When describing her experience with the Messi-antics movement at a recent women’s retreat, my new friend, Deborah F., used the most clever analogy to describe the people she encountered. She called some fruit loops, some fruit punch, and others fruit snacks. Therefore, I must give her credit for inspiring me with this post. Thanks Deborah, I’m very grateful that the Father saw fit for our journeys to cross paths and I look forward to a great friendship.
Fruit of the Spirit
There is no mystery that the followers of the God of Israel and His Messiah are supposed to produce godly fruit. After all, that is how we are told we will know one another… by their fruit. But there is some controversy as to what that fruit will look like. Regardless of your view, if you follow the God of Israel, we can all agree to this:
Gal. 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (24) Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (25) If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (26) Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Fruit is definitely associated with our deeds or works in Scripture. And what we do (and don’t do) matters greatly to the King of the Universe. But this post isn’t about what commandments we are to keep or how much or how little Torah we are to observe. It is about the fruit of the Spirit.
If we belong to the Messiah, there should be nine obvious qualities that perfume everything we do. If these qualities are NOT present, then we are missing the mark and are in need of repentance. Thus, as people of the “Book”, we should be great “fruit inspectors”. We should well know the difference between good and bad fruit, works, or deeds. But sadly, there is an awful lot of stuff out there that poses as fruit that in reality is nothing more than human flesh.
Unripe Fruit
Ironically, I have noticed that many of those that are returning to the Torah of Messiah struggle with producing real fruit. It’s as if they have forgotten the weightier matters of Torah as they learn to keep Shabbat, festivals, and kashrut (dietary laws).
My personal experience and opinion on this phenomenon is that what occurs is an “over” purge. Like throwing the baby out with the bath water. Seeking to rid your life of error requires you to revert back to an immature state. It’s one in which you must separate and discern the basics all over again — except this time, the arrangement and configuration is different than what you first believed.
The paradigm of living outside of the Torah most your life produces different works or deeds (and beliefs) than one that has been nurtured from birth inside of a Torah lifestyle. Thus, coming into the knowledge of a whole new worldview requires you to search out every nook and cranny of your walk and reassess its relevance and godliness. It’s difficult. This is not something you want to ever experience again. You want to know that you know what you know! And why. And where. And when. And how. Many people that have experienced such a profound paradigm shift have told me, “It’s like being born again—- again!” And I must agree with that statement. The experience is very much like this for non-Jewish people who embrace the fullness of God’s Word AND keep the testimony of Yeshua.
This process requires a period of separation and examination. Things you thought you knew have been turned on their head and others have been revealed to be flat out lies! Thus, there is also a great level of caution and dare I say, doubt, when it comes to receiving new information OR embracing old information. Everything is weighed in the balance and sometimes that scale is unwittingly unjust.
If you happen to meet someone in this process (for some it can take years), their behavior may have been perplexing to you. You see they are keeping “truth”, but the fruit is inedible. I have come to realize that these are all maturity issues. Hopefully, they will move from a place of separation to a place of gathering. For separation that doesn’t lead to gathering of like kind and unity, is nothing more than death.[1] You might know about the Sabbath, feast days, dietary laws, and even the Hebrew language, but if you cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit, then you are a baby. Your fruit isn’t ripe and should not be eaten by ANYBODY. Partaking of your fruit will only produce stomachaches and diarrhea. In other words, your antics make people sick.
Fruit Punch
The simple truth is that all the Torah observance in the world doesn’t matter and profits you nothing if you do not FIRST walk in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Those that try to force others to accept their idea of obedience or observance are like a rebellious toddler trying to get her way. She thinks she knows what’s going on, but really she knows nothing.
They use their Bibles to PUNCH others in the face. They especially like to beat up on those still in the church or denominational Christianity. Any fruit they may possess is not eaten but used as a weapon of war. My Mom calls them watermelon throwers. A watermelon can be refreshing and healthy if eaten one bite at a time, but if thrown at the head, it can cause considerable damage, even death. Be careful where you think you stand, lest you fall.[2]
When will we stop beating people up with our truth? Fruit punch has very little real fruit juice in it. Most of it is chemicals, colored dyes, and corn syrup. It’s not healthy and gives the Body no sustenance. The same is true for those that try to bully the Body into doing things “their way”. If it’s all you consume, it will “kill” you. (This is why the letter of the Law must be balanced with the Spirit. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.)
Fruit Snacks
I think most people will find themselves in this category at some point or another. Fruit snacks also contain some real fruit juice but with the addition of dyes and artificial flavorings. Sometimes real fruit gushes out and other times it’s just a bunch of junk.
I freely admit I’ve been nothing more than a fruit snack at certain times in my life. However, I’m better than I used to be and with Abba’s continued mercy and grace, I grow every day. A fruit snack person is very similar to the unripe fruit people in that they lack maturity. They differ in that they also have a weaker foundation in the Word of Truth.
Fruit snacks aren’t as annoying as some of the other fruit people, but written right on their labelling it clearly says, “Not intended to replace fruit in the diet.”[3] We need more vitamins and nutrients than these people can offer us. We might find them cute and entertaining in the short term, but they just can’t go the distance. They will run out of gas because they are not filled with the Ruach (Spirit). When their gas goes, so does any semblance of fruit.
Often, they just won’t let the Spirit of Adonai have full reign of their lives. Unfortunately, this means there is still a lot of junk that needs to be worked out of them. (Flesh) The trials of life are meant to goad us unto maturity. Fruit snacks usually resist this process. May they learn to produce fruit in keeping with repentance[4] and leave all the sugar, fluff, and “fakeness” behind.
Fruit Loops
I think this is by far the most bizarre of the bunch. I think of a fruit loop as someone that’s way out in left field. These guys believe they have discovered or cornered the truth. (They’ve found the secret “loopholes” everyone else has missed!) As such, they are usually in the corner of the field yelling to everyone else that home base is really in left field. For example, they may claim that Sabbath is actually on a different day of the week than Saturday. Some people may call them LUNAtics, but I think the term fruit loop is more fitting.
Often, they are gung ho on observing some “new” thing (secret revelation). Or, perhaps they believe they have figured out the Creator’s “correct” calendar— and all others are false. They forget that Judah not only holds the scepter and authority on these issues, but they childishly blow off centuries of wisdom, care, and diligence that only the Jewish people have maintained for the rest of us.
Sadly, fruit loops do not contain ANY real fruit. They might look and taste good, but again there is no real sustenance. You can eat and eat them and still starve to death. Fruit loops sometimes engage in fruit punch tactics when dealing with the Body. But instead of throwing a watermelon (real fruit) they want you to eat a sugary substitute (falsehood). Beware!
Fresh Fruit
There is nothing more succulent to our taste buds than fresh, ripe fruit. (Non GMO and organic, of course!) Consider for a moment not only how sweet, juicy, and tasty real fresh fruit is, but what it does for our bodies. Real fruit gives LIFE to our being. It nourishes, sustains, and sates hungry souls.
Now let’s think back to the fruit of the Spirit. Truth (the Word) can only nourish, sustain, and satisfy a hungry soul if it is given in the form of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If these qualities are not present, the fruit tastes bitter, it has added ingredients, and it cannot produce LIFE.
This is such a simple concept. Why do we have so much trouble “getting” this? Why do we walk over to the dessert table and CHOOSE junk or the likeness of fruit instead of the real thing? I think it is because we have been fed the artificial stuff for so long that we no longer can tell the difference; or worse, we actually prefer it.
By the way, where we seem to lack the most discernment is when examining our OWN fruit. We might be producing fruit punch, fruit snacks, and fruit loops and really believe it is proper. But, it’s very simple. Does my walk, life, and mouth produce love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? Remember, this isn’t a box of cereal; you don’t get to choose which qualities you will produce. The fruit is singular. It’s ONE fruit with nine beautiful qualities. If something is lacking, it’s not the real thing. (Think GMO)
Answer for yourself:
- Am I loving? Do I grant others mercy and forgiveness when they hurt me?
- Do I have joy? Or do I wallow in pity, regret, and anger?
- Do I have peace? Or am I a discontent murmurer and complainer?
- Am I patient? Or do expect to have everything go “my way”?
- Am I kind (even to those who are unkind to me)?
- Do I act with goodness (to benefit others and not myself)?
- Am I faithful to YHWH and others? Can others count on me or am I unstable?
- Am I gentle and respectful with others? Or am I judgmental and hyper critical?
- Do I have self-control? Or am I ruled by my emotions?
If our walk fails to produce even one of these qualities, then there is need for REPENTANCE. I don’t know about you, but I have some more work to do…
[1] These ideas were first impressed upon me while learning the Creation Gospel by Dr. Hollisa Alewine.
[2] 1 Cor. 10:12
[3] http://www.generalmills.com/Home/Brands/Snacks/Fruit%20Snacks/Brand%20Product%20List%20Page.aspx#{FC107858-D028-4A34-AF2B-BB1714F13E12}
[4] Mat. 3:8-10 “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; (9) and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. (10) “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
GRACE in TORAH 
Excellent and timely word! Thanks for both the admonishment and exhortation.
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This is very much something that Abba has put on my heart lately! Thank you for putting it into writing so well 🙂
One thing that I keep seeing in articles is always about judging other people. I must be confused in what you (and others) are meaning by judgemental and hyper critical. I feel I do need to judge others in their character and avoid those who refuse to hear the word after many attempts. I have a hard time continuing to be friends with them after this.
Example: My daughter was friends with a girl whom we tried sharing the truth with many times. She nor her parents wanted to hear it, (yes, we were very gentle with the truth) and they proceeded to get divorced, the mother and daughter turn to Wiccan and daughter becomes bisexual at 13…they were such nice people and are still friendly when we see them but, how do I treat them? Should we continue to be friends with them even though they have heard the truth and rejected it? I just don’t think so.
I know I am accused of being “judgemental” but so what? Aren’t we supposed to be? I could go on and on with the strange situations we have been in…like when our Ramtha believing neighbor would talk to this demon and want to share with me what he told her. We tried helping her see the truth and loving her, but she would literally scream at us over her fence and threatened us because we were believers in Yah. I tried to help her castout the demon, but she LIKED it and didn’t want it to leave! We stopped talking to her after a few years of this struggle and she ended up taking her own life. Was I too judgemental? I don’t think I was, as sad as the ending turned out for her.
So my question is: what exactly is the Biblical definition of “being judgemental” vs being yoked with unbelievers, being called out to be separate, and having nothing to do with those who choose to live wicked lives as the Bible says?
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Thanks for stopping by Wildblue! (:
This post was directed at believers dealing with believers (or least those that claim to be). The examples you mentioned were in dealing with the lost. I believe there is a big difference between the two — and how we handle certain circumstances.
Like you, I take issue with those that loosely throw out comments such as “Judge not, lest you be judged!” Ironically, it’s usually very immature Christians or unbelievers that spout off this verse out of context. I’m sure you’ve heard it before. (: I definitely believe that we are called to use discernment and righteous judgment. However, I also believe there is big difference between these two godly activities and “being judgmental” or critical. The latter two are out of balance and are never practiced with a spirit of love or the fruit of the Spirit.
So, I agree with you. We must make “judgments” everyday — multiple times. We must also protect our children and family from overt evil and potential harm. In the examples you mentioned, I would have probably make similar choices.
As to your questions:
1.Being judgmental vs. being yoked with unbelievers. I understand the yoke to mean being in covenant; whether it’s with a spouse or a close friend (like David and Jonathan). Thus, I may make judgments about their behavior (and would expect them to do the same for me — accountability) based in love. Being critical would never change a behavior, but only frustrate me. (And probably ruin the relationship)
I think you may have really been asking about everyday people we do cross paths with, like a neighbor or a coworker. This requires a great deal of maturity on our part. Are they believers or not? How we “counsel” them will be different depending on that answer. Obvious and habitual sin is very difficult to be around. I do believe we should separate ourselves as much as possible if they refuse to hear truth. However, we can do this without being mean, making them feel hopeless, or puffing ourselves up like we are better than them. (We sin too, but know repentance and God’s grace.)
2.As to our being separate or holy: Yeshua was holy, yet He ate with tax collectors and sinners. The hope was that they would repent and follow Him. And this is our hope also. But that doesn’t mean that I must expect everyone that comes into my presence to live at the level of observance that I do. They may be completely lost and ignorant. They may have a foundation and be growing, but still be very immature. They may be way more stringent than I am. I believe Yeshua expects us balance our judgment with mercy. After all, that’s exactly what He does or we’d all be dead.
This is somewhat what I was referring to in my post. A person still in a heavy purge and separation state has a very hard time discerning between righteous judgments and being critical. I try desperately to “see” the difference when dealing with my fellowman. For example, I may have a very strong conviction on an issue that someone else doesn’t. I can “judge” them for not holding to my understanding OR I can grant them mercy. Perhaps I am wrong. (It’s possible!) Perhaps they are less mature or YHWH just hasn’t dealt with them on this issue yet. Perhaps we are both right! (YHWH does allow freedom and diversity within Torah bounds!) If I assess their form observance as being less valid than my own and I point my finger, give an ultimatum, or the like then I have not exercised righteous judgment at all. And I certainly didn’t act with mercy or the fruit of the Spirit.
I might be tempted to call this holiness and feel I should separate from the other believer. (We aren’t dealing with wickedness here, but variance in observance) After all, I thoroughly explained my conviction and they just couldn’t “see”. Thus, I will seek another who thinks just like I do. We forget that the Torah isn’t two dimensional. There are many facets we have yet to uncover. Who knows, a few years from now, YHWH may expand my understanding in a way that resembles the one I once accused of being too tolerant. BTW, this has happened to me before! Talk about being humbled! Needless to say, I was so holy that I separated myself from truth. The other person saw more clearly than I and I thought it was the opposite. Yikes!
Well, this turned out longer that I meant it to, sorry. I hope I answered your questions. I think the bottom line is simple. I can, with the help of the Holy Spirit, operate in the fruit of the Spirit even in judgment. The moment my emotions take over, I’m in the wrong even if my conviction is right. This only leads to me trying to “justify” my own wicked reactions. BTW, YHWH has me in place where I’m forced to deal with these issues from MANY angles. There will be more posts as I try to walk this out with balance.
Thanks for commenting. I’m sure others had similar thoughts. (:
K.
P.S. I added this in an edit. One last thing I believe is important to mention. When we are dealing with a believer that refuses to repent and turn from sin (like adultery), we are told to separate from them. Hopefully this will drive them to repentance. If not, they are in the hands of the Living God. (1 Cor. 5:1-3) I wasn’t writing from this angle, but these things are also true nonetheless. (:
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Thank you so much for your well thought out reply, K, it is much appreciated. It has made clear your interpretation of judgement and I am in agreement with you.
There certainly is a line that can be difficult to visualize in judging others. It can often times only be seen through maturity in the walk. There are too many bloggers that are immature in their thinking regarding judgement and I must test the Spirit, I think you understand this! It is as much abused as the “turn the other cheek” verse or the “love our enemy” verse where love comes from the greek “agape” which is defined as moral responsibility toward our fellow man to give them food or clothing etc, with the example in the context as YHVH causes it to rain on the righteous and the unrighteous alike. Many use that verse to imply we need to love people and treat them as if nothing is wrong no matter what, even when they sin and are unrepentant.
I have been very lonely in my walk as of late and have been inquiring to YHVH regarding our family’s isolation (we don’t live near any other believers by at least 75 miles) these past few years we have begun to observe Torah. The Spirit has been telling me He is refining us in the very manner your article speaks of. It never ceases to amaze me, the way Abba communicates with and encourages us in spite of the fact we never actually hear His voice…we see His voice instead, through interactions with others, Scripture, and thoughts such as these you have laid down from your heart. 🙂
I don’t comment much, but I have been reading your posts for a few months now and greatly appreciate your thoughts on subjects.
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Thanks again for commenting, Wildblue!
You are not alone in your isolation. At various conferences, I’ve met many people that are separated by distance from other liked minded believers. (I’ve been in places like this before too.) It’s as if YHWH has sprinkled us all over the place. (: But being “alone” is hard. We need each other. We need the encouragement and the challenge of the other body parts. This is why I think the internet can be a blessing by connecting us. I will be praying that Abba brings your family more frequent fellowship!
However, I also believe that there is purpose even in our isolation, like the refining process you mentioned that you are going through. My only advice would be to not forget the fruit when He brings you out. Not that I think you have forgotten by any means! I’m just speaking generally here for the sake of other readers. I wish someone had been able to put this into perspective for me when I needed to hear it. But, I also realize that there is a great possibility that I wouldn’t have been able to “receive” it at that time.
Asking myself those simple questions about the fruit at the end of this article (Fruit Loops) has saved me many times from acting out with my flesh (emotions) and pride (self-righteousness). I still fail sometimes, but hopefully it is less. Thanks again for commenting. You are welcome here anytime! 🙂
Shalom, K
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Very insightful, Kisha. Keep up the good work.
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Reblogged this on The Barking Fox and commented:
Every one of us requires correction now and then. This timely word from fellow Hebrew Roots blogger K. Gallagher at Grace in Torah serves as a reminder not only to Messianic believers, but to all who have a testimony of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus Christ) about the basics of our faith. There is no substitute for the fruit of the Spirit, which is the only genuine evidence and measure of our walk with Messiah.
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