Fruit: The Evidence of a True Believer

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

~Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

Often times the fruits of the Spirit are left as a surface level topic, only for kids and never fully unpacked as adults. I believe it is deeply impactful for our daily lives and sanctification, so let's unpack them!

1. What ARE the fruits of the Spirit?

• LOVE (as defined in the bible):

  Sacrificing yourself for the sake of others.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

~1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV

 "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot[a] love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."

~1 John 4:7-21 ESV

• JOY (as defined in the bible):

  A state of contentment that does not change with circumstances.

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places."

~Habakkuk 3:17-19 ESV

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

~Psalm 16:11 ESV

• PEACE (as defined in the bible):

  A state of being only found in Jesus.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

~John 14:27 ESV

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

~Philippians 4:6-7 ESV

• PATIENCE (as defined in the bible):

  Waiting or enduring for what is in the Lord's Will.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

~James 1:2-4

"But the one who endures to the end will be saved."

~Matthew 24:13 ESV

• KINDNESS (as defined in the bible):

  Putting others first without expecting anything in return.

"And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii[a] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

~Luke 10:23-37 ESV

"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"

~Matthew 5:44 ESV

• GOODNESS (as defined in the bible):

  Acting upon the truth.

"(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true)"

~Ephesians 5:9 ESV

"To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,"

~2 Thessalonians 1:11 ESV

• FAITHFULNESS (as defined in the bible):

  Keeping your word and enduring through tribulation.

"And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”

~Genesis 9:12-16 ESV

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

~Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV

• GENTLENESS (as defined in the bible):

  Bearing humility and compassion towards others.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

~Matthew 11:28-30 ESV

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."

~Colossians 3:12-23 ESV

• SELF-CONTROL (as defined in the bible):

  Controlling your actions and applying what you believe.

 "But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."

~1 Corinthians 9:27 ESV

"Do not be conformed to this world,[a] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

~Romans 12:2 ESV

2. What ARE the fruits of the Spirit?

It is evidence of a Spirit-filled life.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."

~Matthew 7:15-20 ESV

3. How do we get filled with the Spirit?

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh... If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."

~Galatians 5:16, 25 ESV

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

~John 15:1-5 ESV

The most impactful way to share Jesus with the world is by example. If we ourselves do not know him or live by these guidelines, how can we expect others to? The closer we follow Jesus, the more we will be transformed into his image.

"But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

~2 Corinthians 3:16-18 ESV

Although not much commentary was added, I pray these scriptures move you, for the Bible is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12). I believe that the Bible interprets itself; the most impactful words I can share is The Word of God.

Blessings in Christ Jesus,

Harper Foriest