Psalm 1:1-6 (NKJV)
1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
God’s people bearing fruit
Isa. 27:6; Hos. 10:1; 14:8, Psalm 1:3
וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל־פַּלְגֵי מָיִם אֲשֶׁר פִּרְיוֹ יִתֵּן בְּעִתּוֹ
“And He will be like a tree planted upon/over/beside rivers of water that give its fruit in season.”
While a fruit tree is planted and cultivated, the fruit itself is produced by the internal nature of the tree.
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Fruit is the result of the inner nature
“implanted Word, which is able to save your souls” (James. 1:21)
Evidence of His abiding Holy Spirit Who is renewing/reforming us through the work of salvation in Messiah Jesus (Ro. 8:28-29; Eph. 2:8-10).
Paul is rebuking the teaching that faith is not enough for salvation, election, sanctification, justification, or glorification; that they must first be obedient to the Law, the traditions and, for men, submit to the rite of circumcision.
What was the result of this false gospel?
Their peace/shalom was uprooted.
In Hebrew, שָׁלוֹם, means more than peace, as it speaks to not only an EXTERNAL condition, but an INTERNAL condition.
שָׁלוֹם, peace, is from a root meaning wholeness or completeness in all the spheres of life, an assurance of stability even in the instability of life.
Galatians 3:1-6
3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
They faced an identity crisis. But continuing to “walk in the Spirit” they will be settled upon the foundation of peace in Christ.
Romans 8:17
“and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him”
Who are you in Christ?
Psalms 16:8
“I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken”
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
You are heirs of God because you are sons of God, therefore when possible be a peacemaker.
Romans 12:18
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”
Our Peace/Shalom is founded upon and rooted in Jesus.
From and in His peace, our identity is confirmed, and no matter the turbulence of this world, since He cannot be shaken, in the midst of great shaking, in His Spirit, we will not be shaken, and we will be in His peace.