Lesson 15 The Character of Christ

     Hebrews 4:9 (Amplified) tells us, "So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath rest reserved for the (true) people of God."
     Previously, we learned how resting in the finished work of Jesus is what will bring forth the character of Christ in the Church.  We won't succeed as long as we continue trying to make the Fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ produce by the works of the flesh.  They are called the "Fruit of the Spirit" and not "the fruit of the flesh," for a reason.
     Romans 8:14 (Amplified) says, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
     There are only two ways of dealing with things here on earth.  Either you go by the way of the world or the way of the Word.  These are the only options.  If we go by the world's way, then we're still in the flesh or carnal thinking and if you go the Word's way, then we put away carnal thinking and are truly led by the Spirit.
     Here's an example:  we're called to "Love our enemies," but there's no way the carnal man can do this.  This leads to our choosing to be led by the Spirit or led by the world or the carnal way of thinking.  The carnal mind says that someone is your enemy  and this proves you do not like that person and it's very easy to treat him like an enemy.  The way of the Spirit is to react by the Word.  You might ask, "If I treat him in love and I feel angry towards him, then doesn't that make me a hypocrite?  The answer is, "No!"  When you know how the Word says to treat your enemies and then still treat him poorly, then you are a hypocrite.
     We are not called to be led or ruled by our emotions, but by the Holy Spirit.  Carnal men are ruled by their emotions and sons of God are led by the Word.  Many in today's Church are still ruled more by the carnal (soulish)man and mind than by the Spirit.  This doesn't mean they aren't saved or they don't belong to God, but means they're not led by the Spirit.
     We learn from Galatians 5:22-23 that we can only produce the Fruit of the Spirit or the character of Christ by yielding to the Spirit.  The character of Christ must come through the Holy Spirit working in your own spirit. 
     Man was obligated to walk this way under the Law, but because they didn't have the new birth and the Holy Spirit in their spirit (which was alive unto God), they couldn't produce the character of Christ in their lives. 
     When we're faced with a decision to act or react, we must make a choice whether to act according to the emotions of the soulish man or act according to the Holy Spirit of God.  Jesus was faced with the very same decision, every day of His life.  There were many times when Jesus could simply have reacted by His flesh and rained fire down on the people around Him.  He said in John 5:30 (Amplified), "I am able to do nothing from Myself (independently, of My Own accord-but only as I am taught by God and as I get His orders) even as I, I judge (decide as I am bidden to decide, As the voice comes to Me, so I give a decision) And My judgment is right (just, righteous) because I do not seek or consult My Own will. (I have no desire to do what is pleasing to Myself, My Own aim, My Own purpose) but only the will and pleasure of the Father Who sent Me."
     The Fruit of the Spirit is exactly that; it's the fruit that the Spirit bears in the life of the believer.  We can only ever hope to walk in His character by completely surrendering to the Holy Spirit (God) and having Him dwell in us.  Sometimes, we forget that Jesus was a Man.  We've erroneously placed Him in a position where He had nothing to say about what He could do and not do.  This is not true!
     Just before going to the cross, Jesus prayed in Gethsemane saying, "If there is any other way."  Then, Jesus made the decision to do His Father's will and not His Own.  We're faced with the decision of doing our will and doing His will continuously.  We might not wish to react to someone in love, then we decide to do His will and not our own.  This is the character of Christ and the only way of producing this in our lives is by resting in His Spirit within us and allowing His character (not our own) to come forth by the Spirit.
     Jesus is our example and we should walk in the meekness and humility of the Spirit flowing through Him during His trial and sentencing.  Jesus is God and could easily have called down legions of angels to deliver him, but He didn't.