Gal 5:22 | KingComments | STEP | . In we read about the “deeds [plural] of the flesh”. In Paul mentions the “fruit [singular] of the Spirit”. If you think of the deeds of the flesh, you see those deeds more as a result of what a man does. As to the fruit of the Spirit, you rather think of an inner attitude. It is a fruit, not of ourselves, as is the case with the deeds of the flesh, but of the Spirit. You could compare it to a factory and a garden. In a factory, people are working hard to realize a certain production. In a garden grows what is sown in it, without any work of man (except probably weeding). The fruit of the Spirit is not the same as the gifts of the Spirit. Anyone who has received the Holy Spirit has also received certain spiritual gifts. Every believer has different gifts . With the fruit of the Spirit this difference is absent. It is a fruit which has to be present in every believer. As mentioned, the word ‘fruit’ is in the singular. It is one fruit, but it is composed of nine parts. You can think of a diamond which is one stone, but with a difference in brightness, depending on how the light shines on it. You can also think of a flower with nine petals. If you remove a petal, the flower loses its beauty. Similarly, the nine parts of the fruit of the Spirit are not available separately. The Holy Spirit wants every part of the fruit to be fully exposed in unity with the whole. The first part that is mentioned is “love”. That is understandable. It is the nature of God. God is love ( ) and His love “has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” ( ). The second part is “joy”. This is the joy which the Holy Spirit works in us as we think of God and what He has done for us in His Son, despite the difficult circumstances in which we can sometimes be. It is the joy “in the Lord” ( ) and that is our strength ( ). “Peace”, the third feature of the fruit, is the inner calmness and peace which is in God. It is the peace of God which, through the Holy Spirit, is worked in us if we are led by Him. Again, this peace will be ours, regardless of the difficult circumstances in which we can sometimes be. Of these three, love, joy and peace, the Lord Jesus speaks of in John 14 and 15: “My love”, “My joy”, “My peace” ( ). Between Him and the Spirit is a perfect agreement. How important is “patience”, the fourth feature. How your patience is tested sometimes if you are in a difficult or hopeless situation or if you have to deal with difficult people. A subsequent feature, the fifth, is “kindness”. In Titus 3, this feature is used for God ( ). It shows His friendly mind and benevolent attitude to sinners. Are His mind and attitude, seen in your life? They surely are, if you are led by the Spirit. “Goodness”, the sixth feature, shows that you are generously and compassionately looking for what is good for others. In Ephesians 5, goodness is connected with the fruit of the light ( ). You show “faithfulness”, the seventh feature, if people can trust you, if you are trustworthy. “Gentleness”, the eighth feature, means that you are willing to take a humble position. It is not a spineless weakness, but an attitude you consciously take and for which you need much spiritual strength. The list ends with the ninth feature, “self-control”. The Holy Spirit leads you to a disciplined life, in which you don’t yield to the impulses of passions and desires. He gives you the ability to control yourself. This ninefold fruit cannot be worked out by putting yourself under the law. This fruit will only grow and prosper in all freshness if you are led by the Holy Spirit. We see this fruit in its full maturity in the Lord Jesus, with the exception of self-control because that word contains the idea of wrong impulses which have to be tamed. Of course such impulses were not present in the Lord Jesus. . The fruit of the Spirit is beyond the reach of the law. But even if the law had had something to do with it, there is still nothing in the fruit of the Spirit that should fall under the judgment of the law. All the features or parts of the fruit of the Spirit are a delight to God, are useful for our fellow man and have a beneficial effect on our own spiritual life. . This fruit is found in “those who belong to Christ Jesus”. They have radically given up “the flesh” and all “passions and desires” which belong to the flesh. For you this means that you must put into practice what you acknowledged when you were converted. Then you made yourself one with the judgment God accomplished on the cross regarding the flesh. Paul does not say to crucify the flesh, but to keep it as crucified. So it is not a painful and slow process of mortification, but a case of accepting in faith what God says. That is in retrospect to what happened on the cross. . At your conversion you received life by the Spirit. Now the point is also to walk by that Spirit. This refers to the present, the here and now. The thought is that a certain position, living by the Spirit, must be demonstrated in practice, walking by the Spirit. . The law could not give life; neither does it give strength to a life in which fruit is borne for God. The last verse indicates again where keeping the law leads to: the pride of one’s own flesh and the contempt of others. Now read Galatians 5:22-26 again. Reflection: Memorize the fruit of the Spirit off by heart.

‏ Galatians 5:22

The Fruit of the Spirit

Gal 5:22-23. In Gal 5:19 we read about the “deeds [plural] of the flesh”. In Gal 5:22 Paul mentions the “fruit [singular] of the Spirit”. If you think of the deeds of the flesh, you see those deeds more as a result of what a man does. As to the fruit of the Spirit, you rather think of an inner attitude. It is a fruit, not of ourselves, as is the case with the deeds of the flesh, but of the Spirit. You could compare it to a factory and a garden. In a factory, people are working hard to realize a certain production. In a garden grows what is sown in it, without any work of man (except probably weeding).

The fruit of the Spirit is not the same as the gifts of the Spirit. Anyone who has received the Holy Spirit has also received certain spiritual gifts. Every believer has different gifts. With the fruit of the Spirit this difference is absent. It is a fruit which has to be present in every believer.

As mentioned, the word ‘fruit’ is in the singular. It is one fruit, but it is composed of nine parts. You can think of a diamond which is one stone, but with a difference in brightness, depending on how the light shines on it. You can also think of a flower with nine petals. If you remove a petal, the flower loses its beauty. Similarly, the nine parts of the fruit of the Spirit are not available separately. The Holy Spirit wants every part of the fruit to be fully exposed in unity with the whole.

The first part that is mentioned is “love”. That is understandable. It is the nature of God. God is love (1Jn 4:8 ; 16) and His love “has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom 5:5).

The second part is “joy”. This is the joy which the Holy Spirit works in us as we think of God and what He has done for us in His Son, despite the difficult circumstances in which we can sometimes be. It is the joy “in the Lord” (Phil 3:1) and that is our strength (Neh 8:10b).

“Peace”, the third feature of the fruit, is the inner calmness and peace which is in God. It is the peace of God which, through the Holy Spirit, is worked in us if we are led by Him. Again, this peace will be ours, regardless of the difficult circumstances in which we can sometimes be.

Of these three, love, joy and peace, the Lord Jesus speaks of in John 14 and 15: “My love”, “My joy”, “My peace” (Jn 14:27 ; Jn 15:10-11). Between Him and the Spirit is a perfect agreement.

How important is “patience”, the fourth feature. How your patience is tested sometimes if you are in a difficult or hopeless situation or if you have to deal with difficult people.

A subsequent feature, the fifth, is “kindness”. In Titus 3, this feature is used for God (Tit 3:4). It shows His friendly mind and benevolent attitude to sinners. Are His mind and attitude, seen in your life? They surely are, if you are led by the Spirit.

“Goodness”, the sixth feature, shows that you are generously and compassionately looking for what is good for others. In Ephesians 5, goodness is connected with the fruit of the light (Eph 5:9).

You show “faithfulness”, the seventh feature, if people can trust you, if you are trustworthy.

“Gentleness”, the eighth feature, means that you are willing to take a humble position. It is not a spineless weakness, but an attitude you consciously take and for which you need much spiritual strength.

The list ends with the ninth feature, “self-control”. The Holy Spirit leads you to a disciplined life, in which you don’t yield to the impulses of passions and desires. He gives you the ability to control yourself.

This ninefold fruit cannot be worked out by putting yourself under the law. This fruit will only grow and prosper in all freshness if you are led by the Holy Spirit. We see this fruit in its full maturity in the Lord Jesus, with the exception of self-control because that word contains the idea of wrong impulses which have to be tamed. Of course such impulses were not present in the Lord Jesus.

Gal 5:23b. The fruit of the Spirit is beyond the reach of the law. But even if the law had had something to do with it, there is still nothing in the fruit of the Spirit that should fall under the judgment of the law. All the features or parts of the fruit of the Spirit are a delight to God, are useful for our fellow man and have a beneficial effect on our own spiritual life.

Gal 5:24. This fruit is found in “those who belong to Christ Jesus”. They have radically given up “the flesh” and all “passions and desires” which belong to the flesh. For you this means that you must put into practice what you acknowledged when you were converted. Then you made yourself one with the judgment God accomplished on the cross regarding the flesh.

Paul does not say to crucify the flesh, but to keep it as crucified. So it is not a painful and slow process of mortification, but a case of accepting in faith what God says. That is in retrospect to what happened on the cross.

Gal 5:25. At your conversion you received life by the Spirit. Now the point is also to walk by that Spirit. This refers to the present, the here and now. The thought is that a certain position, living by the Spirit, must be demonstrated in practice, walking by the Spirit.

Gal 5:26. The law could not give life; neither does it give strength to a life in which fruit is borne for God. The last verse indicates again where keeping the law leads to: the pride of one’s own flesh and the contempt of others.

Now read Galatians 5:22-26 again.

Reflection: Memorize the fruit of the Spirit off by heart.