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Christians are often reminded to exercise the fruit of the Spirit or to examine themselves in the Scriptures, relying on the Spirit of God. These references typically come from Galatians 5:22-23, where Paul speaks of the Fruit of the Spirit:
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:19-23).
Before listing the fruit of the Spirit, Paul first lays out the ways of the flesh. This distinction is significant, as Paul is known for teaching about the ongoing cosmic battle between the flesh (human nature and sin) and the Spirit (God).
The Christian doctrine of the Holy Spirit is both simple and profound. Jesus taught that one must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven. The regeneration of the soul is directly tied to being indwelled by the Spirit, as seen in John 3. Later, in John 14, Jesus promised His followers a Helper:
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you,” (John 14:16-17).
A Christian does not earn salvation by works and does not gain favor with God through personal merit. Rather, it is the Holy Spirit who works within the believer, producing fruit that reflects God’s transformative power. Paul’s teaching in Galatians makes this clear—he refers to the fruit of the Spirit, not the fruit of man.
In the ongoing struggle between flesh and Spirit, Christ’s life, death and resurrection make it possible for believers to overcome darkness through the light. Scripture is filled with such contrasts: darkness vs. light, flesh vs. Spirit. These teachings remind us that while sin is a present reality, it is only through Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, that darkness can be confronted and overcome.
No Christian will live a perfect life. Yet, thanks be to God that when the Spirit is not grieved, He can guide believers into a faithful and obedient life, one marked by repentance and continual growth.
Examining the fruit of the Spirit ultimately ties back to two questions: Are you living in Christ? Are you growing in sanctification?
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony,” (Colossians 3:12-14).
