truthgiver

Bible References

Galatians 5:19-23

Other References

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The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law.

Love – pulling someone you don’t know from a frozen river following a jetliner crash.

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God gives us the Holy Spirit as a “down payment” of what is to come as partakers of His grace with our salvation, as indicated in Ephesians 1:13-14. 

C.S. Lewis said that he thought the primary fruit of the Spirit could be joy, or as the Amplified Bible says, gladness.  This doesn’t mean that one is always glad or filled with joy.  But when you ask a Christian of the hope that lies within, he or she is always quick to point out, with gladness, the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and the hope that they are partakers of this and the hope that they will be with Christ forever.

Love – telling lost people about the reality of hell.

Do you know someone who is not born again?  Isaiah 59:1 says:  “The LORD is not too weak to save you, and he is not becoming deaf.  He can hear you when you call.”  

This month’s topic:  Fruit of the Spirit

Question:  What is the fruit of the Spirit? 

Galatians 5:22  “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, against such things there is no law.”

Paul wrote to the church of Galatia because of heretical teachings saying that new Gentile Christians had to practice the Old Testament rituals, like circumcision, in order to be saved.  However, Paul made it clear that we are saved through faith in Christ alone.  Galatians 2:16 says:

“nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.   

Paul also wanted the Galatians’ to understand the inward workings of the Spirit in the life of a believer.  The fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) are not things that an unbeliever practices, and then they are saved, rather, these are things that are produced naturally after one believes on the Lord Jesus.

The word “flesh” translated from the Greek is “sarx” which indicates the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and prone to sin and opposed to God.  To understand the context of the “fruit of the Spirit,” one must understand that apart from divine influence, we cannot naturally have fruit of the Spirit. 

Question:  Does this mean that unsaved people can’t have love, joy, peace, etc.?

Yes, they can.  But it doesn’t occur naturally.  The Bible says that even unsaved people know how to give good gifts to their children (Luke 11:13).  They do this through something called “common grace,” which is given through God to everyone living on earth (Matthew 5:45).  But to have the gifts of the Spirit evident in our styles of life on a daily basis, one must really be a child of God, and possess saving grace.  Jesus tells us that He is the vine and we are the branches, and without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).  Good fruit (good works) being produced from the branches of a Christian comes naturally and the fruit of the Spirit is given to us as an inward work of the Holy Spirit in us.

Of the Flesh

Paul also explains the opposites of the fruit of the Spirit, along with a very clear warning:

Galatians 2:19-23 (Amplified)

Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies), envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law that can bring a charge.

Jesus Said

What did Jesus say about the fruits?  Read below:

Love – Jesus tells us we must love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).  Jesus even asked the Father to forgive those who persecuted and put him on the cross (Luke 23:34). 

Joy – Jesus said in John 15:10-11:  “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and remain in his love. I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

Peace – Jesus said in John:  “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful,” and “I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world."

Patience – Jesus said in Luke:  “That in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and bring forth fruit with patience.”

Kindness – Jesus said in Luke:  “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.”

Goodness – Jesus said in Matthew:  “But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you.”

Faithfulness – Jesus said in Matthew:  “His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'”

Gentleness – Jesus said in Matthew:  “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” 

Self-control – Jesus said, “But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.”