THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

“For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph. 5:9)

The only kind of fruit that can be borne by the Christian is “the fruit of the Spirit.” We are called to be vessels through which Christ accomplishes his purpose, but the moment we try to do it ourselves, through our own strength, we will fail. I am not here to glorify self, but to glorify God. This is why I must cease trying to accomplish his will and his work in my life by my own power.

First of all, I do not have the power, for I am a vessel of dust in whom, apart from the sanctifying work of Christ, nothing good dwells. In addition, even if I could accomplish any good apart from him, it would only serve to glorify me and not God. This is why all Christian activity which proceeds from self-effort must cease. I cannot do it myself and if I could I would not want to if I am interested only in glorifying Christ.

The fruit of the Spirit represents those attitudes that characterized the Lord. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23). Fruit is borne through intimacy. In the physical realm, children are the fruit of sexual intimacy between a husband and wife.

In the spiritual realm, spiritual fruit is the result of our intimacy with Christ. “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” (John 15:5). It is by abiding in intimate fellowship with God that fruit is produced in my life. There is no other way. Any fruit which comes about by personal effort alone will be artificial and will not last nor have any lasting good.

When we took Jesus as our Savior, we became “married” to him. This union is the joining of our spirits with his (1 Cor. 6:17), and is designed to produce fruit. “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another̶to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God” (Rom. 7:4).

This is the divine, earthly purpose of my relationship with Jesus. Fruit is to be borne to the glory of God. God saves us for a purpose. We are his workmanship created in Christ for good works (Eph. 2:10). Nothing less than continual, consistent fruit-bearing will please the Lord.

Dewayne Dunaway