The Fruit of the Spirit

What does a Christian look like?  

There are a number of ways to answer this question, but consider this: Christians are those who are filled with the Spirit of God; therefore, our lives should manifest the fruit of God’s Spirit.  

The concept of the fruit of the Spirit comes from Galatians chapter 5.  In verse 16, the Word of God tells us, “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”  Though we are filled with God’s Spirit, the flesh (our old sinful self) still battles within us.  The flesh and the Spirit work against each other.  Verses 19-21 go on to list 15 different “works of the flesh,” and that “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  In other words, those who are consistently living in these sinful practices show that they are not filled with the Holy Spirit, and therefore not part of God’s Kingdom.  

So what does it look like to walk by the Spirit?  Verses 22-23 answer this question by listing the fruit of the Spirit. The analogy of fruit gives us a great picture to describe the Spirit’s work in our lives.  Fruit is filled with nutrients – it is nourishing, but it is also sweet and tastes good. 

Fruit grows gradually, slowly.  An apple doesn’t appear overnight, and neither does the fruit of the Spirit.  Fruit grows organically from the tree.  Only an apple tree grows apples.  Only a Spirit-filled heart grows these fruits.  We can’t try to force the fruit of the Spirit out of us.  These are not simply a list of do’s and don’ts.  You can staple apples onto a lemon tree, but they won’t last.  Just like the works of the flesh organically spill out of the flesh, the fruit of the Spirit organically grows out of the Spirit.  Jesus said…

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”   | John 15:4

There are nine fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5, but they are not separate, unrelated qualities.  Maybe that’s the reason the fruit of the Spirit is singular, not plural – because they all work together.  You can’t really have one if you don’t have them all.  

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” | Galatians 5:22-23

Take a look at what each of these qualities means and looks like in our lives: 

1. LOVE – This is the Greek word “agape.”  It is God’s divine love – a deep affection and selfless benevolence.  This means caring for others for their good, not for what you get out of it.  
2. JOY – This is more than happiness.  Joy is a deep gladness in your soul.  It means we rejoice and delight in who God is and what he has done.   
3. PEACE – This is an inner rest and harmony.  Your soul is in a tranquil state because you have peace with God, even when the world is in chaos.  You have the assurance of salvation, the absence of fear, and contentment in God. 
4. PATIENCE – This means endurance, longsuffering, and perseverance in the midst of hardship.  It is waiting with an emotional quietness even in the face of unfavorable circumstances.  It is putting up with unpleasant realities while trusting God’s plan and timetable.  
5. KINDNESS – This is having integrity, grace, and compassion.  It means being considerate, gracious, and generous in how you treat people.  Even people that are hard to like.  
6. GOODNESS – This word describes moral excellence – being upright before God and people.  Goodness means doing what is good and right.  It is doing good for others for their benefit and blessing. 
7. FAITHFULNESS – This means being trustworthy, reliable, and committed.  It means you are loyal and devoted to God and others, no matter the personal consequences.
8. GENTLENESS – This is a mild and humble disposition.  This describes a person who is courteous and friendly toward people, not rough or harsh with them.  Gentleness is not weakness; it is strength.  
9. SELF-CONTROL – This of course means controlling yourself – mastery over your urges.  It means showing self-restraint, personal discipline, and temperance in life.  Self-control resists temptation.  

Remember, these fruits are the natural outworking of the Holy Spirit.  They are evidence of God’s presence in us. It doesn’t work that way.  While we should commit to mediating, growing, and practicing each fruit, ultimately that fruit doesn’t come from us. You won’t conjure up the Spirit in your life if you perform well enough. Each of these are rooted in the nature and character of God.  The fruit of the Spirit are driven by Christ’s work in our lives.  

“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” | Galatians 5:24-25

Through faith in the work of Christ, our flesh has died and new passions are raised up within us.  And so, we need to be in step with the Spirit.  We must seek him every day.  We need to be led by the Spirit, listen to the Spirit, grow in the Spirit, submit to the Spirit, and follow the Spirit.  Then, slowly but surely, he will organically grow his fruit in our lives.