We are to be seen in Christ as righteous, as good.  The practical expression of the goodness of God is in the way we think.  It establishes our priorities.  As Jesus did, we are always putting the kingdom of God first.  When I mention "kingdom," I am not just talking about an institution.  I am talking about the body of Christ, about His church.  The kingdom has already come.  The will of God is being done in His church, and it will ultimately be done among the nations.  The kingdom is being expressed in the church.  We are not only living in the kingdom, but we are also partaking in kingdom benefits.

Galatians goes on and tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is at work in us.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25).  Then he sticks this twenty-sixth verse in there and says, “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

Do not try to be preeminent.  Do not put yourself first.  This gentleness we are talking about, this goodness that we are referencing, and this kindness that represents the Person of Jesus Christ is already at work in us.  We must cease our labors and enter that rest, so these become the natural outflow of abiding in Him and His Word abiding in us.  We do not have to think about it.  “Now, let’s see.  I’m going to go out today and try to be kind.”  We do not start the morning by saying, “I’m going to go out today, and I’m not going to kill anybody.”  That old man is dead; amen?  “I’m not going to go out today and steal.  I’m not going to go out today and do drugs.”  That is the old man.  That passed away.  The new man is created in righteousness and true holiness.  It is by faith.  That is what we are expecting to happen.  Yes, the old man still abides in us.  Yes, he can still manifest himself, but he does not have dominion.  Stop being afraid of reverting to the old man.  Rest and let the new man live through you with all these character traits.  That is the living in the Spirit that we just saw.

These things become a barometer for us.  How do I respond now in given situations?  We talked about the imputed and imparted characteristics of Christ, the fruit of the Spirit, and the righteousness of God, but what does this look like daily?  Well, we never seek preeminence.  We never find ourselves involved in the body of Christ trying to put ourselves forward.  We never willfully go in and believe that we deserve to be at the head table, and we are never offended when we are not.  Many of us go around professing that it is not our desire, but when we do not get recognized, we get upset.  “Man, if only those people were home from vacation to hear that.  What a blessing it would be to them.  Thank God that all the righteous people showed up tonight.  Hallelujah!”  There is never that attitude.  There is not a competitive spirit in the heart.  It is good because it always prefers others.