Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit

Romans 14:16-17 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. I love these verses because they clearly teach us the fruit of the kingdom of God as God works by His Spirit. Paul warned the Romans to protect what is a good thing for them by not doing it if it hurts a brother and causes him to act contrary to where his faith has him standing. If that were to occur, then the good thing would be spoken of as evil. What we need to keep in mind as we relate to one another in the kingdom of God is that the things we love to eat and drink are not the kingdom of God consists of. Eating and drinking are temporal activities. Where and when God is working, righteousness, peace, and joy are the fruit rather than an evil report. This helps us because we can ask ourselves in a situation, such as Paul brought up in this chapter, what action will be the highest good for my brother? That’s righteousness. What will result in peace in this situation in both of our lives? What can I do that will make our time together enjoyable with Jesus? Those three questions should help us as we live to love with Jesus. So let’s remember, righteousness, peace, and joy are evidences that the Holy Spirit is at work and the kingdom of God is present. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com