Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church in chapter 5 of the Book of Galatians speaks to us about life in the Spirit and tells us about the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit.
Now where did this Biblical concept of fruit originate? Well it originated with the teachings of Jesus of course when he was leading and teaching his disciples and preaching to the Jewish people.
But one of the first teachings on fruit came through John the Baptist who we all know was filled with the Holy Spirit from when he was in his mother’s womb.
But one of the first teachings on fruit came through John the Baptist who we all know was filled with the Holy Spirit from when he was in his mother’s womb.
Luke 1:14-15 (NIV)
14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
John the Baptist's word on fruit went like this:
Matthew 3:7-10 (NLT)
7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
This was a harsh word to the religious leaders of the day – repent and start producing good fruit, or you end up in hell!
Jesus is our focal point and the reason why we exist as born-again Christians. Everything we are and everything we do should be done to ensure that we become His imitators – to be conformed to His image day by day. We can’t do this unless we are Spirit filled, obedient to His every word, loving God with all our heart and loving our neighbours as we love ourselves!
Ephesians 5:1-2 (AMP)
1. Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
In the book of John, we will find the most significant teaching Jesus gave on the bearing of fruit in our lives that we will be able to find in the Bible. Let’s examine the Lord’s teachings on fruit before we actually move into Paul’s teaching in Galatians.
Jesus, the True Vine
John 15:1-7 (NIV)
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[cleans] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Let’s do an analysis of the above eight verses to try and emphasise the importance of what we are being told.
Verse 1. I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
Jesus is the source of our salvation and through Him we receive all that God has for us. God the Father lovingly tends and nurtures us through Jesus as a gardener tends a garden. We are connected to God through Jesus and His Holy Spirit.
2. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes [cleans] so that it will be even more fruitful.
If we don’t bear good fruit, then it is God (the gardener) that cuts us off! When we are bearing good fruit, God prunes us – this can be quite painful at times – so that we will produce more fruit.
3. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
We are cleansed from our sin by the Word and work of Jesus on the Cross. Jesus is the Word.
4. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
We must stay connected to Jesus (keep your eyes on Him) because without Him and by the leading of the Holy Spirit we can do nothing, and we will not be able to bear good fruit.
5. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Repeat of the previous verse. Jesus emphasizing the importance of remaining in Him and Him alone.
6. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
If we don’t remain in Him, we will be cut off and end up in hell.
7. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
When we remain in Jesus, our voice (prayers) is heard by God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit interceding on our behalf.
8. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
When we bear much fruit, we prove that we are Jesus’ true disciples, doing this is to the glory of the Father and Jesus the Son!
A very strong word from the Lord about remaining in Him and bearing good fruit and the consequences if we do not!
Let’s have a look at what else Jesus tells us about bearing fruit:
John 15:16 (NIV)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
The above two verses tell us that born again Christians (true followers of Christ) are chose and appointed to go and produce fruit that will last and when we do, our prayers in the name of Jesus will be answered!
Now what kind of fruit will last? We know from the Bible that the flesh bears the perishable, but the Spirit bears the imperishable!
1 Peter 1:23 (NIV)
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
As born-again Christians we are born of the Spirit – imperishable seed!
John 3:5-8 (NLT)
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
And as we are now born of imperishable seed, we need to be producing fruit that will last! The fruit that will last is the fruit of the Spirit.
1 Peter 1:23 (NIV)
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
If we walk by the Spirit, we won’t be pleasing ourselves and gratifying our sinful nature, but we will be walking in the will of God – His good, pleasing and perfect will and we will be empowered to do the things Jesus did – and even greater things.
John 14:12 (NIV)
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Galatians 5:16-18 (NIV)
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is
contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
When we, the Church, are living life in the spirit and operating in the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will be naturally produced in and through us and will become evident for all to see.
Let’s now compare the fruit or acts of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit that Paul tells us about in Galatians 5 so that we know exactly what kind of imperishable fruit we need to be producing in our lives as born-again Christians.
Acts (fruit) of the flesh – Galatians 5 verses 19-21
Sexual immorality – Impurity - Lustful pleasures – Idolatry – Sorcery – Hostility – Quarrelling – Jealousy – Outbursts of anger - Selfish ambition – Dissension – Division – Envy – Drunkenness – Wild parties – Other things like these
Galatians 5:19-21 (AMP)
19 Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], 21 envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5 verses 22-23
Love – Joy – Peace – Patience – Kindness – Goodness – Faithfulness – Gentleness – Self-control
Galatians 5:22-26 (AMP)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the [l]sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.
25 If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. 26 We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another.
The supernatural things that come to us as born-again Christians come to us through the Holy Spirit, so it stands to reason that it is our responsibility to believe in the things of the Spirit and to be filled with the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:14
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
The above scripture implies that if we do not accept the things that come from the Spirit, and we are not Spirit filled, then our walk as Christians will not be able to reach its full potential and calling in Christ Jesus!
The fruit of righteousness
In the book of Philippians, Paul talks to us about ‘the fruit of righteousness’ and that we must be filled with it so that we can be pure and blameless when Jesus returns.
Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
What is righteousness?
Righteousness is not something we can produce on our own. Our righteousness can only be achieved through Jesus Christ being the Lord of our life!
Righteousness is our right standing with God because of what Jesus did for us on the Cross – He cleansed us of all unrighteousness by taking our sins upon himself and dying for us.
Apart from Christ we have no right standing (righteousness) with God. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing and are nothing. Jesus is the vine and God is the gardener – we must remain in Jesus in order to bear good fruit in the power of the Holy Spirit! This is our righteousness in Christ Jesus.
The Christian life is not a life that can be self-produced by our own efforts or bought with money. The Christian life is a life that can only be supplied to us by faith in Christ Jesus, believing the Word and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Apart from Christ we have no right standing (righteousness) with God. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing and are nothing. Jesus is the vine and God is the gardener – we must remain in Jesus in order to bear good fruit in the power of the Holy Spirit! This is our righteousness in Christ Jesus.
The Christian life is not a life that can be self-produced by our own efforts or bought with money. The Christian life is a life that can only be supplied to us by faith in Christ Jesus, believing the Word and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Christian life is a life of abundance, it is a life of service in the love of God through Christ Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit!
John 10:10 (AMP)
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].
Romans 8:32 (NIV)
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV)
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Philippians 4:19 (NIV)
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (NIV)
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
James 2:14-19 (NIV)
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
When we are living life in the spirit and operating in the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will automatically be produced in and through us and will become evident for all to be see – a life of righteousness! Faith in Christ Jesus put into action by us doing the works that God predestined us to do!
Prayer Heavenly Father I ask in the name of Jesus that you continually fill me with your Holy Spirit and continually guide my feet on the path of righteousness that I may bear good fruit, the fruit of the Spirit, and bring glory to your Name. Amen.
Proverbs 12:28
In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for you reading and studying the Bible for yourself. I am flawed the Bible is not!
Christians will never produce fruit - we will bear Holy Spirit Fruit.
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