Don't Just Look Like It, Be It!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

longsuffering, gentleness [kindness], goodness,

faith, meekness, temperance:

against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

The fruit of the Holy Spirit refers to the nature of God's Spirit revealed in the life of the believer. This fruit is spiritual qualities or characteristics which should be evident in the lives of all Christian believers.

Spiritual fruit is evidence of spiritual maturity. Like fruit in the natural world, it is a product which is the result of the process of God living inside of us. Spiritual fruit is Christian character and integrity in both personal and social conduct and is a product of the Holy Spirit at work in our life and our response to this work. Just as fruit takes time to develop in the natural world, spiritual fruit takes time to develop. It is the product of natural growth in the life of the Spirit.

The Bible speaks of two kinds of spiritual fruit:

            1.    Inner:    The fruit of Godly spiritual qualities.

            2.   Outer:    The fruit of evangelism.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are for power, but 

the fruit of the Holy Spirit is for character 

in the life of a believer. The following illustrates differences between spiritual gifts and spiritual fruit:

                       Gifts                                                                                  Fruit

          * For ministry to the body                                     * For maturity of the individual

          * No believer has all                                                * Each believer should have all

          * For power                                                               * For character

In addition to the outer fruit of evangelism the Bible speaks of positive spiritual qualities produced in the life of a believer by the Holy Spirit. We call this fruit the inner fruit of Christ-likeness. This fruit is listed in Galatians.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.    Galatians 5:22-23

The Holy Spirit develops the inner fruit of Christ-like spiritual qualities in our lives as we grow in God. The Holy Spirit also helps believers bear outer fruit by making them a powerful witness of the Gospel message.

The "fruit" are inner qualities the Holy Spirit wants to develop in the life of the believer. They are qualities that are like the spiritual qualities which were evident in the life of Jesus Christ. This is why we call them Christ-like qualities.

The word "fruit" is singular. It is not plural [fruits]. Remember that spiritual gifts are many and are divided among believers according to the will of the Holy Spirit. Fruit is singular. It can be understood by the natural example of grapes. A cluster of grapes has several individual grapes on it, but it is one cluster. In the natural world when grapes are picked from the vine they are picked in a cluster. This cluster of several grapes is called the "fruit" [singular] of the vine.

In the spiritual world the fruit of the Holy Spirit is similar to a cluster of grapes. It is separate spiritual qualities joined together in one cluster or fruit. This one fruit is spiritual maturity which is revealed in many Christ-like qualities.

            One Fruit ___________          ➱           Spiritual Maturity

            Many Qualities________         ➱       Love-Joy-Peace-Kindness-Goodness-      Longsuffering-Faithfulness-Meekness-Temperance

God wants all believers to have the fruit of His Spirit. Unlike gifts which are plural [many] and are divided among believers, this fruit [singular] is to be possessed by every believer.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is found in every act of goodness, righteousness, and truth done by believers:  

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.  Ephesians 5:9

Jesus placed great emphasis on fruit bearing. In one parable He said:  

A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down: why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.   Luke 13:6-9

Another time Jesus saw a fig tree which had no fruit:  

Now in the morning as He returned into the city, He hungered. And when He saw a fig tree in the way, He came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.   Matthew 21:18-19

Jesus cursing the fig tree was not an act of anger because He was hungry and the tree had no fruit. He was teaching an important truth. The fig tree had a good appearance. It had green leaves and looked as if it should be fruitful. But it had no fruit.

Some people give the outward appearance of being spiritual, but inwardly they do not have the spiritual fruit of Christ-likeness. This was the condition of the Pharisees, a religious group, at the time of Christ. Jesus said to them:  

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.   Matthew 23:27

God is concerned about fruitfulness rather than the appearance of fruitfulness.

Generally speaking, more emphasis has been placed on the gifts rather than the fruit of the Holy Spirit in modern ministry. But the Bible emphasizes spiritual fruit:  

Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.   Matthew 7:20

The fruit, or spiritual qualities shown by a person, reveals what he is like inside:  

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.   Luke 6:43-45

A man may have personal appeal [charisma] that can be mistaken for spiritual power. He may even do miracles in the name of the Lord. But Jesus said:  

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.   Matthew 7:21-23

Jude warned against those who would "creep" into the church and teach false doctrine. He said one of the ways to recognize them was by the lack of fruit in their lives:  

These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;  Jude 12

The important thing in any ministry is the fruit because it is:

"By their FRUITS ye shall know them".    Matthew 7:20

In the natural world it is the fruit which carries within it the seeds which reproduce. In the spirit world it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit which has the capacity for spiritual reproduction:

®     The fruit of Christ-like qualities in lives of believers draws sinful men to God.

®     The fruit of evangelism spreads the Gospel of the Kingdom and results in spiritual harvest throughout the world.

 

(Biblical Studies)

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