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Fruit of the Spirit

By relationship and through evangelism Christians will experience spiritual growth. Today we’re talking about bearing fruit. The letter “F” is for the Fruit of the Spirit. Maturity in the Lord is measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ so that we may no longer be immature like children.

Your spiritual growth requires that you feed the spirit inside you and starve the sin, the self. It’s what Paul means in Galatians 5:16, when He says, “Let the Holy Spirit guide your life, then you won’t be doing what the sinful nature craves.” Inside, your own sinful self is constantly fighting against the Spirit of Jesus, The results are seen in your behavior in the way you treat other people.

The “fruit of the Spirit” describes a spontaneous quality of life for those in whom the Spirit is at work. They are all qualities expressed in everyday relationships. Healthy spiritual fruit comes from deep spiritual roots. You don’t grow spiritually by adding some love, a bit of joy, more patience to a life that’s not lived for Jesus. That’s like stapling roses to a dead rosebush (J.D. Greear). You grow by driving the roots of your life –the deeper parts of yourself – into the deeper parts of Christ.

The nine qualities Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23 - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control - are not supposed to be taken as an exhaustive list. There are more spiritual characteristics that we develop along the journey. In Colossians 3:12, Paul adds mercy and humility to the fruits. Also, as we grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18) we could add Christian virtues like thankfulness, forgiveness, and gracious talk.

Paul outlines these fruits for Christians to reflect the very character of Christ in everyday interactions with others. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. This is a necessary continual process when growing in the Lord.

Make this simple truth a prayer of your commitment: Less of me, Jesus. More of you. Healthy fruit comes from a deep steeping of God’s Word into your mind, heart, and overall life. You don’t become a better person by focusing on being a better person. Follow Him. Become like Him. And others will begin to know His love in knowing you.