The Fruit

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

It’s an Inside Job

The Law cannot condemn as long as we are bearing the fruit of the Spirit.

Love

Ro 5:5; 1 Co 13:1–13

Romans 5:5 (ESV) — 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

1 Corinthians 13:1–13 (ESV) — 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Joy

Php 1:18–19; 1 Th 1:6

Philippians 1:18–19 (ESV) — 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,

1 Thessalonians 1:6 (ESV) — 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,

Peace

Ro 8:6; Ro 14:17

Romans 8:6 (ESV) — 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Romans 14:17 (ESV) — 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Patience

Heb 6:12; Jas 5:7–11

Hebrews 6:12 (ESV) — 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

James 5:7–11 (ESV) — 7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

Kindness

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

Colossians 3:12 (ESV) — 12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

2 Peter 1:7 (ESV) — 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

Goodness

Ro 15:14; 2 Pe 1:5

Romans 15:14 (ESV) — 14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

2 Peter 1:5 (ESV) — 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,

Faithfulness

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

1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) — 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

3 John 3 (ESV) — 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.

Gentleness

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

Matthew 11:29–30 (ESV) — 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

1 Thessalonians 2:7 (ESV) — 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

Self-control

2 Ti 3:3; 2 Pe 1:6

2 Timothy 3:3 (ESV) — 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,

2 Peter 1:6 (ESV) — 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,