By David Faust
A few times each summer, I visit a farm where customers pay a hefty price to purchase produce they pick with their own hands. Who can resist fresh-picked strawberries and blueberries, or fresh-squeezed cider in the fall?
Fruit receives frequent mentions in the Bible, from the Garden of Eden’s forbidden fruit to John’s heavenly vision of the “tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit” (Revelation 22:2, New International Version). As evidence of Canaan’s fertile soil, the Hebrew spies brought back a giant cluster of grapes strapped on a pole.
The grapevine became a symbol of the nation of Israel, much like the bald eagle or the stars and stripes represent America. Imagine the boldness it took for Jesus to say, “I am the true vine . . . . you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:1, 5). In a sense, bearing fruit for God’s glory summarizes our purpose in life.
A Cluster of Godly Virtues
Fruitful living has no age limit. We can “still bear fruit in old age” (Psalm 92:14). But what kind of fruit will we bear? Remember Jesus’ warning about false prophets? “By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16). What kind of spiritual fruit delights God’s heart and reveals his character to the world? Here’s the answer: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
These nine godly virtues cluster together like grapes on a vine. They’re not meant to be pulled apart, nor are they like talents or personality traits that vary from one person to another. I can’t shrug them off and say, “Joy appeals to me, but I struggle with gentleness, so I’ll let someone else pursue that one!” Instead, I need the Lord to grow all of these qualities in my life.
Before examining each individual fruit, here are three overall points to keep in mind.
Context. Galatians is a letter about spiritual freedom. Galatians 5 compares the liberating beauty of a Spirit-led life with the rotten results of a life dominated by the world, the flesh, and the devil. The contrast is sharp. “The acts of the flesh” include “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.” The apostle Paul warns, “Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).
Cooperation. Farmers plant, weed, and reap, but they depend on God to make things grow. Likewise, spiritual fruit-bearing requires cooperation between our human spirits and the Spirit of God. Followers of Christ are told, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” but “it is God who works in you . . . to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13).
Christ. To learn what a Spirit-led life looks like, consider Jesus Christ. No one was ever more Spirit-filled than Jesus. By bearing the fruit of the Spirit, we imitate Christ’s example and become more like him in attitude and action.
Paul makes this wry comment about the fruit of the Spirit: “Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:23). What reasonable government would ever pass a law against kindness and self-control? Who would ever outlaw love, joy, and peace?
I hope you will join me in this column in the weeks ahead as we consider each of these Christ-like qualities the Holy Spirit wants to nourish in our hearts.
Next Week: The Fruit of Love
David Faust serves as contributing editor of Christian Standard and senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is the author of Honest Questions, Honest Answers.
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