“But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians
5:22-23
What is the “fruit of the spirit”?
Yes, we read the
description in Galatians 5:22, 23 but listen to this definition from Bill
Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ:
“In the mystery of the Trinity, the fruit of
the Spirit is really the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is His Spirit, whom
the Father sent. As His Spirit indwells and controls us, His fruit, or
personality, becomes manifest as we yield ourselves to Him...It is only as we
are filled with the Holy Spirit and under His control that His fruit is
manifest and His will expressed.”
The fruit,
evidenced in my life, becomes the “personality” characteristics of Jesus Christ
- or if you prefer – the image of God in the earth to others!
The fruit is
love…In Him we see love
I John 4:8 “…because God is Love…”
The fruit is
joy…In Him we see joy
I Thessalonians
1:6 “…you welcomed the message with the joy
given by the
Holy Spirit”
The fruit is
peace…In Him we find peace
Romans 15:33 “The God of Peace be
with you all”
The fruit is
patience…In Him we find patience
Romans 15:5 “Now the God of patience
and consolation grant
you to be likeminded one toward
another…”
The fruit is
kindness…He is kindness
Ephesians 2:7
“…in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His
grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus”
The fruit is
goodness…He is good
Psalm 25:7 “Remember not the sins of
my youth and my rebellious ways;
according to
your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord”
The fruit is
faithfulness….Look at Him
Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that
the Lord your God is
God; He is the faithful God, keeping
His covenant of love to a
thousand generations of those who
love Him and keep His commands.”
The fruit is
gentleness…In Him we find gentleness
2 Corinthians 10:1 “ By the meekness
and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you – I, Paul, who am “timid” when face
to face with you, but “bold” when away!”
Finally…The
fruit is self-control or temperance
Philippians 2:6 “Who, being in very
nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (or
plundered), but made Himself nothing…”
Colossians 2:9
says: “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and
you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and
authority.”
When we remain
in Him we bear fruit…we exhibit His “personality”!
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