The Giving Tree: Controversy, Disunity, and Virtues in Galatians, Part 8

The Garden began with a tree of life. That tree was good for food. Adam could eat of it. It produced restoration and communion; nurture and nourishment; virtue and conviviality.

Note: After offering a summary of my arguments in Genesis three, I then moved to show that the themes of fruitfulness and trees move beyond the garden. They are present in the Old Testament Scriptures and Gospel accounts, and finally, I will draw your attention to these themes in Galatians. I will set the stage for why Paul places the fruit of the Spirit in such a controversial and confrontational book. The future essays will focus exclusively on the nine fruits of the Spirit.

Feel free to share quotes from these essays, but don’t send them out. These are the basis of my future book and are meant exclusively for subscribers.

You can find all previous seven essays here.

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Everything goes back to Genesis! Every topic of human discussion must begin with those opening words: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” That opening verse is the summary of the whole book. Creating is part of God’s attribute. He creates and then re-creates! God is making all things new. He replenishes the earth by planting seeds. Those seeds form trees. Those trees form societies. That God-oriented society forms Christendom. God gives the increase, and we know that there is no end to the increase of his government.

In the end, it really is all about fruitfulness.

We have seen this in Genesis with the Serpent trying to prevent Adam and Eve from producing good fruit. The best way to keep God’s children from producing good fruit is by offering a false one. The Old Testament Scriptures are filled with examples of God’s people partaking in false fruits.

We saw, from Cain to Malachi, godly demonstrations of fruitfulness but also devastating illustrations of unfruitfulness. Then, we arrived at the Gospels only to find that the people expected to lead others to fruitfulness were making the church twice as sons of Belial. The religious leaders worked overtime to keep God’s trees from producing good works. So, Jesus rightly curses those trees, and in AD 70, he cuts off Israel’s branches and re-creates them into a new Israel. Remember, God is constantly creating and re-creating.

Fruitfulness in the Apostles

In the post-Apostolic age, the tree is taking root in culture. Christians are starting to have a place in society. The Apostle Paul goes around and rehashes the biblical message of fruitfulness. Remember now that the people of God whom Paul is addressing are a Pentecost people! They have tasted of the resurrection of Jesus, who is the firstfruits of all creation. Paul is talking to a Church that wears red on Pentecost Sunday! He is now addressing a church where Jesus rules as the vindicated Lord. Jesus is the true Israel; he is the vine; we are the branches abiding in him.