What is the Fruit of The Spirit? Do All Christians Have The Fruit?
The fruit of the Spirit is singular and is not about works, but rather it’s about Christ living through us as we exude His love, kindness, joy, and peace. Consider this…..It’s not the fruit of you – it’s the fruit of Him!
[Galatians 5:22-23] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
The fruit (singular) of the Holy Spirit is not just a picture of how we should exude Christ, but it is also a perfect reflection of what the Holy Spirit is like towards us.
So, yes, the Holy Spirit will produce love through you, but the Holy Spirit also loves you.
-Yes, the Holy Spirit will produce gentleness through you, but He is also gentle towards you.
-Yes, the Holy Spirit will produce patience through you, but He also has patience with you.
-Yes, the Holy Spirit will produce kindness through you, but He is also kind towards you.
Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking the fruit of the Spirit is a bunch of works and a long list of to-do’s, but the fruit is really an attitude of love that we exude as we express Christ in our daily lives. Sure, that may sometimes come out in the form of “works” but be sure that at its core it’s really more of a condition of how our heart communicates with others. So, simply walking up to a woman in tears and gently asking “are you okay” would perfectly describe the fruit of the Spirit.
As I said early the word “fruit” is not plural. Why is that important? Because it’s not a picture of works, but rather is describes an attitude of love. The Fruit is the Spirit of Christ living in us and all Christians have the fruit the moment they placed their faith in Christ. That’s not to say we perfectly exude it at all times, but it does mean it is always there…..even when you are not walking in the newness of life that you have been created in.
In summation, we shouldn’t use this verse to guilt people into doing “stuff” as proof of having His fruit, but rather this verse is about a heart change and you won’t have to force yourself to turn it on. It’s about a newness of love, kindness, joy, and peace that does NOT come from you and your efforts, but rather it comes from Him, in you, as He lives through us. Amen.
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
2 Comments
Wow! This message on the fruit of the spirit really opened my eyes. Thank you. Also the Jesus without religion movement is awesome. Thank you.
Thanks for the kind words. We always appreciate the encouragement.