WHAT IS THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Gal. 5:22-23
John 15:1-8

In Christendom, there is an emphasis on Christian character. Everyone appears to know that the true New Testament Christian Life has a striking manifestation of a Christlike pattern of pungent expression in PETER`s second epistle: "And besides this, giving all diligence, add to the knowledge temperature; and to temperature patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things are in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord JESUS CHRIST" (2 Peter 1:5-8).

These true Christian virtues are collectively called "the fruit of the spirit" and couched in the best words in Galatians 5:22-23. Here, we have the exact definition of the total Christian personality and a beautiful resume of Christ`s sermon on the Mount presented in a most digestible form. It is the character of Christ reproduced in the Christian through the HOLY SPIRIT.

Some people produce the fruit of human effort or what may be best described as works of the human spirit. Such people strive and endeavour, by a great exercise of the will, to produce some fruits - good culture, courtesy, calmness (outward), kindness, endurance - which are only commendable to fellow humans. But these products of natural effort are not the fruit of the spirit revealed in the scripture. They come from mans labour. They are more of mans invention. That is why we call them fruits of human effort or works of the human spirit.

Works belong to the workshop, whereas fruits belong to the garden. Fruit is the silent growth of the abounding life, whereas, work comes from the skilful factory hand. The presence of fruit - the fruit of the spirit - assigns the grace of the Christian character to the true source - GOD.

Gal. 5:22-23
Eph. 5:9

In direct contrast to the works of the flesh, Paul the apostle, by inspiration, states the nine fruit [produced by the HOLY SPIRIT in the believer. They are "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, faith, meekness, temperance..." (Gal. 5:22-23). They are collectively called "the fruit", implying that none is without the other and can not be without others. Therefore, everyone who claims to have the spirit of God must possess "the fruit" in its entirety.

The fruit, Love which envelops either constituents in the fruit (1 Corin. 13:1-13, Romans. 13:10, John 13:34, 1 John 4:7-12).