Galatians 5:22-23

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.’

Galatians 5:22

No efforts of ours can cast off the unsightly works of the flesh; but as the blessed Spirit works in us, to will and to do of His good pleasure, they will fall off, overpowered by the new and increasing strength of the secret life within. There will be no sudden, violent transformation, after the one great momentous transplanting, when we were taken from the kingdom of darkness and placed in that of the Sun of His love (Colossians 1:13), but a slow, silent, sure developing of the hidden life, till all the corruptions and leaves of self-righteousness drop off, not by any spasmodic efforts on our part, but by the irresistible force of the growing life within.

This fruit of the Spirit, which the Apostle so exultingly speaks of here, is to affect our whole being, inside and out, to harmonise, modify, and beautify every relationship of life.

Let us just study this fruit from various points of view, under various aspects, for it is a Divine picture of what God will effect in our hearts, and is intended for our encouragement and comfort.

I. We have the Christian mind as regards itself and God.—‘Love, joy, peace.’ What a wonderful contrast to the hatred, dissatisfaction, restlessness of the carnal mind! What a gleam of brightness for dull, everyday human life!

II. The Christian mind as regards neighbourly intercourse.—‘Longsuffering, kindness, goodness.’ These are the characteristics the child of God should present to a watchful world. Each of these words gives opportunity for careful thought and self-examination. Let us just take them in their primary meaning. ‘Long-suffering.’—That is the patient endurance of injuries and wrongs, being able to avenge or avoid them. ‘Kindness.’—Namely, a kindly disposition and temper, not necessarily showing itself in a practical philanthropy, even perhaps partly only sentimental, yet nevertheless genuine and true. ‘Goodness.’—A kindliness of heart and warmly sympathetic nature which does find its expression in a practical way, a loving compassion manifested in deed and in truth.

III. The Christian mind as regards personal conduct.—‘Faith [R. V. faithfulness], meekness, temperance.’ Oh, how important is this! With what eager curiosity does the world watch the Christian, to see if he really has a higher, nobler standard of work and worth than others have, or profess to have, and whether this loftier ideal is the fruit of a living, loving allegiance to a Divine Master!

And if there is the glorious evidence of trustworthiness, meekness, goodness—what a magnificent tribute it is to the exuberant power of the indwelling life!

—Rev. W. B. Russell Caley.

Illustration

‘We must remember always that the expression in Galatians is the singular “fruit”; the effect of the Spirit’s power is viewed as manifested in one perfect result, a unity comprising variety. That, as in the natural unregenerate heart the strength and power runs to waste, in luxuriant and unrestrained excess, so in the life controlled and moulded by the Holy Spirit there is a concentration of energy on one thing, and that one thing is “fruit”; just as we see now that in many gardens there are apple, pear, plum trees called “Cordon,” in which all extraneous leafage and sprouting is rigidly suppressed and curtailed in order that a few of the very best specimens of fruit may be obtained. Much even that is in itself only beautiful and harmless is sacrificed to this one object—fruitfulness. So the Holy Spirit’s work in the Christian’s heart is with one object, that he may bring forth much perfect fruit. The Divine Spirit is the One Who unites us to Jesus in a living, loving confidence and devotion; and being united to Him, we have “our fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Romans 6:22). All fruitfulness comes from union with the same stem. The same vital power produces all and each. “He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me [or apart from Me] ye can do nothing,” says Jesus Himself (John 15:5); and we reverently and unquestioningly accept the Divine axiom, with all its tremendous and blessed consequences.’