Galatians 5:22-26: The Fruit of the Spirit

Scripture Reading

Intro - Two Farmers

There were once two farmers with fields that sat right next to each other.

They had the same rain… the same sun… the same dirt.

But one farmer was very diligent and the other very lazy.

Day after day the first farmer would wake up and go out early to water and work the fields.

The other farmer still worked… but he did just enough to get by.

And then… when harvest time came… the first farmer had an incredible crop with 30… 60… a hundred fold of the other farmer with twice the size of fruit.

Which farmer are you?

The New Man

Over the last few weeks we’ve been looking at the New Man… Putting off the Old Self and Putting on the New.

Living as New Creations in Jesus Christ and not the Old Man of the Flesh (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Last week we looked at Crucifying the Flesh… Putting off the Old Man.

Considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6:11).

This week we’re going to look a the other side of that coin… the “Putting on” of the New Self and living out the life of the New Man.

What is the “New Self” that we are putting on?

And the Big Idea for today is very simple…

The New Man Bears the Fruit of the Spirit.

We all know the Fruit of the Spirit… love… joy… peace, patience, kindness… goodness… faithfulness… gentleness… and self-control.

But what is it?

Jesus said you will know a tree by its fruit… but what is that fruit that we are supposed to be bearing? (Matthew 7:16).

I’ll tell you… this is a little bit of a selfish sermon for me because I wanted to know… what is the Fruit of the Spirit?

What is it and how to you grow in it?

The Fruit of the Spirit is the Life of the New Man.

The life of the Christian is not just… not sinning.

Its actively living for Christ.

John 15:8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

The life of the New Man is actively cultivating and living out this fruit and growing in conformity to Christ.

So let’s start with Galatians 5:22-23 and look at “What is the Fruit of the Spirit?”

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

To remind you of the context… Paul has just talked to the Galatians about the works of the flesh.

He wrote a list that when you take it as a whole basically has three categories that define what characterizes the life of the Old Man.

Anything Unholy… Unloving… or Undisciplined… is a work of the flesh.

Its an outworking of the Old Man Adam and the sinful nature in us.

In fact… every temptation is the Old Man rising up again… its the Old Man gasping for one last breath… One last chance at life.

But those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).

Have died to sin and now live the life of the New Man as New Creations in Christ.

And that life is… the Fruit of the Spirit.

Singular Fruit

Now when it comes to the list here its a mistake to look at them individual or different fruits.

Its the “Fruit” of the Spirit… singular… not “fruits” of the Spirit plural.

So when we look at the Fruit of the Spirit we need to look at the Fruit of the Spirit as a whole.

As in the Fruit of the Spirit is the Spirit working all of these things together in your life.

Because at the end of the day… the Fruit of the Spirit are “Character Virtues” that describe and define the New Man in Christ.

A virtue is a moral quality that’s desirable… something to aspire to.

They are character traits that define a good and noble life.

And the New Man bears the fruit… the character virtues… of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control as a… New Creation!

The works of the flesh are evident Paul says… and the Fruit of the Spirit are just as evident as well… at least they should be if we are truly born again and walking by the Spirit.

Here’s where this helped me.

As Character Virtues the Fruit of the Spirit defines not just what I do but who I should inspire to be in every circumstance and in every relationship.

Now you might be asking yourself, “Well, what’s the difference.”

And the difference is the fundamental question of not just, “Am I doing better?” but “Am I actually being changed… Am I actually growing… Am I actually being transformed?”

Am I just doing better or am I being changed from the heart where I’m not just getting better at managing my anger but I’m actually growing in patience as a Man of Patience… in love as a Man of Love.

Am I just getting better at managing my sin or am I actually losing my desire for the Unholy, Unloving, Undisciplined works of the flesh putting off the Old Man and putting on the New Man in Jesus Christ?

These qualities are to characterize our whole life as a Christian… who we are as a New Creation.

To bear that fruit… its not just doing better its actually growing and being transformed from the heart into greater and greater conformity to Christ.

Because I don’t bury the lead and we will get to it but the Fruit of the Spirit is Christlikeness!

Its Putting off the Old and Putting on the New.

Its putting on Christ.

It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me! (Galatians 2:20).

The Fruit of the Spirit is you! being made a New Creation and living out a New Creation life.

Well what are these Character Virtues?

Who are we in the New Man?

Love

Love is first because love is the essential quality of the Christian life.

Without it, Paul says, our religion is worthless and nothing better than a noisy gong or a clanging symbol (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

Now first and foremost this Fruit of the Spirit is directed at love toward God.

That is the first Great Commandment the great foundation for the whole Christian life.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and all your strength (Mark 12:30-31).

All holiness… all obedience… all love for one another comes first and foremost from loving God because He in His grace first loved us (1 John 4:19-21).

And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39).

Its not enough to just love God.

True love for God works itself out in love for one another.

1 John 4 says Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love… If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother (1 John 4:7-8, 20-21).

Love for God includes:

Worshiping Him… (Psalm 18:1-3).

Seeking Him and His glory… (Psalm 27:4, 8).

Believing in Him…

Obeying Him and doing His will (John 14:15).

But what does love for one another look like?

The very love of Christ!

In John 13:34–35 Jesus said A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Now in context Jesus had just washed the Disciples’ feet.

He wrapped a towel around Himself and the Eternal Son of God… the King of Glory!… made Himself the lowest of the lowest slave to give them a picture of what He would ultimately do on the cross.

And then He said For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you (John 13:15).

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).

The love that Christ calls us to and the love that Christ gave us as an example is a humble, sacrificial, laying down your life kind of love.

Its counting others more significant than ourselves and counting as a slave of Christ and as a slave of Christ a slave of all.

Its the love of Christ laying down our lives for the good of others.

1 John 3:16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Application

Are our lives characterized by that humble… sacrificial… Christlike love?

Are we bearing the fruit of the Spirit loving one another or are we only loving, living for, and serving ourselves?

Walk in love as Christ loved us (Ephesians 5:2).

Joy

Joy is a joy in God and His salvation.

Its a happiness and a gladness that’s not based on our life or our circumstances… its the joy of the Holy Spirit that rejoices in the hope and the glory of God (1 Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 5:2).

Look what Habakkuk says.

Habakkuk 3:17–19 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.

To the Thessalonians Paul said 1 Thessalonians 1:6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit.

Those two things don’t go together.

Joy and affliction don’t come in a packaged deal!

Why?

Because in Christ we have the fullness of joy.

We have the forgiveness of sins and the assurance of God’s grace and God’s favor no matter what comes our way.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).

The rod to defend us from enemies… the staff to lead, guide, and direct to still waters and green pastures (Psalm 23:3).

So on the one hand we have joy because we have God and the fullness of salvation.

Our eyes have been open… we’ve been forgiven.

There’s no greater joy we can have then our joy in the Lord and His salvation.

On the other hand… when life hits hard.

When suffering comes in.

We can have a joy that God works all things together for good (Romans 8:28-29).

We can live in the joy and the hope that none of our pain… none of our suffering will ever be wasted.

That our sorrow will turn into joy because our God knows how to bring life out of the grave (John 16:19-20).

Joy in God is ultimately love for God because joy says God, nothing makes me happier than you.

And I might be perplexed… I might be confused… I might not understand all that’s going on.

But I trust you and I surrender my life to you knowing you will never leave me or forsake me and turn my sorrow into joy and work this valley of death into something for your glory and my good.

Peace

Peace has to do with the inner contentment we have and the peace that has a clear conscience before God.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

And…

Romans 8:16–17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.

Because of Christ we are free from the wrath of God and the condemnation of our sins.

We don’t have to live in fear, we can have peace.

This goes back to what we just talked about with joy when we face tribulation in the world we can have peace (John 16:33).

We don’t have to wonder… does God love us?… does God hate us?… Is God angry with us?

No!

All that’s been nailed to the cross.

We’re adopted as sons.

God loves us… and that love gives us peace.

When the storms of life rage it calms the waves.

Anxiety

This Fruit of the Spirit guards against worry and the prison of an anxious life.

Look at…

Philippians 4:5–7 The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I love that it starts off with the Lord is at hand.

He’s here…

He’s with us.

One of my favorite verses is where God says A nursing mother would forget her child before I would ever forget you (Isaiah 49:15).

We don’t need to be anxious… we can have peace.

We can take it to God and entrust ourselves and all our fears in His loving hands.

As Peter says cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Paul even says its the peace that surpasses all understanding.

You know what that means?

Its the peace God gives when it doesn’t make sense to have peace.

Well what peace is that?

That all the hairs on your head are numbered and not one of them falls to the ground apart rom your heavenly Father (Luke 12:7, 21:8).

Its a peace that says because I have peace with God… I know He will not leave me but carry me through.

Relational Peace

This peace with God also works itself out in peace with one another.

Jesus said Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9).

The Fruit of the Spirit… the life and character of the New Man fights for peace in his relationships.

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18).

Is your life filled with anger… bitterness… quarrelling and conflict?

The Fruit of the Spirit are contrasted with the works of the flesh.

The works of the flesh are evident… enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy (Galatians 5:19-20).

All of these are the opposite of love, joy, and peace not to mention patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The New Man is not quarrelsome… always looking for a fight… easily offended or given into anger.

The New Man is a man of Peace.

The Fruit of the Spirit is…

Patience

Patience has to do with long suffering, and again this is a character virtue applications both towards God and one another.

Well how can you have patience with God? He’s perfect!

Its patience with His timing.

Its patience with suffering.

Patience says God I trust you and I will wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:14; Isaiah 40:31).

So the Fruit of the Spirit is not grumbling or complaining but patiently enduring all things and putting our hope in the Lord (Philippians 2:14; James 5:7-11).

Relational Patience

But patience… as a Character Virtue… also has to do with long-suffering towards others.

Its a patience to defer anger or not lash out especially when wronged.

How much do we need this Fruit of the Spirit in our relationships.

Again… in contrast to the strife… divisions… dissensions and fits of anger that are characteristic of the works of the flesh we are to… with patience… bear with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2).

Next is…

Kindness

Kindness involves seeking to bless.

Its connected to the idea of being useful and helpful to others.

Being generous and going out of your way to serve someone for their good.

As Jesus said The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

It involves how we speak to one another.

Are we harsh… rash… or impatient?

Are we rude?

Proverbs 12:18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

James says The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness… a restless evil full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:6, 8-10).

Rather…

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Do you speak to your spouse or your children or others with kindness?

In a word… Kindness looks for opportunities to both bless and be a blessing.

Goodness

Closely related to kindness, goodness has to do with the idea of moral excellence and high integrity that has always seeks to be good and do good to others (cf. Galatians 6:10).

Think George Bailey in “Its a Wonderful Life.”

This goodness is a reflection of God’s own holy Character.

The Psalmist says The Lord is Good and His Steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 136:1).

The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made (Psalm 145:9).

A Good Man is Morally Excellent and a blessing to other people.

Gentleness

Gentleness is meekness.

Its a humility and sweet temper of the spirit.

In the inner man… this gentleness is walking humbly with God.

Acknowledging Him and giving thanks for every blessing an favor.

In regards to men its being humble towards them especially with those that are weaker… less fortunate… or even those that are inferior to us or under our authority.

Paul says in Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

The opposite of this is being hard or harsh like the Pharisees.

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger (Matthew 23:4).

Jesus of course is the opposite of this and Christ embodied this gentleness perfectly…

Matthew 11:28–30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

So with gentleness we don’t want to be hard, harsh, overbearing.

We want to be gracious and courteous…

Quick and ready to forgive

Convicting for parents

Psalm 103.

1 Thes 5:14.

Faithfulness

same in secret and public

Self-Control

Christlikeness

Christlikeness is god’s aim and goal for your life.

Christ was patient in ministry and patient towards us.

Spirit’s Work

We walkby follow, keep in step.

its the fruit of the Spirit.

Its his work in us.

We yield, follow, keep in step.

What does that mean Do not Grieve, be filled, let the word of Christ

Fix your eyes on Christ!

Work out what god works in. You have the conviction. You have the desires of the spirit. Live them out.

Conclusion

The New Man Bears the Fruit of the Spirit.

And…

The Fruit of the Spirit is living out the New Creation and growing in conformity to Christ.

Let’s Pray