Fruit of the Spirit

[Kat]

http://bible-truths.com/lake5.html -------------------

WE ARE GOD'S GARDEN

In what "certain ways" are we "like God's garden?" Remember we must compare spiritual things with spiritual. Answer:

"My Father is the Farmer... "I [Jesus] am the grape vine. You [that's us] are the branches. He who is remaining in Me, and I in him, this one is BRINGING FORTH MUCH FRUIT" (John 15:1 & 5).

Isn't this easy when we stop fighting God's Word with our own preconceived doctrines? And trust me; this is as hard as it get, if we will just allow God's spirit to TEACH US spiritual things!

Now then, WHAT KIND of fruit are we talking about—apples and grapes? Let's again, compare spiritual things with spiritual. Answer:

"But the FRUIT of the SPIRIT [in God's spiritual garden, which we are] is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self control" (Gal. 5:22-23).

All of these character traits from God's Spirit are invisible and they are SPIRITUAL. But does that mean that they are not real? Of course not. In fact, we can SEE the results of these invisible, spiritual character traits of the spirit just as Jesus told us we can see the results of the invisible wind.


http://bible-truths.com/tongues.htm --------------

And never confuse GIFTS of the Spirit, with "FRUIT of the Spirit." For the FRUIT of the Spirit is higher than the Gifts of the Spirit than the heavens are higher than the earth. For all of the "GIFTS of the Spirit" are of the earth, EARTHY, whereas the "FRUIT of the Spirit" is truly HEAVENLY.
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Gal 5:22-23
The Fruit of the Spirit

love
joy
peace
longsuffering
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
meekness
self-control 

The metaphor 'fruit' here is translated in many Bibles as light, instead of Spirit.  It means divine influence, as in Ephesians.

Eph 5:9  For the fruit of the light consists of every form of goodness, righteousness, and truth.

John 15:5  `I am the vine, ye the branches; he who is remaining in Me, and I in him, this one doth bear much fruit, because apart from Me ye are not able to do anything;

John 15:8  `In this was My Father glorified, that ye may bear much fruit, and ye shall become My disciples.

John 15:16  Ye did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you.

Rom 7:4  Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to Him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.

Col 1:10  so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Psalms 1:2-3  Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the LORD, and they study it day and night.  They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up. They succeed in everything they do.


LOVE:  The first fruit and the reigning principle.  Love will bind all the others together and render the system complete and solidify the whole.

Col 3:14  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

'Love' is the bond which knits and cements us together, so that we are perfectly joined together and are of one mind and one heart.

Eph 3:19  I want you to know all about Christ's love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is.


JOY:  This 'joy' arises from an comprehension of Christ in you, and is certainly with those who have the Spirit.

1Peter 1:08  You love Him, although you have not seen Him, and you believe in Him, although you do not now see Him. So you rejoice with a great and glorious joy which words cannot express,


PEACE:  The calm, quiet, and order that comes from the indwelling of Christ.

James 3:18  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.

Mat 5:9  Blessed are the peacemakers! For they shall be called the sons of God.


LONGSUFFERING:  This is long-endurance or patience, it is that quality which enables a person to bear adversity, injury, and reproach.

James 1:3-4  knowing that the proving of your faith works patience.   But let patience have its perfective work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Luke 8:15  "But the [seed] in the good ground, these are such who with an upright and good heart, having heard the word, hold [it] fast and bear fruit with patient endurance.


KINDNESS:  Also gentleness, it is a mildness of temper and calmness of spirit.  An unruffled disposition and a desire to treat all with politeness and courteous.

Pro 19:22  That which maketh a man to be desired is his kindness; And a poor man is better than a liar.


FAITH: http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php?topic=5417.0 -- Now you all understand that in the Bible when it talks about believe, that's the verb.  Faith is the noun.  Faith and believe are the same Greek word, they're the same.  What is faith?  It means to believe.  If you believe, you have what?  Faith.  They are both the same word, one is a noun, one is a verb, that's the only difference. 

Eph 2:08  for by grace (a gratuitous gift - divine influence upon the heart) are you saved through faith(believing and doing God's will); and that (faith) not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
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Eph 4:4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;
v. 5  one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
v. 6  one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in you all.

Heb 12:2  We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete...


MEEKNESS:  Not easily provoked, a softness of temper, gentle, submissive, and having self-control.

1Peter 3:4  but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, the meek and quiet spirit, which is of great price in the sight of God.

2Cor 10:1  Now I Paul myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who in your presence am lowly among you, but being absent am of good courage toward you:


SELF-CONTROL:  Temperance and self-restraint over the stronger passions and the natural appetites, as in eating and drinking, so as not to be excessive.

1Cor 9:25  And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

2Tim 1:7  for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Just wanted to share this as it is timeless and good to meditate on.

mercy, peace, and love
Kat

[mharrell08]

Thank you Kat and all glory to God...well said. 


Marques

[cjwood]

thanks kathy for the thread. it is His good teaching that is reminding us again, and again, that we were appointed by Jesus Christ our Lord to go and bear fruit and that our fruit might abide, and in doing this God is glorified. i am amazed that we CAN carry within our hearts, and reflect outwardly to the world, the VERY character of God our Father. i mean, the character of the very same magnificent God Who created Jesus Christ. and all these characteristic fruits were in His infinite wisdom bookended by love and self-control.

claudia

[Kat]

Hi Claudia,

i am amazed that we CAN carry within our hearts, and reflect outwardly to the world, the VERY character of God our Father. i mean, the character of the very same magnificent God Who created Jesus Christ.

I've been thinking on how these fruits of the spirit become our character and how Christ had all these and was perfectly attuned to the Father and from a very young age knew what He was about in this world.

Luke 2:49  And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

We have the perfect example from Christ as how to live, He was only about doing the Father's will... He knew it was all about the Father.

John 5:30  I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

So we too have to turn our thoughts and minds towards the Father as much as we can, He is the spirit of life and that is where we will gain understanding of the spirit. 

John 6:63  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

"The flesh profits nothing."  Now I know we have to live our day to day lives in this flesh, but we do not need to dwell in the physical with our thoughts all of the time.  I'm not even talking about evil thoughts, but just being consummed with the physical and material world can take us away from the spirit.  If most of our time is sent on thinking about this life, even the good things... learning and gaining knowledge of things in this world is good, but we do not gain so much spiritually from that.

Mat 13:22  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

Rom 8:5  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Our job, our families, and taking care of our homes is all necessary, and actually I think we can grow spiritual in doing these things, in that we apply the fruits of the spirit while doing them.  We are always dealing with people in these daily routines and how we act towards others (patience, gentleness, goodness, meekness, and self control) can certainly help us build righteous character.

Rom 12:1  I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
v. 2  Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

v. 9  Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
v. 10  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
v. 11  not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
v. 12  rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
v. 13  distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
v. 14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
v. 15  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
v. 16  Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
v. 17  Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
v. 18  If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Building righteous qualities of the character - fruit of the spirit, i believe is the gold, silver and precious stones that we are being judged by. 

1Co 3:12  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
1Co 3:13  each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

In the end when we stand before God and nothing that is physical matters anymore, it is just the pure light of His spirit that shines on our spirit and will reveal everything.  There can be nothing greater than to hear Him say;

Mat 25:21  His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[9440geoff]

Thanks for this thread, Kat. I need to be reminded constantly how I should be growing in Christ Jesus.

Geoff

[ez2u]

really nice Kat  I want to point out tsomething that I saw  that is this

ohn 15:16  Ye did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you

its after we begin to bear fruit that       whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father     I believe that is because we then can begin to ask rightly when we are dirrected by the fruit of the Spirit.   peggy

[Kat]

Good point Peggy, thanks for the imput.  Also this Scripture says we must abide in Christ and what we ask will be done, as you said because the spirit of Christ in us will direct our asking and we/Christ in us will bear fruit.

John 15:7  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
v. 8  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

mercy, peace and love
Kat