• Be upright in your heart and life.

There is a moral standard or DNA that is placed within each believer by the Holy Spirit at the moment of our salvation experience.  

James 4:8 NIV “Come near to God and he will come near to you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” 

To draw near is to have an attitude of self-denial.  

The 2nd  fruit is the be evidence of “Righteousness”  

• To possess integrity
• Virtue
• Purity of life
• Uprightness
• Correctness in thinking, feeling and acting.

The very character of God’s righteousness is the standard by which all morality and goodness is gauged.  

Thought: The dividing line between goodness and unrighteousness is God and his Laws for mankind in how they are to live.  

The lines had become blurred, but they become clearer when we go back to the truths and Laws of God and his word and allows his righteousness to direct our lives.

The 3rd  fruit is “Truth”  

An individual who lives in truth will be respected by others.  

Credibility is gained when one is truthful.  

Credibility can be lost when we forget to be good, upright and honest in our walk with Christ.  

It seems that these virtues can be easily replaced with selfishness, egotism and hedonism.  

Note verse 10: “Find out what pleases the Lord.”  

Go back to what is right and do all you can to correct the wrong.  

That is what pleases the Lord.  

We are to walk in a way that we know will be pleasing to God.  

• You might have to re-evaluate your understanding of goodness, righteousness and truth.  
• Credibility will be established in your life when you live out the fruit of the Spirit.