There’s just something about good fruit. I think the best fruit I’ve ever had was on the island of Oahu – it was incredibly fresh and perfectly sweet. Good fruit strengthens, satisfies, and leaves a sweet taste in your mouth.
The fruit of the Spirit is good fruit!
Contrary to the “works” of the flesh which are spoken of in the verses prior to these (see Galatians 5:19-21), the fruit of the Spirit are virtues produced by the Holy Spirit. We produce good fruit through the power of the Holy Spirit and abiding in Jesus, but we can’t produce it on our own.
In John 15:5, Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
We need Jesus to produce good fruit! We need to abide in Him. How do we abide in Him?
“Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” 1 John 3:24
Relationship with God. Keeping His commandments. Following His Word. And we don’t have to do it alone! Because if we’ve repented of our sins and accepted Christ as our Savior, He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us in this! Only the Holy Spirit can produce this kind of fruit in our lives.
While there will be some pruning involved – moments when we will have to submit to God’s discipline to grow; ultimately, it’s for our good – good fruit is produced – and for His glory.
Jesus said, “by this My Father is glorified, that you bear MUCH fruit, so you will be my disciples.” John 15:8
The fruit is Christlikeness, and we glorify God when we take on His characteristics. We are true disciples when we produce good fruit.