The Holy Bible provides us with this important information:
“… The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience [or longsuffering], kindness [or gentleness], goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. …” (Galatians 5:22-23)
If you call yourself a Christian, does this kind of fruit reflect your life? If you are not a Christian, wouldn’t you like to have this kind of fruit?
The first fruit is love. “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1)
Do you love God first and foremost? This is required in obedience to Him, but not from your lips – from you heart! Do you love your neighbor as yourself, as God commanded?
I used to love my parents so very much that when I read the scriptures that say to love God above all, I found it very difficult, at first. Yet, we are to love God first, with all our heart, all of our mind, all our soul, and all our strength. (See Mark 12:30 and Luke 10:27)
After thinking about this for awhile, I had to admit to myself that it was God that created my parents. Without God, I would have no parents. For that very same reason, I was able to realize my love and respect for God must be first. I must love my God, my Creator, more than any other, even my parents! We should realize that God created us in love. He created our parents and everyone else. He must be our first love, not out of obligation, but because we realize who He is and we love Him from our heart. We must love the Creator, our God, more than His creation!
The Holy Bible taught me many things that changed my life in very good and positive ways. This can be the same for you. Simply start by reading The Holy Bible! Then you may believe.
The next fruit is joy. You will receive the joy of God by having a close relationship with His only begotten and beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Savior, and by having the Holy Spirit come to live within you when you are saved. (Please see the blog entry on “Salvation.”) In reading the Holy Bible, and in communion with our Creator, we can have a true joy that comes only from God. This joy is wonderful and no matter what happens, beyond any and all circumstances, this Godly joy can always be with you. (See James 1:2)
Joy also comes with peace, another fruit that is given to us from God Himself. We can have the peace that passes all understanding. (See Philippians 4:7)
Patience is a fruit, but sometimes we struggle to keep it. The best way to be patient is to believe that God is on our side. When we wait with faith, we can trust that God knows best while we’re waiting on Him to act on our behalf. God wants our trust and a close relationship with Him. Through longsuffering, we find the ability through God to wait patiently. Just as we see that Jesus suffered greatly, particularly when He was falsely accused, we can also endure anything with patience. He is our example and our strength to be patient.
Kindness, gentleness, and goodness come from living in truth with Christ-like behaviors. Although there are certainly nonbelievers who are kind, they do not have the same traits of the Holy Spirit that a true Christian displays. A Christian’s heart flows with love for others with kindness, goodness, and gentleness that comes from within the Holy Spirit dwelling inside. A Christian’s kindness, goodness, and gentleness can easily be seen as a beacon of light.
When we are faithful, without doubt, the Lord blesses. Without faith, we won’t be able to accomplish much for His Kingdom. We must depend on God for our success to lead others into His loving arms.
“… It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
Meekness is living in peace with others. A quiet and gentle Christian nature, not wanting to argue with others or resent them either. Meekness is also displayed by modesty; especially today, as a Christian, we should desire to dress modestly.
Self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. We control anger before it can get ahold of us. We live wisely, with faith, love, and patience, and we endure with godliness. We do not slander others. We forgive others. We love what is good.
Overall, the fruit of the Spirit will show others who we are as Christians.
Jesus told those listening: “You will know them by their fruits …” (Matthew 7:16)
Our life is like a seed that can grow into good fruit. Only by first being saved by God, and then by growing in maturity can the seeds of our lives yield fruit producing a crop of 30-, 60-, and even 100-fold. (See Mark 4:8 for this specific reference.)
It may seem strange to speak of knowing someone by their fruits! Aren’t fruits a type of food we eat? Yes, but Jesus is speaking in parables. He speaks of us as trees. We can be seen as trees that can produce good fruit or bad fruit.
“… Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” (Matthew 7:17-18)
“Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”
In fact: “Every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 7:19) – This reference is to the nonbeliever and those who reject God who will be thrown into hell.
Therefore, a true Christian is productive. If we are a follower of Christ, it will be evident by our fruit. A true Christian’s life will be viewed by their fruit and it will be plentiful. If you take time in getting to know someone, eventually, you will see their true fruit or lack thereof.
A true follower of Jesus Christ bears fruit by having a personal relationship with Jesus. The follower gets to know who He’s following. Just like you, my readers, are getting to know me by reading my blog.
We will begin to understand what it is that God has purposed for our life. We will find the area in which we are gifted, and we will use the gift(s) to glorify Him. The fruitful life is full of abundance in the gifting that Father God bestows on the follower. Each person is gifted to bear fruit in various ways. God will show us how to live a true Christian life and how to serve Him, as we bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus tells us: “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” (John 15:8).
As Paul prayed for the Philippians, I pray for you [my readers] that you are: “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which [are] by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:11 – bold my emphasis)
Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.
God’s Word for Today: Jesus said, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Copyright © 2014 by Patricia Shehan
All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) and is set in italics and quotation marks.
