Can you explain each fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23?
The “fruit of the Spirit” is given to us in opposition to the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21. Notice while “works” is a plural word, “fruit” is singular. While there are nine characteristics of this fruit, there is only ONE fruit. For someone to say that his fruit of the Spirit is “peace”, that would be wrong. If a believer is truly walking in the Spirit, he will exhibit the whole of the fruit of the Spirit. With that said, let us consider each aspect of the fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5:22-23 which says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
- LOVE – This is not a common, fleshly love. It is the love of God being manifested in our lives. Romans 5:5 tells us, “…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
- JOY – This speaks of how we rejoice in the things of the Lord and are delighted to know Him and to walk with Him. “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” (1 Peter 1:8)
- PEACE – Because of what the Lord Jesus has done for us as our redeemer, we are at peace with God and have His peace in our hearts as we read in Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Because we have peace with God, we can also “have peace one with another.” (Mark 9:50).
- LONGSUFFERING – This has to do with patience in the midst of afflictions, persecutions, etc. We can be longsuffering (instead of being short suffering) because to endure such suffering will produce strength and maturity in us. James 1:2-3 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
- GENTLENESS – (Kindness) The Bible admonishes us to be gentle with others. “…be gentle unto all men…” (2 Timothy 2:24). “…be ye kind one to another…” (Ephesians 4:32). We do this no matter how others may treat us. Walking with the Spirit, we are able to imitate the “kindness and love of God our Saviour…” (Titus 3:4).
- GOODNESS – As believers, surely, we should be good all the time. This goodness has to do with doing good things to others. It is seeking to benefit others with the love of God. It was said of the Lord Jesus in Acts 10:38 that He, “…went about doing good…”
- FAITH – This word is actually speaking of us being faithful to the Lord, trusting His love and power in all situation and trials…following Him in every circumstance. Proverbs 28:20 assures us that, “A faithful man shall abound with blessings…”
- MEEKNESS – This will allow us to take a lowly place among others to that we might serve their needs as led of the Lord. “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves…” (Philippians 2:3). We cannot possibly serve one another if we esteem ourselves better than them.
- TEMPERANCE – This means self-control. By the Spirit, we have the ability to control our temper, our tongue, our words. We can control our lusts, our passions, our thoughts, our envying. If you look back and read of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21, you will recognize that all these things show a lack of self-control. Walking according to the Spirit allows us to take control and not give into the lusts of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 tells us, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
If you examine this nine-fold fruit of the Spirit, you will see they are manifestations of the Lord Jesus, Himself. He exhibited each of these in His life as He walked in obedience to His Father’s will. When we walk (live) in the Spirit, we are able to imitate the life of our Savior. 1 Peter 2:21-23 instructs us, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, THAT YE SHOULD FOLLOW HIS STEPS: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” (CC) (576.4)