The Holy Spirit - God's Spirit
E-book and Audio series
PART 2 - The Roles and Activities of the Holy Spirit
Chapter 43 - The Fruit of the Spirit (final in series)
Summary: What does the phrase "the fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22,23) mean?
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Study notes for this audio:
(Note: This is just a summary of the points covered. There is greater detail in the audio message).
No.43 - The Fruit of the Spirit
In the last study, we focused on the phrase “be filled with the Spirit”, and finished by reading a few verses from Galatians 5, noting the phrase "the fruit of the Spirit".
I thought it would be beneficial to look at this passage further, and in particular, that phrase, “the fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22).
READ Galatians 5:22,23
Note that the KJV list of virtues in these verses reads a bit differently to most other translations, but essentially the same ideas are presented.
Let’s look at this verse in its context, and then briefly consider the actions listed in verses 22 and 23.
READ Galatians 5:16-25 –
v.13a – for you have been called to be free
(i.e. Gentiles are free from the bondage of having to observe all the rites and rituals of the Mosaic law, in accordance with the findings of the council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. This theme also comes up elsewhere, especially in Paul’s later epistle to Titus.)
v.13b but don’t indulge the flesh
NIV has “sinful nature” here – a free translation; not totally incorrect, but it obscures the contrast between two words – “flesh” and “spirit” – in this passage, and also in Romans 8, leading to even looser translations there. I prefer to use the words “flesh” and “spirit”.
v.13c – rather, through love, serve one another
- love will be seen to be a key word in our study of “the fruit of the Spirit”.
More about this in a moment.
v.14 the entire law (i.e. the entire law concerning this aspect)
cp. the Lord’s response to the question “Which is the greatest command?” (Mark 12:28-31)
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength
- Love your neighbour as yourself
“love” is agape – the love that gives and is unselfish – more about this in a moment as well.
v.16 Note the contrast of spirit/flesh
v.17 flesh/spirit again
v.19 works of the flesh – i.e. what naturally comes out of mankind
v.21b – those who practice such things / those who live like this
- not talking about an occasional slip, but habitual practices
- possibly some dispensational considerations with this verse.
v. 22,23 – the fruit of the Spirit – a list
- what results from heeding the leadings and urgings of the Holy Spirit, rather than the natural tendencies of the flesh or our sinful nature
- a list of outcomes, set out in one of two ways:
Possibly listed as nine outcomes: love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, self-control - there are more than this in reality.
… or listed as one main outcome, with further explanation:
“The result of heeding the Holy Spirit is love (that unselfish act that puts other people first, and ourselves second) … [namely] joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Note that the “fruit” is singular in this verse. This idea of love being a dominant outcome of the fruit of the Spirit, with other virtues following as a result, is consistent with what we read in Colossians 3.
READ Colossians 3:12-14 - a similar list
v.14 – NIV – over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. This suggests that the fruit of the Spirit (the result of heeding the Holy Spirit’s urgings) is an attitude which focusses more on the needs of others, rather than our own desires.
BACK TO GALATIANS 5:22,23
I think the heeding of the Holy Spirit is one of the hardest parts of our Christian journey – the act of not following after our natural tendencies, but listening to the Spirit’s leading instead. Once we look outside of ourselves and seek God’s will, I think the other virtues are more likely to follow.
By and large, we know what each of these words in that list mean, so we’re not going to go through each one here. A consideration of this list of virtues is in the OBT booklet “The Fruit of the Spirit” edited by Michael Penny, if you are interested in further discussion of each aspect individually.
Take one minute now, and look at the list, and consider how these might be a part of your life this coming week. How can you exercise that unselfish aspect of love, and in which situations might it manifest itself in your life this week?
v.24 – “crucified the flesh”
- we still have desires to be fleshly – cp Romans 7 – “what I don’t want to do, I do”, etc
– but it is the power of sin and death has been nullified, overcome
The wages of sin is death … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).
And if you are a believer in Christ, you have been given the Holy Spirit to accompany you and urge you to do God’s will, not your own. We read about some similar ideas in Ephesians.
READ Ephesians 2:1-10 – and note the following phrases…
v.2 the spirit at work in those who are disobedient (I think this spirit is the “attitudes” and “tendencies” of the sinful nature, rather than an “evil” or “demonic” spirit as such, but I could be wrong.)
v.3 fulfilling the desires of the flesh (NIV says "sinful nature")
v.8,9 – by grace we are saved… not of works
v.10 – it was always God’s intention that we should walk in God’s ways, but because of our sinful nature, we can’t be saved by them – that is too big an ask for us, and we have to rely on the righteousness of Christ to cover that side of things
Compare this with Ephesians 5:8-10, because the same thought is continued there...
v.8 once darkness, now light – so live like it
v.9 not fruit of the “Spirit” here (as in KJV or NKJV), but "light" (as it is rendered in many other translations)
nevertheless, it’s a similar idea.
v.10 – find out what pleases the Lord
READ Colossians 1:9-11a – this refers to being filled (or enlightened) with God’s knowledge, so that we may walk in a way pleasing to Him.
BACK TO GALATIANS 5
v.25 – “If we live by the Spirit (i.e. the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will raise us too, and now dwells within us) , let us also walk in the Spirit." (i.e let us be led by the Holy Spirit.)
If we will follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will result. This is primarily an exhibition of love as defined in the Scriptures … and this is pleasing to God.
SUMMING UP THE SERIES
There's a lot we've covered in this series, but here is the main gist of what we’ve looked at: We’ve considered something of the being and nature of the Holy Spirit, and we’ve considered some of the roles of the Holy Spirit. Broadly speaking, I’ve tried to emphasise two main points:
(1) The Holy Spirit is the intangible arm of God, interacting with mankind.
(2) The roles and activities of the Holy Spirit have varied throughout the ages. Just because we read of the Spirit performing a particular activity in one period, does not necessarily mean that same role is in operation today. (We’ve spent quite a few studies looking at how some of these activities have varied from OT times, the Intertestamental Period, the Gospels Period, the Acts Period and Today.)
Today, the main roles are that of an enabler, a revealer of truth and a guide – dwelling permanently with the Christian believer, enlightening us as to the things of God, strengthening us inwardly, as well as guiding us and urging us to walk in a way pleasing to God.
Therefore, I encourage you, and myself, to seek strength from God through His Spirit, to seek enlightenment of His word (which means reading the Word).
I encourage you to seek guidance, wisdom and discernment concerning God’s will and how we might better please God, whatever we do, wherever we live, whichever car we drive.
And I encourage you to be filled with or by the Holy Spirit by immersing yourself, not in the temporary things of the flesh (because the flesh cannot please God), but to immerse yourself in the more permanent things of God.
May the study and practice of God's Word concerning these things lift up the name of our Lord.
(Note: This is just a summary of the points covered. There is greater detail in the audio message).
No.43 - The Fruit of the Spirit
In the last study, we focused on the phrase “be filled with the Spirit”, and finished by reading a few verses from Galatians 5, noting the phrase "the fruit of the Spirit".
I thought it would be beneficial to look at this passage further, and in particular, that phrase, “the fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22).
READ Galatians 5:22,23
Note that the KJV list of virtues in these verses reads a bit differently to most other translations, but essentially the same ideas are presented.
Let’s look at this verse in its context, and then briefly consider the actions listed in verses 22 and 23.
READ Galatians 5:16-25 –
v.13a – for you have been called to be free
(i.e. Gentiles are free from the bondage of having to observe all the rites and rituals of the Mosaic law, in accordance with the findings of the council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. This theme also comes up elsewhere, especially in Paul’s later epistle to Titus.)
v.13b but don’t indulge the flesh
NIV has “sinful nature” here – a free translation; not totally incorrect, but it obscures the contrast between two words – “flesh” and “spirit” – in this passage, and also in Romans 8, leading to even looser translations there. I prefer to use the words “flesh” and “spirit”.
v.13c – rather, through love, serve one another
- love will be seen to be a key word in our study of “the fruit of the Spirit”.
More about this in a moment.
v.14 the entire law (i.e. the entire law concerning this aspect)
cp. the Lord’s response to the question “Which is the greatest command?” (Mark 12:28-31)
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, strength
- Love your neighbour as yourself
“love” is agape – the love that gives and is unselfish – more about this in a moment as well.
v.16 Note the contrast of spirit/flesh
v.17 flesh/spirit again
v.19 works of the flesh – i.e. what naturally comes out of mankind
v.21b – those who practice such things / those who live like this
- not talking about an occasional slip, but habitual practices
- possibly some dispensational considerations with this verse.
v. 22,23 – the fruit of the Spirit – a list
- what results from heeding the leadings and urgings of the Holy Spirit, rather than the natural tendencies of the flesh or our sinful nature
- a list of outcomes, set out in one of two ways:
Possibly listed as nine outcomes: love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, self-control - there are more than this in reality.
… or listed as one main outcome, with further explanation:
“The result of heeding the Holy Spirit is love (that unselfish act that puts other people first, and ourselves second) … [namely] joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith/faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Note that the “fruit” is singular in this verse. This idea of love being a dominant outcome of the fruit of the Spirit, with other virtues following as a result, is consistent with what we read in Colossians 3.
READ Colossians 3:12-14 - a similar list
v.14 – NIV – over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. This suggests that the fruit of the Spirit (the result of heeding the Holy Spirit’s urgings) is an attitude which focusses more on the needs of others, rather than our own desires.
BACK TO GALATIANS 5:22,23
I think the heeding of the Holy Spirit is one of the hardest parts of our Christian journey – the act of not following after our natural tendencies, but listening to the Spirit’s leading instead. Once we look outside of ourselves and seek God’s will, I think the other virtues are more likely to follow.
By and large, we know what each of these words in that list mean, so we’re not going to go through each one here. A consideration of this list of virtues is in the OBT booklet “The Fruit of the Spirit” edited by Michael Penny, if you are interested in further discussion of each aspect individually.
Take one minute now, and look at the list, and consider how these might be a part of your life this coming week. How can you exercise that unselfish aspect of love, and in which situations might it manifest itself in your life this week?
v.24 – “crucified the flesh”
- we still have desires to be fleshly – cp Romans 7 – “what I don’t want to do, I do”, etc
– but it is the power of sin and death has been nullified, overcome
The wages of sin is death … but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).
And if you are a believer in Christ, you have been given the Holy Spirit to accompany you and urge you to do God’s will, not your own. We read about some similar ideas in Ephesians.
READ Ephesians 2:1-10 – and note the following phrases…
v.2 the spirit at work in those who are disobedient (I think this spirit is the “attitudes” and “tendencies” of the sinful nature, rather than an “evil” or “demonic” spirit as such, but I could be wrong.)
v.3 fulfilling the desires of the flesh (NIV says "sinful nature")
v.8,9 – by grace we are saved… not of works
v.10 – it was always God’s intention that we should walk in God’s ways, but because of our sinful nature, we can’t be saved by them – that is too big an ask for us, and we have to rely on the righteousness of Christ to cover that side of things
Compare this with Ephesians 5:8-10, because the same thought is continued there...
v.8 once darkness, now light – so live like it
v.9 not fruit of the “Spirit” here (as in KJV or NKJV), but "light" (as it is rendered in many other translations)
nevertheless, it’s a similar idea.
v.10 – find out what pleases the Lord
READ Colossians 1:9-11a – this refers to being filled (or enlightened) with God’s knowledge, so that we may walk in a way pleasing to Him.
BACK TO GALATIANS 5
v.25 – “If we live by the Spirit (i.e. the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will raise us too, and now dwells within us) , let us also walk in the Spirit." (i.e let us be led by the Holy Spirit.)
If we will follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will result. This is primarily an exhibition of love as defined in the Scriptures … and this is pleasing to God.
SUMMING UP THE SERIES
There's a lot we've covered in this series, but here is the main gist of what we’ve looked at: We’ve considered something of the being and nature of the Holy Spirit, and we’ve considered some of the roles of the Holy Spirit. Broadly speaking, I’ve tried to emphasise two main points:
(1) The Holy Spirit is the intangible arm of God, interacting with mankind.
(2) The roles and activities of the Holy Spirit have varied throughout the ages. Just because we read of the Spirit performing a particular activity in one period, does not necessarily mean that same role is in operation today. (We’ve spent quite a few studies looking at how some of these activities have varied from OT times, the Intertestamental Period, the Gospels Period, the Acts Period and Today.)
Today, the main roles are that of an enabler, a revealer of truth and a guide – dwelling permanently with the Christian believer, enlightening us as to the things of God, strengthening us inwardly, as well as guiding us and urging us to walk in a way pleasing to God.
Therefore, I encourage you, and myself, to seek strength from God through His Spirit, to seek enlightenment of His word (which means reading the Word).
I encourage you to seek guidance, wisdom and discernment concerning God’s will and how we might better please God, whatever we do, wherever we live, whichever car we drive.
And I encourage you to be filled with or by the Holy Spirit by immersing yourself, not in the temporary things of the flesh (because the flesh cannot please God), but to immerse yourself in the more permanent things of God.
May the study and practice of God's Word concerning these things lift up the name of our Lord.