ffering, in kindness."

14. The meaning of these phrases has been stated in many other places,
particularly in connection with Romans 2 and Galatians 5.

"By the Holy Spirit."

15. What are we to understand here? The words may have one of two
meanings: First, the apostle may have reference to the Holy Spirit in
person, who is God. Second, he may have reference to the spirit of
individuals, or their spiritual condition. "Holy Spirit" may be
intended to stand for "spirituality," Paul's meaning being: "Beware of
the professedly spiritual, or of things glittering and purporting to
be spiritual; beware of them who make great boast of the Spirit and
nevertheless betray only a false, unclean, unholy spirit, productive
of sects and discord. Abide ye in that true, holy spirituality
proceeding from God's Holy Spirit, who imparts unity and harmony,
determination and courage." As Paul expresses it elsewhere (Eph 4, 3),
"Giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace." They, then, who continue in one faith, one mind and
disposition, give testimony by the reality and saintliness of their
spiritual life and by the presence of the Holy Spirit that they are
servants of God. For true spirituality, or a holy walk in the Spirit,
means to be in heart and mind at one with the Spirit, through faith.

"In love unfeigned, in the word of truth."

16. As the apostle opposes the Holy Spirit to false sects and false
prophets, so he opposes unfeigned love to indolent Christians who in
true faith and unity of mind possess marks of true spirituality, but
are nevertheless indolent, cold, in fact false as regards love.

Again, he opposes the "Word of Truth" to abusers of the Word of God,
who misconstrue it and comment upon it according to their own fancy,
and for their own honor and profit. While much that purports to be
spiritual has not the Word as source and gives honor to the Spirit at
the expense of the Word, the class under consideration profess to
magnify the Word; they would be master interpreters of the Scriptures,
confident that their explanations are correct and superior. In
condemnation of this class, Peter says (1 Pet 4, 11), "If any man
speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God," and not his own word.
In other words, let him be assured he speaks the Word of God and not
his own. God's Word Paul here terms the "Word of truth"; that is, the
true Word of God and not our own misconstrued, falsified word palmed
o