Cultivates Christian Character
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.
Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB)
Believers are called to live differently from the world. They must strive to embody the character of the Lord and maintain a life that reflects His presence. This lifestyle sets us apart from the world and resembles heavenly living. When we consider Galatians 5, the apostle Paul provides a list of character traits that demonstrate a life controlled by the Holy Spirit.
THE SPIRIT PRODUCES FRUIT
The Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers to produce fruit. This fruit is not a one-time experience, but a constant pursuit. We must recognize that we never perfect our ability to fully live out the fruit of the Spirit in this life; rather, we live under the influence of the Holy Spirit, who is transforming us to be more faithful in expressing that fruit. The apostle Paul outlines the fruits in Galatians 5, linking them to the Spirit, meaning that the Spirit is the one who produces this fruit in the believer's life.
THE SPIRIT WORKS IN THE BELIEVER
The Holy Spirit produces fruit in the believer's life by actively working within them. The Spirit utilizes conviction, guidance, and other means to bring about continual transformation in the believer's life. The Spirit's purpose is to shape us into becoming more like Christ and less like the world. The fruit produced by the Spirit is something we can never achieve on our own. While we may strive to show misunderstood love through our efforts, the Spirit brings forth genuine love. Similarly, the other aspects of fruit are perfectly defined in the Lord and thus are manifested through the work of the Spirit, as in our own efforts, we often seek to attain fruit as defined by worldly standards.
THE SPIRIT PROVIDES FREEDOM FROM THE LAW
The apostle Paul states that the law is not against the fruit of the Spirit. This truth comes because Christ is the fulfillment of the law, God is the author of the law, and the Holy Spirit would never produce fruit contrary to the law. Therefore, when we live a life transformed by the Holy Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit is evident in our lives, we are not bound to keep the law to earn righteousness; rather, we live in accordance with the law because we are guided by the Holy Spirit's work.
QUESTIONS
How would you explain the link between the fruit of the Spirit and the law?
What areas of life do you need to allow the Spirit to work and produce the fruit of the Spirit?
