The Fruit of the Spirit

Prepared by Dr James A McCullen

INTRODUCTION:

          What is the difference between the fruit of the spirit and the gifts of the Spirit? The gifts are given as the Holy Spirit wills, as stated in these words of Paul “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. (I Cor.12:11).

The fruit of the Spirit is given to all Christians. Gifts cause us to be effective in service while the fruit of the Spirit causes the kind of character needed to be most effective in service and day by day life.

          Paul lists love as the first fruit of the Spirit here in Galatians. It is the quality of life most likely to call attention to the fact that one belongs to Jesus Christ. Jesus told his disciples, "love one another. . . and. . . all men will know you are my disciples, . . ." John 13:34-35. It is produced by the Holy Spirit in the life of a born again person.

          The quality of this love is demonstrated by Paul because he chose the Greek word AGAPE rather than the Greek words PHILEO or EROS. The term AGAPE is a godly kind of love, PHILEO is a tender affection or brotherly love while EROS is the Greek form for physical or sexual love.

No doubt Paul knew these words but he was led by the Spirit to choose the word which speaks of love in its finest expression. Godly love is unusual when compared to even the finest expressions by humans (I John 3:1).

This quality of love produces many of the virtues of the Christian life. Love focuses the Christian life.

This Godly quality of love produces:

     A love for God                      I John 4:19

     A desire for fellowship with God                   Pr. 8:17

     A love for the Word of God              Ps. 119:97

     A love for all people                    Mk. 12:43

     A love for Christians                    Jn. 13:34

     A love for the Name of God             Heb. 6:10

The Fruit "LOVE" gives rise to all the other fruit!

     Joy;                   "Rejoicing in truth"          1 Cor 13:6

     Peace;               "Is not provoked"        1 Cor 13:5

     Patience;            "Is Patient"                  1 Cor 13:4

     Kindness;           "Is Kind"        1 Cor 13:4

     Goodness;         "No account of wrongs."    1 Cor 13:5

     Faithfulness       "Believes all things"           1 Cor 13:7

     Gentleness        "Does not brag"                  1 Cor 13:4

     Self Control;       "Does not seek its own"     1 Cor 13:5

The quality of this love is provided as an individual needs it. The Holy Spirit knows our needs (Rom. 8:26) and supplies the fruit of love as we need it. We can be the loving people God wants us to be. This is not true because we are loving or because people are loveable, but because He causes the fruit of His Spirit called Love to abound in us as we need it.

Love can cause a Christian to stand out in a crowd. Jesus said "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (JOH 13:34 - 35)

The inquiry about this fruit of the Spirit is, do you have it? If you can not say, "yes, I have the love of God working in my body, mind and spirit, then you are not a child of God. Please note the following verse; “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Cor 12:13)

Also notice the words in ROM 8:9, “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” If you know you have God's love but know it doesn't abound, you need to yield anew so that the Spirit may have complete freedom to produce His fruit of Love.

Do you know you have God's Spirit in your body, mind and spirit, but you want to be more yielded? Then you can do what is called Spiritual breathing. You need to exhale sin and inhale forgiveness. Confession of sin is spiritually exhaling. Accepting God's forgiveness is spiritual inhaling. IT IS TAUGHT IN I Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Do you know you have not received Jesus as your Lord and savior and had His Holy Spirit come into your body, mind and soul? Then you need to: Admit your need, Believe Jesus can meet that need, and Commit yourself to Jesus Christ. Do it now.

2.   THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT     JOY          

EXPLANATION:

 Joy is the second link in this golden chain and it dwells in the house of LOVE. There can be no real joy if there is not Godly love. This joy is more than temporary happiness or pleasure; it is a deep rooted quality not dependent on outward conditions. The world can give pleasure; it cannot give joy.

It causes real enthusiasm and the heart to sing in the midst of trouble. It is given to all who trust Christ as Savior. It is the flag that flies from life's castle when the King is in residence.

Without proper relationship to Christ, that which may seem to be joy is only counterfeit. It will not pass inspection. It is not real joy like the Spirit produces.

ILLUSTRATION:

Testified a Scotsman who had found the Lord Jesus as his Savior, that he was so joyful that he could scarcely find words to express himself. He stood up in a testimony meeting and declared, "I'm happier noo, when I'm no happy, than I wis afore when I was happy."

APPLICATION:

Do you have joy which is more than a smile? Down deep in your heart is the quality of joy produced that will cause you to be unmovable in the midst of trouble, sorrow or grief? Is there a quality that makes others notice there's something different about you. Now notice the third fruit of the Spirit.

3.   THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT: PEACE  

EXPLANATION:

Peace is the holy calm breathed by God's Spirit. When He takes possession of mind, heart and will, His fruit is peace. In the midst of chaos, He gives peace. In the midst of misery, He makes peace. In the midst of tragedy, He produces peace. After the war of passion and pride, He says, "Peace." After the tempest of doubt and fear, He says, "Peace." This peace works harmony between man and God, but it also results in harmony between man and man, and man and woman. This word is used to translate the Hebrew term, Shalom, which primarily signifies wholeness.

ILLUSTRATION:

It makes a great deal of difference by whom our sin is covered. The trusted agent of a large firm had, in time of unusual expense, run past his allowance, and had taken company funds for a wrong use. He became distressed for fear he would be discovered and regarded as a criminal. Thinking to gain advice, he disclosed his trouble to a fellow agent, who responded, "Oh, don't worry, I can cover that up for you." "But you're not the man to cover it up." He went straight to the head of the firm and explained everything to him. "You've made a serious mistake," said the man, "but I'll cover the discrepancy for you this time," and wrote a check for the amount. "Ah, if you cover it, I am all right!" When God forgives a man his sin, he finds peace which he never had before.

APPLICATION:

Do you have peace? As a Christian believer, is there peace in the midst of trouble and turmoil or tragedy? The Spirit can and does produce that kind of peace.

4.   THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT: PATIENCE

EXPLANATION:

This word translated "patience" or "long-suffering" in KJV is made from two Greek words. The first word, MAKROS, means length, or of long duration. THUMOS means temper, anger or enraged. Therefore, the word most literally means long on temper. Because our word "patience" has come to mean what this word expresses, most new translations of scripture say patience rather than long-suffering.

Vine says MAKROTHUMIA (translated patience) is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish; it is the opposite of anger and is associated with mercy and is used of God, Ex. 34:6; Rom. 2:4; I Pet. 3:20. However, it is not just enduring trial, it is praise for Jesus in the midst of difficulty.

Paul writes in the I Cor. letter, chapter 13, that love is patient and is not easily provoked or angered. The third fruit of the Spirit mentioned is peace. It would seem strange to have love and peace growing along side of anger and a short temper.

ILLUSTRATION:

A certain woman who was most faithful in attendance at church, and who manifested a beautiful spirit at all times, lived under most trying circumstances. She was asked, "How is it that you are never out of temper? Is it that you do not feel the injustice, the annoyances?" "I feel them as much as anyone else," she replied, "but they do not hurt me." She was then asked, "Have you some special recipe?" "Yes," she replied "for vexations caused by people I apply affection. For those caused by circumstances, I apply prayer. And over every wound that bleeds and burns, I murmur the words, `Thy will be done'."

APPLICATION:

Do you have patience? Are you long-suffering? Trusting Jesus day by day produces an abiding life that gives the Spirit freedom to produce the fruit of patience. In fact, a moment by moment relationship with Jesus eliminates a short temper or a quick fuse. Notice the next quality the Spirit produces.

5.   THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT: KINDNESS. (GENTLENESS)

EXPLANATION:

Kindness is the word used in the NASB. Gentleness is the word in the KJV. The Greek word is (CHRASTOTAS) is correctly translated kindness. It describes the quality of goodness of heart, graciousness, tenderness or benevolence. (This is how we get the name for benevolence committee.) Kindness is an active, busy quality. It is the positive expression from a patient heart. Kindness is the thoughtful insight, the gentle ministering hand of love.

ILLUSTRATION:

An old Christian man moved into a community where lived a notoriously disagreeable and contentious neighbor. When informed of the character of his neighbor, the old man answered, "If he disturbs me, I will kill him."

His statement reached the ears of this neighbor who in various ways tormented the new settler. But every offense was met with kindness until at last the contentious neighbor was overwhelmed. "I was told he would kill me, but I did not know he would kill me with kindness."

APPLICATION

The art of being kind and showing kindness is one that never ceases to please, and is within the reach of all who name Jesus as Lord. Do you and I yield to the Spirit so He can have complete freedom in producing the fruit of kindness?

6.   THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT: FAITHFULNESS. (FAITH)

EXPLANATION:

The first word can be translated faith or faithfulness. It seems to have three basic ideas in it.

First, it means faithfulness or, "faithful faith." This quality allows one to perform tasks in a faithful manner. A person walking in the fulness of God's Spirit might say, "I'd like to quit, but the Lord tells me to stick with it."

Secondly, it means trustworthiness. It is a quality so obvious in another that you don't question whether or not you can trust them. They are worthy of your trust and it is because the Spirit of our Lord has built that quality in them. Several commentators on this fruit of the Spirit bring out that people who do not trust others probably indicate they expect from others what they produce in their own lives. I Cor. 4:2 says, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy.'

Thirdly, this quality means confidence in God and your brothers in Christ. It believes God is a faithful and loyal God. Therefore, this person wants to be faithful and loyal. They walk in the fulness of God's Spirit and their loyalty causes others to be confident in them and their God.

ILLUSTRATION:

Mrs. Craig has been regular in attendance for 1040 Sundays. Doesn't she get tired or have unexpected company or oversleep? What's wrong with her? She's Faithful!

APPLICATION:

God can produce this quality in us as we yield to Him.

7.   THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT: GOODNESS. (Kindness)

EXPLANATION:

All major translations agree that this Greek word (AGATHOSUNA) should be translated goodness.. But what is the difference between goodness and kindness? Trench has written a book on the Synonyms of the New Testament. He suggests a person might express "goodness" in rebuking, correcting, chastising, and he relates the story of Christ cleansing the temple and spoke to the Scribes and Pharisees, but few, if any, would call it kindness. Lightfoot regards kindness as a kindly disposition toward others; goodness as a kindly activity on their behalf. Goodness is a quality of character and God is absolutely good. In Acts 10:37-38, Luke tells us Jesus went about doing good. It is noteworthy that this ministry of Jesus was first anointed by the Holy Spirit.

ILLUSTRATION:

Rev. Ira Gillet, missionary to Portuguese East Africa, tells the story of a group of natives who made a along journey and walked past a government hospital for treatment. When asked why they had walked the extra distance to reach the mission hospital when the same medicines were available at the government institution, they replied, "The medicines may be the same, but the hands are different."

APPLICATION:

The goodness of God's Spirit makes the hands, the feet, the heart and all of our being different. Are you good? If you're a Christian, the answer should be, "yes, because I have the quality of goodness produced in me by the Holy Spirit.

8.   THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT: GENTLENESS.(MEEKNESS)

EXPLANATION:

The word gentleness or meekness means a spirit in which we accept God's dealings with us as good. Therefore we do not dispute or resist. This word is closely akin to humbleness.

It speaks of a quality of mind and heart. It is not a sign of weakness but of power and strength. This word is used in the New Testament to indicate the following. First: Submission to the will of God. Second: to be teachable. The one having this quality is not too proud or too busy to learn. Likewise, it is the one who is constantly willing to be taught who is more likely to mature in all of the Christian graces. This person would be eager to attend Sunday School and Discipleship Training. Third: the term means to be tamed and brought under control of another. Jesus said He was meek. It is said of Moses that he was meek.

It is gentleness or meekness through being so close to Jesus you become more and more like Him.

ILLUSTRATION:

I remember the first time I made sun tea. I took a one gallon jug and six tea bags, filled the jug with water and set it out in the sun. Little by little, very gently, the tea began to influence the water. In a few hours, we had tea.

APPLICATION:

If a person has this quality being produced in them, it will be evidenced in their attitude. They will not have to have their way all the time, they will be able to walk within the structure of the fellowship. Occasionally, someone will say, "you better be careful how you approach that person, because they get mad easily." Obviously they have quenched the Spirit's production of this fruit in their life.

9.   THE FRUIT of the SPIRIT: SELF-CONTROL

EXPLANATION:

Self-control includes temperance when temperance is defined as the proper amount of good things and total abstinence from evil things. The Christian’s need to control any bodily appetite or impulse that could hinder their witness for Christ if it were not kept in line with Biblical principles. All of our nature and natural desires need to be placed under the control of God's Spirit. We could say the fruit of the Spirit is a controlled temper, tongue, appetite and sex drive.

ILLUSTRATION:

In one of Homer's Greek mythologies, he tells the story of an island in habited by beautiful, seductive maidens. Their singing caused many ships to be destroyed on the reefs surrounding the island. Ship captains tried a number of methods to foil the temptation. Some filled the ears of their sailors with wax.

Yet Jason and his crew found an even better method. He took on board his ship a man named Orpheus. He was the sweetest singer of his day. When Jason's ship neared the island, Orpheus played his lyre and sang a song far more grand than the cheap, seductive song of the maidens. The songs of the sirens were no match for the sweet singing of Orpheus.

APPLICATION:

All of us need every fruit the Spirit of God produces. We need the ability to control our self. The Bible says the Spirit gives or produces this ability. Do you have the ability to control your appetite and natural drives that, when uncontrolled, hinder you witness? Submit to the fulness of God's Spirit. This is the Spirit's control of self.

CONCLUSION

No one can exhaust the word of God. Hopefully this study will add to your desire to study this text and be one, increasing in the fruit of God’s Spirit.  Our world needs to see such Christians abounding in the faith.

Dr James McCullen prepared this study. We have prayed for God’s anointing on the usages of this message. May it add to your Christian growth.

Shalom, and Immanuel

James A McCullen

E-Mail      preachhimjim@gmail.com