HIGH CALLING CHRISTIAN CENTER

HERITAGE OF TRUTH: Lesson 6 - FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law”.

The fruit of the spirit is the result of God’s in dwelling presence in the life of a
Christian. When a person yields himself to God by repenting of his sins and proves his
sincere acceptance of Jesus by submitting himself to water baptism in Christ’s name.
These acts of obedience make it easy for him to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
With the spirit of God in him, the nine wonderful graces start to manifest in his life. The
fruit of the Spirit is a direct outcome of the Lord’s active ministry in our lives. It is the
evidence of a new life. The Christian is not complete and will not be able to be what he
should be, until he manifests all the nine graces. A person must be dead to himself in
order to realize the fruit of the Spirit. Because Jesus said, “Except a corn of wheat…die, it
abideth alone; but if it is dies, it bringeth fruit much fruit”. (John 12:24). It is necessary
for a new born Christian to bear fruit. As it is the reason of our existence. Anyone who
does not become fruitful is being “taken away” (John 15:2 & Luke 13:9). We cannot live
fruitlessly and expect the favor of God all at the same time. Fruitlessness will not make
anyone enjoy the privilege of the fruitful. If we want to live happily, we must put
barrenness away. We may claim Christianity but if we don’t show the evidences of the
Fruit of the Spirit, we will not be identified as Christian—knowing that a tree is known by
its fruit. (Matthew 12:33).

I. THE FRUIT ( Galatians 5:19-23)

A. The Contrast between the Works of the Flesh.
The word “but” makes a clear separation between the works of the flesh and
the fruit of the Spirit. It highlights the contrast between trying to make the
flesh behave, and allowing the Holy Spirit to have its full freedom to produce
the fruit.
B. The Quality of the Fruit of the Spirit
While it may not be wrong to consider the plurality of its fruit, yet Apostle
Paul is emphasizing a cluster rather than quantifying them. He used the
singularity of the fruit, because of the fruit, because it grows out of the life
and this life is the life of Jesus Christ in us.
The flesh like a factory machine produces the “works” lifeless materials, the
finished good. While the Spirit, like the tree produces fruits. Paul was saying
that the spirit does not produce lifeless things.
C. The Christ-likeness Fruit
The fruit of the Spirit is the result of the indwelling power of the Spirit. It
produces Christ like life in us. This Fruit of the Spirit is the Christ-flavored
fruit that comes out in cluster in our lives. Not allowing the Holy Spirit to
become fruitful in our lives will make us guilty of quenching the spirit. (1
Thessalonians 5:19)

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 II. THE CLUSTER OF THE FRUIT
It is made clear that even if there are plenty of fruit in a bunch it is still in only
one cluster. “Fruit” and “is” support its being one.

A. But the Fruit of the Spirit Is

1. LOVE
a) The English and Greek Words of Love
1. English language has only one word for love.
2. Greek language described love in several aspects.
EROS - Sexual love, sensual, carnal, fleshly love. It means “lust” not Used in the
N.T. It is where the word “erotic” came from. Love Between the sexes.
PHILOS - It is the highest form of human love. Many times mentioned in The
New Testament, referring to human relationships.
AGAPE - The strongest term for love in the N.T. It applies to the pure, Divine
Love of God. This is what is used in Gal. 5:22.
b) The Source of Love
Agape love is impossible in the absence of the indwelling Spirit. Man cannot produce this
kind of love. It is an outgoing love. It is not selfish, does not depend on feelings. It
depends on God.
c) The Characteristics of Love
The greatest character of this love is self sacrifice. It was illustrated by Jesus Christ (John
3:16) defined clearly in 1 Corinthians 13.
d) The Ability of Love
The most remarkable aspect of this love is its ability to love the unlovable and those we
don’t like. This kind of love is not taken overnight or acquired automatically when we
born again. But it comes as the result of the victory over self life. It can’t be
demonstrated without the Holy Spirit. Only the hypocrites may pretend to express this
kind of love in the absence of the Spirit. A Christian can express it only because the
Spirit is residing in him. A Christian who loves despite of unlovable circumstances or
people is enjoying this love of the spirit. The kind of love the world offer ends up when
something goes wrong.
2. JOY
Joy is more than just happiness. We may not always be happy in whatever is happening,
but could have the joy in our hearts despite of it. Joy is a quality many Christians lack. A
Christian who have the joy of serving Christ,
despite sufferings and sorrows, is a person who has the joy of the Spirit. The joy the
world could offer still ends up to nothing.
3. PEACE
The peace the world offer is intensely shallow, and very superficial, it does not go so far.
There is no peace without the “Prince of Peace” which is JesusChrist. True repentance
completely restores peace in our hearts. The peace of God is one that passeth all
understanding.( Phil.4:7).
4. LONGSUFFERING
This quality of the Spirit is the stability of the soul even when under provocation. Quick
temperedness is not a fruit of the spirit. Long suffering is needed in times of tribulation.
Jesus Christ exemplifies long suffering in his extreme trials (1 Peter 2:23-24). But to a
Christian who has the spirit will notice that his tribulations only produce patience. (Rom.
5:3). Failure is sure to come without the Holy Spirit.
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5. GENTLENESS
The meaning of this quality is “to possess sweet temper which put others at ease”. A
Christian who avoids causing pain to others is a gentle person. Gentleness does no panic
and it does not give place to tension. It is never feeble and weak. Instead it is strong and
bold. A gentle person chooses to be offended and hurt than to offend or hurt somebody.
6. GOODNESS
This does not refer to our human goodness, because our goodness is only enough to make
people appreciate us. It does not work towards our salvation. It only goes up to our moral
worth, but not our spiritual worth.
“Goodness” isn’t “good works”. A man can do good works but may not possess goodness
The flesh may produce “good works” but only the spirit can “produce goodness”(Romans
15:13-14).
7. FAITH
This is not the saving faith or one of the Gifts of the Spirit. This quality of the Spirit is
not belief. This kind of faith is characterized as “trust”. Trust is a deeper faith that is
present in the life of a true Christian in the absence of belief. A believer can be in the
midst of perplexities. He may not understand what is happening. He may even doubt, but
still say, “Lord, I don’t understand what’s happening, I am in doubt, but I still trust you.”
If we can believe without trusting, we can likewise trust without believing. This is the
kind of faith we are dealing with. It is one of the wonderful qualities of the Fruit of the
Spirit.
8. MEEKNESS
This is described more as “humility”. A meek person is Christian who refuses to allow
pride to rule his life. It is the demonstration of self-control. It is rejection of arrogance or
self-centeredness. It is the perfect example of Christ (Phil. 2:5-8).
9. TEMPERANCE
This is the mystery of self. It is self-control (1 Corinthians 9:25). A person cannot win the
world. This is the power over one mind, heart, body, desires and will. Without the Fruit
of the Spirit, wonderful blessings will not be realized. The virtue will only manifest when
a person’s life is completely yielding to the Holy Spirit.

B. “Against Such There Is No Law”

What law could we desire when a person possesses these virtues and to whom shall we
apply the laws? Shall it be to anyone possessing these virtues? Shall anyone possessing
these qualities dare commit undesirable acts to justify the need of a law?

1. Old Covenant Produces No Fruit of the Spirit

O.T. Laws bears no fruit, neither can bear any. It can or cannot regulate these qualities.
Through the Holy Spirit we have been liberated from the bondage of the Law. The life of
Christ becomes our life through the operation of the Spirit. If we are under the control of
the Holy Spirit, the Law cannot condemn us, because the fruit of the Spirit meets the
righteous demands of the Law.
2. Jewish Laws Are Mere External Laws
Jewish Laws are the reflection of God’s own nature. Man can be holy by their obedience
to it. They become holy by their own works. Since it is an external help for obeying all
given laws, it regulates human behavior from the outside.

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3. Born- Again Experience Is Spiritual Experience
The new born Christian receives the Holy Spirit baptism, will start noticing a change in
his life. A new nature is worked out by the Spirit. His new way of life and living is a
result of the indwelling Spirit, inscribing the law of God in the heart (not in stone or
external object).
We do not obey the Word of God as it is written in the printed page, but we obey them
because it is inscribed in our heart by the Holy Spirit who is producing the wonderful
Fruit in our lives

III. THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE FRUIT

A. Relationship to the Inner Man
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
B. Relationship to Others
1. Long Sufferings
2. Gentleness
3. Goodness
C. Relationship with God
1. Faith
2. Meekness
3. Temperance

IV. CULTIVATION OF THE FRUIT

Right atmosphere is necessary to bearing fruit. Just as the trees do not bear fruit in every
type of climate, so is the individual Christian. He can only grow in spiritual climate.

A. It Grows in the Abundance of Spirit and Word

Fruit of the Spirit can never grow in an atmosphere of the human praise and vain glory. It
will not grow where there are competitions and divisions. There must be Praise and
Worship Activities. This is attained by regular church attendance, attending Bible study,
prayer and fasting. He must always be at the altar and during revival services.

B. Produced To Be Eaten By All

Fruit of the Spirit is not for display. It is to be shared with others who need it. It is not for
our own consumption alone, we bear fruit so that others may also enjoy it. The “flesh”
can manufacture “results” that may bring praise to our name, but only the Spirit produces
fruit that will bring glory to God and blessings to others.

CONCLUSION
It is possible for the old nature to counterfeit some of the fruit of the Spirit but the flesh
can never produce the fruit of the Spirit. One clear difference is this: when the Spirit
produces fruit, God gets the glory and the Christian is not conscious of his spirituality.
But when the flesh is the one at work, the person becomes so proud of self and is pleased
by the compliments of others. The work of the Spirit is to make us more and more like
our Master Jesus Christ, for His glory and not for the praise of men (Gal.1:10). The secret
to successfully attain the full development of the Fruit of the Spirit is the Holy Spirit
itself. Paul said, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25)

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