Fruit of Holy Spirit

God expects his people to bear spiritual fruit

Isaiah 5:4 NRSV

What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?

See also Mt 7:12–20 “fruit” is a term used to indicate the produce or outcome of a person’s life; Jn 15:8

The fruit of the Spirit leads to believers becoming Christlike

The gift of the Spirit begins this lifelong process

2 Corinthians 3:18 NRSV

And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

Christlike qualities are contrasted with sinful ones

Galatians 5:16–17 NRSV

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want.

See also Ro 8:5–14; 1 Co 12:7; Ga 6:8; Eph 5:8–16; Col 3:1–17

The fruit of Spirit-filled living

Ga 5:22–23 “fruit” is singular, emphasising that these qualities are mutually dependent aspects of Christian living.

See also Eph 5:9

Examples of the fruit of the Spirit

Love

Ro 5:5; 1 Co 13:1–13

Joy

Php 1:18–19; 1 Th 1:6

Peace

Ro 8:6; Ro 14:17

Patience

Heb 6:12; Jas 5:7–11

Kindness

2 Co 6:6; Col 3:12; 2 Pe 1:7

Goodness

Ro 15:14; 2 Pe 1:5

Faithfulness

1 Co 10:13 God’s faithfulness is also here presented as the reason for faithfulness; 3 Jn 3

Gentleness

Mt 11:29–30 Jesus Christ displays such gentleness; 1 Th 2:7

Self-control

2 Ti 3:3; 2 Pe 1:6

Other evidence of the Holy Spirit’s activity

Ro 14:17 righteousness

Hope:

Ro 15:13; Ga 5:5

Eph 1:17 wisdom; Eph 5:18 temperance

The evidence of the fruit of the Spirit is a result of divine activity, not of human effort

1 Co 3:9; 1 Co 3:16; Ga 2:20