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THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

WHAT IS THE FRUIT?

The fruit of the Holy Spirit refers to the nature of the Spirit revealed in the life of the believer. It is spiritual qualities which should be evident in the lives of all Christians. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are for power. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is for character in the life of a believer. The following chart illustrates differences between spiritual gifts and fruit:

Gifts Fruit

-For ministry to the body -For maturity of the individual

-No believer has all -Each believer should have all

-For power -For character

Spiritual fruit is evidence of spiritual maturity. Like fruit in the natural world, it is a product which is the result of the process of life. Spiritual fruit is Christian character in both personal and social conduct and is a product of the Holy Spirit at work in your life and your response to this work. Just as fruit takes time to develop in the natural world, spiritual fruit takes time to develop. It is the product of natural growth in the life of the Spirit.

TWO KINDS OF FRUIT

The Bible speaks of two kinds of spiritual fruit:

The fruit of evangelism.

The fruit of Godly spiritual qualities.

The Holy Spirit helps believers bear outer fruit by making them a powerful witness of the Gospel message. He also develops the inner fruit of Christ-like spiritual qualities in their lives.

OUTER FRUIT: EVANGELISM

NATURAL REPRODUCTION:

When Adam and Eve were created by God, the first command He gave them was to be "fruitful" and multiply in the natural world:

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it... (Genesis 1:28)

In the natural world, God set a cycle of continuous reproduction:

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. (Genesis 8:22)

SPIRITUAL REPRODUCTION:

From the beginning of the world, God called His people to spiritual reproduction as well as natural. Adam and Eve were to reproduce both spiritually and physically. God's original plan was that they were to fill the earth with people created in the image of God who walked in fellowship with God.

When God raised up the nation of Israel as a people through whom He could demonstrate His power and plan for the world, He called them to be spiritually reproductive:

Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedest room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. (Psalms 80:8-10)

The "vine" which God brought out of Egypt was the nation of Israel. He wanted them to bear spiritual fruit by revealing the true God to the heathen nations around them. Instead, Israel became like the heathen. They began to worship idols and wanted a visible human king to reign over them instead of the invisible King of Kings. Finally, God said of Israel:

Israel is an empty vine... (Hosea 10:1)

Because of their spiritual unfruitfulness, Jesus said:

Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Matthew 21:43)

Because of Israel's refusal to bear fruit, the Gospel of the Kingdom was extended to the Gentile nations. From the Gentiles God raised up the church to fulfill His plan of spiritual reproduction throughout the world.

CHOSEN TO BEAR FRUIT:

As believers, Jesus has chosen us to bear fruit through evangelism of the world:

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain... (John 15:16)

His last command to His followers was one of spiritual reproduction:

Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15)

He challenged His disciples with a great vision of spiritual harvest:

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. (John 4:35-36)

Solomon said:

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. (Proverbs 11:30)

The power of the Holy Spirit enables believers to be spiritually fruitful through evangelism:

But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

The method of spiritual reproduction is given in II Timothy 2:2:

And the thing that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. (II Timothy 2:2)

Just as God established a cycle of harvest in the natural world, He established a cycle of reproduction in the spiritual world. Each believer is to teach the Gospel to people who also reproduce by teaching others. Just as the natural cycle of seedtime and harvest is unending, so is the cycle of spiritual harvest.

INNER FRUIT: CHRIST-LIKENESS

In addition to the outer fruit of evangelism the Bible speaks of positive spiritual qualities produced in the life of a believer by the Holy Spirit. We call this fruit the inner fruit of Christ-likeness. This fruit is listed in Galatians 5:22-23:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

These are inner qualities the Holy Spirit wants to develop in the life of the believer. They are qualities that are like the spiritual qualities which were evident in the life of Jesus Christ. This is why we call them Christ-like qualities.

The word "fruit" is singular. It is not plural [fruits]. Remember that spiritual gifts are many and are divided among believers according to the will of the Holy Spirit.

Fruit is singular. It can be understood by the natural example of grapes. A cluster of grapes has several individual grapes on it, but it is one cluster. In the natural world when grapes are picked from the vine they are picked in a cluster. This cluster of several grapes is called the "fruit" [singular] of the vine.

In the spiritual world the fruit of the Holy Spirit is similar to a cluster of grapes. It is separate spiritual qualities joined together in one cluster or fruit. This one fruit is spiritual maturity which is revealed in many Christ-like qualities.

Meekness-Temperance

Love-Joy-Peace

Kindness-Goodness

Longsuffering

Faithfulness

God wants all believers to have the fruit of the Spirit. Unlike gifts which are plural [many] and are divided among believers, fruit [singular] is to be possessed by every believer.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is found in every act of goodness, righteousness, and truth done by believers:

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth. (Ephesians 5:9)

The following are the fruit of the Holy Spirit:

LOVE

Love is an emotion of deep affection, care, and concern. Love is an act of your will. It is an unconditional giving of self to others regardless of their condition or circumstances. As you learned in your study of spiritual gifts, love is the key to operation of all spiritual gifts. It is also the quality from which all spiritual fruit develops. This is revealed when you compare the passage on the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians to the "love passage" in I Corinthians 13:

I Corinthians 13:1-7 Galatians 5:22-23

Does not seek her own, Love is not selfish or self-centered. Love does not rejoice in iniquity but rather rejoices in the truth. Love is not easily provoked, but Peace is serene and stable.

Love suffers long, perseveres, Longsuffering is patient. Love is merciful, thoughtful, Kind [Gentleness] and concerned; it envies not. Love is great, gracious, and Goodness generous; it is kind and good. Love thinks no evil, but has Faithfulness faith in God and others. Love is humble and gentle, Meekness does not vaunt itself. Love is disciplined and Temperance controlled, does not behave itself unbecomingly.

Faith, which is both a gift and fruit of the Spirit, works by love:

...but faith which worketh by love. (Galatians 5:6)

The spiritual fruit of love is not love as it is often depicted by the world. It is a love that is "unfeigned.” This means it is a holy love. Unfeigned love is the type of love you are to show to others:

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. (I Peter 1:22)

You are to love God:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this if the first commandment. (Mark 12:30)

(See also I John 2:5,15; 3:11-17; 4:7-20; 5:2; II John 1:5-6; Deuteronomy 6:5; Luke 10:27).

You are to love your enemies:

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you... And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? For sinners also do even the same... But love ye your enemies, and do good... (Luke 6:27,32,35)

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. (Matthew 5:43-44)

You are to love your neighbors as much as you love yourself:

...Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Matthew 19:19)

Jesus wants you to love others as much as He loved you:

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34)

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love... This is my commandment, That ye love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:9,12)

And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. (John 17:26)

It is by our love for one another that we will be recognized as Christians:

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:35)

If you do not love other believers God's love is not in you:

He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. (I John 2:9-10)

(This is a very important truth. Study it further in John 13:34; 14:15,21,23,31; 15:9-19; 17:26; 21:15-17).

Your love is to abound [to increase]:

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. (Philippians 1:9)

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men...(I Thessalonians 3:12)

You are to be rooted and grounded in love:

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height; And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

You are to "forbear" or relate to others in love:

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)

You are to keep yourself in love:

Keep yourselves in the love of God... (Jude 21)

...follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (I Timothy 6:11)

Your work for the Lord is to be a labor of love:

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love... (I Thessalonians 1:3)

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:10)

As we near the end of time here on earth, the love of many will not endure. It will "wax cold.” This means people will become uncaring:

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)

But we are given the assurance that nothing can separate us from God's love:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35,38-39)

David wrote much about love. See Psalms 31:23; 18:1; 40:16; 97:10; 116:1; 119:97, 113, 119, 127, 132, 159, 163, 105, 167; 122:6; 145:20. Study the book of I John. One of the major themes of this book is love.

JOY

Joy is a quality of gladness, delight, and jubilance.

The spiritual fruit of joy and the emotion of happiness are not the same. Each springs from a different source. Happiness comes from the world around you and is dependent upon your circumstances. Joy originates with the Spirit of God and is not dependent upon outward circumstances.

Jesus Christ brought joy at His birth:

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

It is God's desire that you have joy:

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (John 15:11)

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. (John 17:13)

The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Ghost:

And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. (Acts 13:52)

The believer's source of joy is not worldly things but God:

...in thy presence, is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalms 16:11)

Because your joy is spiritual and not dependent on outward circumstances you can rejoice in temptation:

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations... (James 1:2)

You can also rejoice in tribulation [difficult times]:

I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation. (II Corinthians 7:4)

You can be longsuffering with joy:

...longsuffering with joyfulness. (Colossians 1:11)

Joy is part of the Kingdom of God:

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17)

The Bible encourages believers to be joyful and express this joy unto the Lord:

But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy....let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. (Psalms 5:11)

(See also Psalms 35:9; 63:5; 66:1; 81:1; 95:1-2; 149:5; 98:4,6,8; 100:1).

PEACE

Peace is a condition of quiet, calm, tranquility, and harmony. It is the absence of strife, anxiety, and concern. It is not just passivity. Maintaining peace for powerful action on the part of the peacemaker.

Confusion is the opposite of peace. God does not cause confusion. His desire is to bring peace:

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (I Corinthians 14:33)

Jesus brought peace to earth:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2:14)

All true peace comes through Jesus Christ:

...preaching peace by Jesus Christ...(Acts 10:36)

For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us... (Ephesians 2:14)

Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

Jesus left His followers with a special peace:

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

The teachings of Jesus brought peace:

These things have I spoken to you that in me ye might have peace. (John 16:33)

The Gospel is a message of peace:

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:15)

There are two types of peace. The first is peace with God:

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

After you have made peace with God, you can have the peace of God in your life:

And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

We are told to follow after things which result in peace:

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. (Romans 14:19)

We are to live in peace:

...be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. (II Corinthians 13:11)

We are to live peaceably with all men:

Follow peace with all men... (Hebrews 12:14)

We are to keep the unity of the Spirit through peace:

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)

The peace of God is to rule in our hearts:

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body... (Colossians 3:15)

We are to be found in peace at all times:

...that ye may be found of Him in peace... (II Peter 3:14)

LONGSUFFERING

Longsuffering is the quality of patience. It is the ability to cheerfully bear an unbearable situation and patiently endure. Longsuffering is a quality of God:

...The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth. (Exodus 34:6)

The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression... (Numbers 14:18)

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. (Psalms 86:15)

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation... (II Peter 3:15)

Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering... (Romans 2:4)

Longsuffering was a quality evident in the ministry of the Apostle Paul:

But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience... (II Timothy 3:10)

We are told to be longsuffering with joyfulness:

Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience, and longsuffering with joyfulness. (Colossians 1:11)

We are called to be longsuffering:

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)

We are to preach the Word of God with longsuffering:

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (II Timothy 4:2)

Believers are to "put on" longsuffering as a spiritual quality:

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. (Colossians 3:12)

GENTLENESS

Gentleness is the quality of having a mild manner, not severe, violent, or loud. It is a quiet and respectful kindness.

The Bible warns believers not to strive but to be gentle to all men:

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient...(II Timothy 2:24)

We are not to be brawlers. Brawlers are people who are always fighting or arguing:

To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. (Titus 3:2)

We are to be easily entreated. That means we are to be easily approached by others because of our gentle nature:

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (James 3:17)

David wrote:

Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation; and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. (Psalms 18:35)

GOODNESS

Goodness is acts of holiness or righteousness. Goodness is a quality of God:

..the goodness of God endureth continually. (Psalms 52:1)

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men. (Psalms 107:8,15,21,31)

My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. (Psalms 144:2)

The earth shows the goodness of God:

...the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. (Psalms 33:5)

God crowns the year with His goodness. This means all the blessings of each year are from Him:

Thou crownest the year with thy goodness... (Psalms) 65:11

The goodness of God is shown to sinners to lead them to repentance:

Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4)

King David said that he would have fainted had it not been for the goodness of God:

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalms 27:13)

David said God's goodness is laid up for us:

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men. (Psalms 31:19)

God fills the hungry with goodness:

For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. (Psalms 107:9)

As a believer, the goodness and mercy of God follows you:

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life... (Psalms 23:6)

FAITH

The concepts taught about faith as a gift are also applicable to faith as a fruit. Faith as a gift is power. It is an action. It is a strong confidence in God which enables a believer to take action where others will not act because of unbelief. Faith as a fruit is character. It is an attitude of faith towards God. It is developed through the process of His life within us bringing spiritual growth. While everyone does not have the gift of faith, the fruit of faith should be evident in the lives of all believers.

MEEKNESS

Meekness is controlled strength. Meekness is to be the method used in restoring a backslider. A backslider is one who goes back into a life of sin after having received Jesus as Savior:

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
(Colossians 3:12-13)

Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

Meekness keeps unity in the church:

...walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3)

Meekness should be used in dealing with all men:

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. (II Timothy 2:24-25)

To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. (Titus 3:2)

You are to receive God's Word with meekness:

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. (James 1:21)

A wise man is a meek man:

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. (James 3:13)

Believers are encouraged to seek this quality of meekness:

Put on therefore, as the elect of god, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. (Colossians 3:12)

But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. (I Timothy 6:11)

Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness... (Zephaniah 2:3)

TEMPERANCE

Temperance is moderation in emotions, thoughts, and actions. It is self-control.

Temperance is mastery in all things:

But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (I Corinthians 9:27) (See I Corinthians 9:19-27).

We are told to add temperance to our lives:

And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience... (II Peter 1:6)

Temperance was part of Paul's message of the Gospel:

And he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come... (Acts 24:25)

IMPORTANCE OF THE FRUIT

Jesus placed great emphasis on fruit bearing. In one parable He said:

A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down: why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (Luke 13:6-9)

Another time Jesus saw a fig tree which had no fruit:

Now in the morning as He returned into the city, He hungered. And when He saw a fig tree in the way, He came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. (Matthew 21:18-19)

Jesus cursing the fig tree was not an act of anger because He was hungry and the tree had no fruit. He was teaching an important truth. The fig tree had a good appearance. It had green leaves and looked as if it should be fruitful. But it had no fruit. Some people give the outward appearance of being spiritual, but inwardly they do not have the spiritual fruit of Christ-likeness. This was the condition of the Pharisees, a religious group at the time of Christ. Jesus said to them:

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. (Matthew 23:27)

God is concerned about fruitfulness rather than the appearance of fruitfulness.

Generally speaking, more emphasis has been placed on the gifts rather than the fruit of the Holy Spirit in modern ministry. But the Bible emphasizes spiritual fruit:

Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them... (Matthew 7:20)

The fruit, or spiritual qualities shown by a person, reveals what he is like inside:

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:43-45)

A man may have personal appeal [charisma] that can be mistaken for spiritual power. He may even do miracles in the name of the Lord. But Jesus said:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23)

Jude warned against those who would "creep in" to the church and teach false doctrine. He said one of the ways to recognize them was by the lack of fruit in their lives:

...These are...trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. (Jude 12)

The important thing in any ministry is the fruit because... "By their FRUITS ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20).

In the natural world it is the fruit which carries within it the seeds which reproduce. In the spirit world it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit which has the capacity for spiritual reproduction:

-The fruit of Christ-like qualities in lives of believers draws sinful men to God.

-The fruit of evangelism spreads the Gospel of the Kingdom and results in spiritual harvest throughout the world.

FOR FURTHER STUDY

Read Matthew 5:1-12. How many inner fruit of Christ-likeness can you find in this passage? For example, the fruit of joy is mentioned in verse 12.

Read I Corinthians chapter 13 which concerns the spiritual fruit of love. How many other spiritual fruit can you see expressed in love? For example, "believes all things" in verse 7 is the fruit of faith.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit are manifestations of God's character. God is a God of:

 

Love: I John 4:16; Titus 3:4

Joy: Matthew 25:21

Peace: Philippians 4:7

Longsuffering: II Peter 3:9,15

Gentleness: Matthew 11:28-30

Goodness: II Peter 1:3

Faithfulness: II Timothy 2:13

Meekness: Zephaniah 2:3

Temperance: Hebrews 12:11 (God's chastening demonstrates moderation).

Jesus Christ had all the fruit of the Holy Spirit evident in His life:

Outer Fruit: Evangelism: John 10:16; Mark 1:38

Inner Fruit:

Love: Mark 10:21; John 11:5,36

Joy: John 15:11

Peace: John 14:27

Longsuffering: I Peter 3:15

Gentleness: II Corinthians 10:1

Goodness: Romans 11:22

Faith: Matthew 17:14-21

Meekness: II Corinthians 10:1

Temperance: Luke 4:1-13

Read the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Study references where Jesus demonstrated fruit of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

 

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