We who are in Christ, God's objective for us is to transform us "into His image" - in other words - to make us like Christ in character and accomplishment of the Father's will. So we are reconciled to Him (like a broken branch reconciled to the tree) through faith based on the sacrificial, redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The purpose for reconciling us is so that we can relate to Him, walk with Him and enjoy Him - that is relationship. So He is our means AND our end. "Of him, through Him and to Him are all things" (Rom 11:36).
So walking with God - enjoying and loving Him - is our highest function. When that is reality in our lives it will manifest itself by the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness... . Though we can enjoy the accompanying pleasureof these virtues, they are not intended just to make our lives more pleasurable, but they manifest the character of Christ through us toward others in fulfillment of the greatest two commands: 1) Love God, 2) love your neighbor.
So when we are walking in the Spirt and abiding in Christ (drawing near to God and delighting in Him as His Word richly abides in us) we will not fulfill selfish desires ("works of the flesh" - Gal. 5:19-21, cf. 1 John 3:6) but will manifest the character of Christ in the outflow of His Spirit (the "fruit of the Spirit - Gal. 5:22-23). The list of the fruit of the Spirit is representative, not exhaustive. The list ends with "against such there is no law." Follow this out to its logical conclusion: if everyone was walking in the Spirit all the time, laws governing moral behavior would be unnecessary. Such will be the state of eternity for us in heaven with our Creator/Redeemer.
a community of grace with a culture of discipleship
notes from rich