Scripture Post #446: *FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT*

Galatians 5:

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

[Disclaimer: The image here (in its original form) was from an image search-engine. The original source of this image is unbeknown to me. I own no rights of this image.]

In Gal. 5, just before these 9 fruit(s) of the SPIRIT are listed, the works of the flesh were listed. (Gal. 5:19-21.) This shows both the good and the bad that a Christian has the potential to accomplish. Christians don't have to reckon theirselves dead to sin. (Rom. 6:11: "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.") Thus, the flesh is activated. As are terrible consequences (Gal. 5:21). On the other hand, we have the choice to walk in the SPIRIT and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16: "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.") And when we walk in the SPIRIT, we activate the fruit(s) of the SPIRIT: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. 

Notice how it's "*works* of the flesh": plural (Gal. 5:19), but "*fruit* of the Spirit": singular (Gal. 5:22). How can 9 different things be singular, as fruit, and not plural, as fruits? Well, the reason for this (a Preacher says—I don't know his name) is because love (the 1st fruit) is what all the other eight attributes of the SPIRIT are inside of. Because without love it's impossible to have: joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. It all starts with love. Love gets you the other 8 that are listed as the *fruit* of the SPIRIT. 

"Against such there is no law", stated in V. 23, means that there is no law against the *FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT*. Out of all the hundreds of laws that are stated in the Old Testament, none of them are against the fruit of the SPIRIT. Gal. 5:18: "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law."

Let's walk in the SPIRIT to activate the wonderful fruit of the SPIRIT in our lives! If we don't walk in HIS SPIRIT, we won't benefit from HIS fruit. 

Originally Published: Mon. 12/2/13