Galatians 5:22-23 Walk by the Spirit so that You will Bear the Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Antithetical to the deeds of the flesh, in Paul’s mind, is the fruit of the Spirit. Paul juxtaposes the results of living for the desire of the flesh against the results of being led by the Spirit. While the flesh produces all kinds of atrocious deeds that God’s Law speaks against and that all people everywhere know are evil emanations of the heart, against the fruit of the Spirit “there is no law” nor rightfully can there be. Who would make a law against being kind to others or against refraining oneself or one’s temper? Not even the pagans of Paul’s day would have made it illegal to be happy or to keep one’s promises. Such deeds and attitudes are the desire of every heart, though not every heart desires to do them.

These are the deeds that characterize the person who is a member of the kingdom of God. While those who practice the deeds of the flesh will never inherit the kingdom of God, those who have been “rescued… from the domain of darkness and transferred… to the kingdom of His beloved Son,” that is, Jesus, produce the fruit of the Spirit. It is not these deeds that get them transferred into the kingdom of Christ, for that would be legalism. Rather, because those of the kingdom have been regenerated and have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, these attitudes and actions are the natural overflow of their hearts. Rather than desiring to live for self-satisfaction, they are filled with godly traits.

Now, since we continue in the flesh, it may often seem that these characteristics are not the natural overflow of our hearts. Often you will have to make every attempt to love someone, to be joyful in God, to be at peace with others, and to show kindness even when you have been wronged. The fact that you desire to do so and are willing to put forth the effort is a sign of the Spirit’s work. It will be a struggle throughout your entire life to perfect these. You will, however, if you are in Christ, continue to bear this fruit more and more so throughout your life—this is the sanctifying work of the Spirit.

This fruit does not spring forth from the natural man. You cannot naturally make yourself love others, serve them with gentleness, or act in faithfulness toward them. This is the effect of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. While people can fake these in action, to have them flow naturally only comes as you know the One who modeled them perfectly. Only by seeing Christ will you be able to imitate Him. Only by digesting His humbleness that led Him to a perfect relationship with the Father and with men will you see these produced in your life. Thus you must spend time with Him, especially in meditating upon the Scriptures. Only as you trust in Christ, experience the forgiveness of sins offered in His blood, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit will you see the fruit—single “fruit” because all of these will be evidenced as the Spirit works within you—the rightfully coveted fruit of the Spirit.