The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23

Galatians 5:22–23 NASB95

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Paul continues the contrast between the natural productions of the flesh and Spirit he had begun in verse 19. Contrasted to the acts of the sinful nature is a single-minded lifestyle called “the fruit of the Spirit.” This is produced in God’s children as they allow the Spirit to so direct and influence their lives that they destroy sin’s power and walk in fellowship with God (see Ro. 8:5-14; 8:14; 2 Co. 6:6; Eph. 4:2-3; 5:9; Col. 3:12-15; 2 Pe. 1 :4-9).

There are no restrictions to the lifestyle indicated here.

Paul speaks of the “fruit” of the Spirit in contrast to the “works” of which the flesh ics capable.

The “fruit of the Spirit” suggests that which is a natural product of the Spirit rather than of man, made possible by the living relationship between the Christian and the Lord (Jn. 15:1-17; Gal. 2:20). They differ from the “gifts of the Spirit,” which are given one by one to different people as the church has need (1 Cor. 12).

The nine virtues that are the Spirit’s fruit hardly need classification.

The primary direction of the first three is Godward.

The second three primarily concerns the Christian and his relationship to others and are what one might say, social virtues.

The last three concern the Christian as he is to be in himself.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is,” presents that which is of the Spirit and not of man. It says the “fruit of the Spirit,” and not the “fruit of man.” The idea is that the Holy Spirit will produce His own fruit in the life f the saint as the latter trusts Him to do that.

The choice of the word “fruit” here instead of “works” is used by the Holy Spirit, is due probably to the conception of the Christian experience as the product of a new and divine life implanted in the saint. In Galatians 5:25, Paul speaks of the fact that the Christian lives in the Spirit, derives his spiritual life from the indwelling Spirit, which spiritual life is the motivating force producing the fruit of the Spirit.

Fruit is supplied by the Spirit.

The believer must cooperate with the Holy Spirit in order to (JS)