Galatians 5:22-23 [NLT]
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"
John 15:16 [NASB]
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”
Matthew 7:15-20 [NLT]
“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions."
[NLT version unless otherwise noted. Emphasis mine.]
Probably because I have a sweet tooth and I love gifts [you didn't know?!], one of my favorite characteristics of the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus and just like Daddy God, is that He is LOVE and delights in giving things to His children. Things like power, comfort, Heavenly languages, strength, Spiritual gifts, but also today's topic, fruit --> fruit of the Spirit, that is. Now, it is always my intention and I encourage it to be yours, to seek the Giver above the gifts. But inevitably as a Christian, you will receive something from the Lord. Let's chat about what to do when we not only get lemons, but a whole fruit salad.
That’s why today is a good day, because I hope to remind you, my friends that you, Jew and Gentile, have been invited to a feast. This feast is fit for a king, a saint, a holy one, namely a masterpiece like you and is thrown by THE KING! The main course is not chicken, beef or fish, nor is it the rotten and poisonous fruit of the world. The star of this Kingly feast is fruit salad. Yes, fruit salad. Every Christian has the capacity to receive this fruit salad and in turn produce their own fruit to bless themselves, bless others and thereby expand the Kingdom of God.
Sometimes in Scripture the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of Truth and being free in Christ starts with knowing the Truth; because when you believe right, you act right. And by act right I mean knowing who you are in Christ determines what you do and consequently the fruit you produce falls in line. We have already established that God is Love and can’t be anything else, therefore if God the Holy Spirit indwells Believers, we already have the fruit of the Spirit that is love. Made in His image and producing after His own kind, we therefore also have joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and... drumroll please ... more love! If I am Holy Spirit led won’t I produce good fruit? Won’t I have peace? Won’t I have joy? Won’t I have all of the things this Scripture promises? Yes, I will --> when I am Holy Spirit led. And if that good fruit is absent from my life and my actions, it is certainly possible that I am being led by the world, the flesh and/or the Devil.
One of the main functions of fruit in the natural is to spread its’ seeds and reproduce. And furthermore, as human beings, ingesting fruit has great benefits. Like, vitamins A, D, C, B [and the rest of the alphabet!] that support our organs, hair, skin, nails, etc. while naturally satisfying our sweet tooth and providing for smooth digestive functioning. And let us not forget that fruit helps boost and strengthen our immune system to help ward off sickness, disease, illness and infirmity. So obviously, if I am eating fruit salad, I am getting a healthy mix of vitamins and nutrition. Good in, good out. Same with God. Psalm 34 says “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good”. Loving the Lord with all our body, mind, and soul. Loving our neighbor as ourselves. Taste the Lord and see what comes out!
The context surrounding Galatians 5 is one of admonishment born out of an instructional reminder from the Apostle Paul. In Galatia, which had both Jew and Gentile Christians at this point, there was often a tug of war in theology and practice; many had been listening to and following false teachers preaching circumcision and going back under the Law of Moses, which we know Christ had completely fulfilled by His death, resurrection and ascension. Paul is writing to remind them that they have been called to live in freedom, be fruitful and not be bound by the Law. Paul’s underlying theme is that good fruit production is by those who live by the Spirit, not by the Law. Paul’s focus is on the application of the truths he presented in earlier chapters; specifically, how should those who are now free in Christ live? His summation was that though Christians have a new freedom in Christ, they do not have a license to sin; rather, they assume a responsibility and have the freedom to live their lives in accord with the Spirit of God. The hope is that unbelievers will witness their good fruit and desire Salvation in Christ. It is a nod to the fact that there are always people in our sphere of influence or in passing who are pointed to Christ because they see Him in us and our actions.
If the root of producing this good fruit is being Holy Spirit led, then one must first start with a relationship with the Holy Spirit. As a Christian, you’ve accepted Jesus and are now a righteous saint of God, but are you submitted to God, walking in freedom and one in spirit with Him? Proverbs 11:30 says “The fruit of the righteous [some versions say, “consistently righteous”] is a tree of life, and whoever captures [and wins] souls [for God] is wise”. When you bear good fruit, it blesses you, it blesses others, and it glorifies God. God wants us to personally experience His fruit and to be fruitful, because He has specific work for us to do like Ephesians 2:10 tells us "...so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago”. And John 15:16 lifts our heads by reminding us that Christ "...chose you..." to go out and bear fruit as a precursor to answered prayer. Needless to say; when you are producing good fruit, you look like Christ because you are growing and producing from the Holy Spirit within you.
If one is led by the Flesh, the world or the Devil, Paul writes their fruit might be lust, idolatry, sorcery, sexual immorality, but it also might be hostility, jealousy, outbursts of anger and division. It is a sobering thought that God levels the playing field of sin and its bad fruit.
Alternatively, being led by the Holy Spirit produces the oh so delicious, good fruit we’ve been discussing…
1. More Love [we have received God's perfect Love and can give love, though humanly imperfect, to others].
2. Joy [delight and gladness, independent of circumstances].
3. Peace [wholeness, life without conflict, harmony with God and others, irrespective of what is going on].
4. Patience [endurance, long suffering, steadfastness. Remember, God is patient with us].
5. Kindness [gentleness, moral goodness and integrity].
6. Goodness [uprightness of heart, life and kindness. Being and doing good].
7. Faithfulness [dependability and trustworthiness because of confidence in God not self].
8. Gentleness [meekness, power under restraint].
9. Self-control [control the body, appetite and desire by the Holy Sprit’s power not our own].
The Greek word καρπός [car - pos] that we translate as “fruit” [edible], can also be translated as offspring, deed, action, result, or profit. So, in terms of fruit, we are thinking not as the agrarian/agricultural society of Biblical times, but in terms of “What are my deeds and actions?” and “What results am I producing?”. So, I want you to put on your Fruit Inspector hats and think, “What is the evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in and leading my life? Am I producing good fruit or rotten fruit?” Now let me be very clear, this is not to bring condemnation or an indictment against yourself or anyone else! As a born-again Believer, our eternal Salvation is secure, sealed by the Holy Spirit and in the hands of God the righteous judge ONLY! Examining fruit is simply observing results that either line up or don’t line up with God and adjusting accordingly. Remember, Jesus encourages us to be patient as we wait to see good fruit produced in us and in others; the indwelling Holy Spirit will water and nurture us as we simultaneously plant fruit seeds by our actions.
How Can I be a Fruitful Believer?”
1. Accept God's invitation to His feast.
2. Submit fully to God.
3. Build and nurture a relationship with God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
4. Be in continual prayer, meditation and communion with God.
5. Heed the voice of God [know His character to know His voice].
6. Be led by the Holy Spirit, not the world, the flesh or the Enemy.
7. Do periodic fruit inspections: Am I leading people to or away from God? Are my deeds, actions, outcomes lining up with good fruit?
8. Adjust accordingly with conviction not condemnation! Prune, shed, clip or till unproductive or bad fruit.
9. Produce good fruit!
When inspecting your fruit or just in daily living, you may experience a moment of hesitation, a tug or give something a second thought. That little hesitation is usually an indication that the Holy Spirit might possibly be urging you to pause and make a better or wiser decision for an outcome more aligned with His fruit. Press into that pause, because the Holy Spirit is in the pause. For example, letting cooler heads prevail by not sending an angry email to your rude and deceitful co-worker for 24 hours, but instead having a quiet conversation to discuss strategies for working better together--> in the end maybe you both get a bonus, and the co-worker is left scratching their head at why you didn't plum go off [it can and did happen to me]. Good seed planted. And I had a whole lot of joy and peace with that much needed bonus! Take the opportunity to let the Holy Spirit lead you. Into wisdom, into discernment, into Godly decisions and into Godly fruit.
Takeaways for you to remember:
#1. Trinity/Godhead/Triune God – 3 in 1 equal yet distinct existence of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
#2. Pneumatology - Study of the person, work, Biblical doctrine and characteristics of the Holy Spirit.
#3. Produce good fruit!
Yours in Christ!
Dr. Quahana
Want to enjoy some of the Scriptures inspiring this entry? [NLT version unless otherwise noted.]
References:
1) Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology. Moody Press. Chicago. 1989.
2) Erickson, Millard. Who’s Tampering with the Trinity? An Assessment of the Subordination Debate. Kregel. Grand Rapids, MI. 2009.
3) Hawthorne, Gerald. The Presence and the Power: The Significance of the Holy Spirit in the Life and Ministry of Jesus. Word. Dallas. 1991.
4) Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed. Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2003.
5) Packer, J.I. Knowing God. Intervarsity Press IVP Books. Downers Grove, IL. 1973.
6) Strong, J. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Abingdon Press. 1890.
7) Thayer, J. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon. Hendrickson Publishers. 1995.
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