Fruits of the Spirit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Love is defined as “an intense feeling of great affection; a great interest and pleasure in doing something; to like or enjoy very much.”

When someone has love for someone or something, they show affection. A young couple who has just had a baby will show love to their newborn by smothering the baby with affection. They take care of their baby’s every need. They get up in the middle of the night when the baby starts to cry. 

The Bible teaches it best how to love others.

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matthew 22:37-39

Love thy neighbor as thyself. Would you want someone to hit you? Then don’t hit them. Would you want someone to help you when you struggle while doing something? Then help your neighbor when you see someone in need of help. Put yourself in the other person’s place, and whatever you would want someone to do to you, do the same to them.

Look at the love that God showed us love by sending Jesus to the earth to save us. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 God allowed His Son to die for our sins, because He loves us. We should take His love and love Him back.

But what about those who do not love others? It teaches in 1 John 4 that God is love, and “he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” If a person doesn’t love their neighbor, then the love of God is not in them.

“If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” 1 John 4:20

We are commanded to love, God first, but also our neighbor.

“And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” 1 John 4:21

Joy

Joy is defined as “a feeling of great joy and happiness; to rejoice.” 

Paul wanted us to be filled with joy and happiness. Romans 15:13 says, “Now the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Just like a cup that is full to the point of overflowing, we want our lives to be filled with joy. Look at what Jesus has done for us! Look at the world that He made for us to live in until we go to be with Him. He is preparing a place for His believers in Heaven. That is something to look forward to. Just like a young child who knows that they are going to go to an amusement park in the summer, we can look forward to God’s kingdom in Heaven.

“Rejoice evermore.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Peace

Peace is defined as “freedom from disturbance; tranquility; a state or period in which there is no war; absence of hostility.”

We are supposed to seek peace with others. Romans 12:18, “If it be possible, as much as lieth with you, live peaceably with all men.” We are not supposed to be fighting with others, but instead seek peace.

In the church, we are not to have divisions amongst ourselves, but be of the same mind.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Corinthians 1:10

1 Peter 3:11, “Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.’’

Longsuffering

Longsuffering is defined as “having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by others.”

When we need to learn about longsuffering, we just need to look at God. Billions of people on the earth, and not one of them is perfect. Every person on the earth has sinned. But does God punish them immediately? No, He doesn’t. He gives everyone the gift of forgiveness and extends His mercy and patience to all. Eventually someday it will be too late for some because they refuse to obey His will for them.

In Matthew 18, Jesus told a parable about forgiveness, and in this parable a servant owed his lord money, but he didn’t have the money to pay him. So the lord commanded that the servant’s wife, children, and everything that he had to be sold in order to pay for the debt. But the servant begged the lord to have patience with him, and he would pay him all that he owed. The lord was filled with compassion towards his servant and simply forgave the entire debt. This servant should have been filled with relief and joy, right? Do you know what happened next in this parable? This same servant went out and found another of his fellowservants who owed him money and demanded that he pay his debts. This servant did the exact same thing, and said, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. But the servant who had just been forgiven of all his debt would not do the same for his fellowservant, but instead cast him into prison. And while this parable is focused on forgiveness, it also teaches about patience. The first servant was shown patience and mercy by the lord, but he wouldn’t do the same to others.

God is longsuffering to you, show patience to others.

Gentleness

Next is gentleness, which is defined as “the quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered.” 

2 Timothy 2:24, “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men…”

In the concordance, gentle(ness) means to be mild or kind. Not fighting and angry with others, but filled with kindness. Just like a parent showing their child how to do something for the first time, someone might not do what is completely right the first time, so you admonish them gently how to do it correctly. You do not want to discourage others from trying to get better. A baby doesn’t walk perfectly their first time. They fall down, or trip up. But a parent doesn’t get upset or belittle their toddler because they can’t do it perfectly. They are kind, and gently help and encourage them to try again.

Goodness

Goodness is defined in the dictionary as “the quality of being morally good or virtuous.”

The fruit of goodness is doing what is right or correct. Not evil or corrupt. Instead of doing what the carnal man wants to do, we submit to God, and do His will. We do what is right according to His will, and not our own. We need to do good to everyone.

“As we have therfore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10

Matthew 12:35, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”

Faith

Faith is “strong belief or trust in God and His teachings without physical proof.”

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

When someone has faith in God, they believe in Jesus and their faith will cause them to obey His word. We can’t see Jesus physically, but we believe that He is the Son of God, and accept it through faith that His word is the truth. Our faith causes us to obey the Bible and the teachings found inside instead of doing what the world does. Belief in Jesus causes a person to go out and tell others about the love He showed us by dying on the cross. 

Faith in Jesus will cause someone to seek Him, and obey His word.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

For more examples about faith, there are several in Hebrews 11.

Meekness

Meekness is “the quality or state of being meek; a mild, moderate, humble, or submissive quality.”

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3

When a new recruit enters the army, do they go up to a general and act like they are the same rank? No (or at least they shouldn’t). They show higher ranks respect by standing at attention and saluting. When they are told to do something by a higher officer, they obey meekly, without backtalk or retort. They submit themselves to the authority of the one higher than them.

“To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.” Titus 3:2

We need to submit ourselves meekly to God. When a man prays, he has his head uncovered, showing God that the man knows that he is under God. It’s a common thing for someone to remove their hat while singing the national anthem. God is over all, and we need to come meekly before Him, because it is He who saves us. 

Temperance

Temperance is “moderation in action, thought, or feeling; self control”

To show temperance is to not do anything excessively or without thought. People should drink alcohol in moderation because too much can cause someone to do things that they normally wouldn’t do. And we want to be moderate in our emotions to others when they do something wrong. If someone sins, we need to show compassion, mercy and forgiveness. Not erupting in anger over every little thing, but we need to have “a slow wick.” We need to be in control of our lives.

Someone who has temperance is able to deny and resist the things of the world. 

“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” Titus 2:12

Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance-the fruits of the Spirit.

In Christ,

Andrew