus the Third Person of the Trinity, see our book, The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be like Christ. Close

4. J. B. Lightfoot, St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians (Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, MA, reprinted 1993), p. 210. Close

5. The ESV is the English Standard Version, which came out in 2001, and is an “essentially literal version.” It tries to stay literal to the text except when the original would not be well understood if followed literally. It is much more literal than the NIV, yet often seems to represent a better “feel” of the text than the sometimes slavishly literal New American Standard Bible. We use it in this section because it keeps the literal “flesh” instead of adopting the “sin nature” translation of the NIV. Close

6. See our book, The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be Like Christ, Chapter 3, “Power from on High.” Close

7. See our book, The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be Like Christ, Chapter 6, “The Gift of Holy Spirit Today,” point # 5, pp. 47 and 63-67. Close

8. Although most English versions say “the law” or “the Law” in verse 18, the Greek text does not have the definite article “the” before “law.” The verse reads that those who are led “by spirit” are not “under law.” Thus, the use of “law” in this verse refers to any and all laws. People who are led by spirit are not slaves to laws, but will never need the control they provide to keep themselves and others unharmed in every way. Close

9. This is the meaning taken by Victor Wierwille, Receiving the Holy Spirit Today (American Christian Press, New Knoxville, OH, 1982), p. 284. Close

10. For a better understanding of the manifestations of holy spirit, see our book The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be like Christ, Chapter 8, “Walking in Power: The Manifestations of Holy Spirit.” Close

11. E. W. Bullinger, The Giver and His Gifts (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI reprinted 1979), p. 148. Close

12. Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Close

13. See our book, The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be Like Christ, Chapter 6, “The Gift of Holy Spirit Today,” pp. 45 and 46, and Appendix C, “The Promised Holy Spirit.” Close

14. See our book, The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be Like Christ, Chapter 3, “Power from on High.” Appendix C, “The Promised Holy Spirit.” Close

15. It is important to realize that a Christian is “holy” by virtue of his holy nature, not his godly behavior. This is different from the Old Testament, when holy nature was not available and holy behavior made one holy. See our book, The Gift of Holy Spirit: The Power to be Like Christ, Appendix A, “The Administration of the Sacred Secret,” especially point “D,” “Holy Ones,” pp. 214 and 215. Close

16. Kenneth Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1944), p. 154. In his book, Wuest gives the rationale for his translation. Close

17. The exact figure of speech is Hypocatastasis, a comparison by implication. Close

18. E. W. Bullinger, The Giver and His Gifts (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI reprinted 1979), p. 18. Close

19. It is interesting to note that after correctly assessing that the “spirit” in this section of Galatians refers to the new nature, Bullinger switches in verse 22. He seems to lose focus on the “fruit” of the spirit, and refers to “the fruit of the spirit, or spiritual gifts of the great Giver, the Holy Spirit” which to him is the Third Person of the Trinity. He does not explain why he would make this sudden and major shift in the middle of a cohesive context. Close

20. Having no inheritance, no rewards, in the Kingdom is not the same as not being saved. When Christ sets up his kingdom on earth, some people will have lands and houses as their inheritance, their reward for obedience, and some will not. See our book, The Christian’s Hope: The Anchor of the Soul, Chapter 6: “Rewards in the Future Kingdoms.” For further study see TruthOrTradition.com/hope Close

21. We compare Bullinger and Wierwille here because they are the only two people we are aware of who have done exhaustive verse by verse studies of the holy spirit that show the genuine flexibility of the word spirit. Close

22. E. W. Bullinger, The Giver and His Gifts (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI reprinted 1979), p. 17-19. Close