The Fruit of the Spirit

The Fruit of the Spirit

by the editor of www.georgemuller.org

The Fruit of the Spirit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23).
 
The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 marks the qualities and the characteristics of the child of God while the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 marks the qualities and the characteristics of the unregenerate. There are nine fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. These alone are produced in us by the Holy Spirit upon conversion and during sanctification as God conforms us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). The nine fruits of the Spirit are:
 
1. LOVE

Love is on the top of the list because love is the most important Christian virtue. The Apostle Paul says if we have all kinds of Christian virtues and all kinds of spiritual gifts and yet lack in love, then we are nothing. (1 Corinthians 13). The two greatest commandments are based on loving God with all our heart, with all of our soul, with all of our mind and with all of our strength and also loving our neighbor as ourselves. (Mark 12:30). “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:40). “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. 13:10).
 
2. JOY

Joy is another Christian virtue produced in us by the Holy Spirit. True joy only comes through a saving knowledge of Christ. The world knows nothing of the joy that Christ gives. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

a. Jesus gives fullness of joy
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11).

b. We have joy in answered prayer
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).

c. We have fullness of joy in his presence
“You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence” (Acts 2:28).

d. We have joy in trials and persecution
“And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thess. 1:6).

e. The Joy God Gives Is Inexpressible
“Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).
 
3. PEACE

Peace is another Christian virtue that only the Christian possess. “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22).

a. We have peace with God through Christ
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).

b. Christ gives us His peace
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

c. Christ give us peace in the midst of tribulation
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

d. That peace is beyond all human understanding
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).
 
4. LONGSUFFERING (Patience)

Longsuffering literally means “long-tempered”, that is one has self-restraint when anger is stirred up within him.

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Col. 3:12-13).

“With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2).
 
5. KINDNESS

Kindness is another Christian virtue which the Christian shows from a pure heart and from a pure motive. We are exhorted to put on kindness and to add to our faith, kindness.

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12).

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
 
6. GOODNESS

We are saved by grace alone through faith alone apart from works (Ephesians 2:8). But “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

“Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another” (Rom. 15:14).

“For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph. 5:9).
 
7. FAITHFULNESS

Faithfulness marks the life of the Christian.

a. We are to be faithful as stewards of God

“To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Col. 1:2).

“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2).

“His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord’” (Matt. 25:21).

b. We are to be faithful until the end

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
 
 
8. GENTLENESS

Gentleness is another virtue of the child of God. The Christian ought to be full of meekness and humility.

“Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5).

“With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2).

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (1 Tim. 6:10-11).
 
9. SELF-CONTROL (Temperance)

Self-control is the virtue of one who masters his sinful desires and passions.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good” (2 Tim. 1:1-3).

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness” (2 Peter 1:5-6).