Right or Wrong? Fruit of the Spirit

The “fruits of the Spirit” seem to be more than mere metaphors. They are becoming more like verbs than nouns for me. Am I on the right track?

 If the “fruits of the Spirit” are becoming evident in your life rather than just being a set of Christian ideals in your mind, you are on the right track. Most of us can remember the bowl of plastic fruit on grandma’s table. Although it looked pretty, it had no ability to satisfy or nourish. “Fruit” as a noun is like that plastic fruit. It looks nice, but it can’t compare to the sweet, crisp crunch of a cold apple or the warm, juicy taste of a fresh peach.

In Galatians 5:19-23, the Apostle Paul contrasts the “fruit of the Spirit” with the “works of the flesh.” There is no “s” on the word “fruit.” In verse 22, Paul writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is ….” Both the Greek noun for “fruit” and the Greek verb (“is”) are singular. Why does Paul then proceed to list nine fruits? Is this simply a grammatical error? No, the “fruit” is the nature of Jesus Christ. It is called the “fruit of the Spirit” because it is the Holy Spirit who is producing Christ’s character in our lives.

Menorah metaphor

But what about the nine graces listed to describe the “fruit of the Spirit”? Some have compared them to the nine-branched Jewish Menorah, which has one middle shaft and eight side shafts—four on each side. Love is the middle shaft; the common connector of them all. It has been illustrated this way: “Joy is love singing, peace is love resting, patience is love enduring, kindness is love sharing, goodness is love’s character, faithfulness is love’s habit, gentleness is love’s touch and self-control is love in charge.”

Love is the central feature of the nature of Christ and the Christian life. Love is the supreme revelation of God’s nature in Christ because God is love (1 John 4:7-8). If you read 1 Corinthians 13 and then the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5, you will see how similar the description of agape love is in both. Out of love, the other spiritual graces of Christ’s character emerge.

Works vs. fruit

The “works” of the flesh in Galatians 5 are very different than the “fruit” of the Spirit. The difference in outcome is determined by our choice to be in control or to allow God to be in control. In John 15:4, Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself …, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” Our own efforts (“works”) result in synthetic imitations of true fruit at best—like grandma’s plastic fruit on the table. But if we focus our energies on abiding in Christ (Galatians 5:16, “walking in the Spirit”) we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh; instead, we naturally will bear real fruit that nourishes and blesses our lives and the lives of others.

Alan Stanford, pastor

Leesburg Community Church

Leesburg, Va.

Right or Wrong? is co-sponsored by the Texas Baptist theological education office and Christian Life Commission. Send your questions about how to apply your faith to  [email protected].