The Fruit of the Holy Spirit
7.4 - Foundations of the Christian Faith
The fruit of the Holy Spirit is the very character of Jesus developing in us through the work of the Holy Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” These differ from the Gifts of the Spirit discussed in the previous pages. These fruits rise up as character traits in the believer as the Holy Spirit molds and shapes our personality to conform to the image of Jesus. John recounts Jesus’ words about being transformed into His image. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:5-8). God has called us to bear much fruit, but the scriptures make it clear that we can only do so by remaining connected to the source of life, which is Jesus. The sap of the vine must run through the branches if the plant is to set its fruit. We are those branches, and Jesus is that vine (root or source). You will note that a branch doesn’t strive to bear fruit; it is a natural process of remaining in the vine. Likewise, it is important that we not strive to generate these fruits in our lives. Just stay attached to Jesus and the fruit of the Holy Spirit will naturally appear, day by day, as you walk with Him in faith.
Your assignment: Read the following scriptures to see what else the scriptures say about the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22–25
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Matthew 7:15–20
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Matthew 12:33–35
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
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