The Fruit of the Spirit Touches all Relationships

by David Shannon

The fruit of the Spirit is singular, not plural. This fruit has numerous traits. In contrast to the �works of the flesh� the description of �fruit� informs us that God must be involved in this. Man can work. Man can build a machine that �works�, but man could never build a machine that produces �fruit.� When we think of �works� we think of effort, strain, and toil; but when we think of �fruit� we think of beauty, quietness, and the natural unfolding of life (spiritual life produced by the Spirit Himself).

One way to understand the Fruit of the Spirit

9 Different Aspects of the Spirit
Touches our Relationship with God
Love, Joy, Peace

Touches our Relationship with Others
Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness

Touches our Relationship with Self
Faith, Meekness, Temperance
The Fruit Defined
Love: Good-will toward our fellowman and intensified (it acts) and sanctified (it is set apart). Seeking the good of another above oneself.

Joy: The �glad-heartedness� that comes from our faith in God and His goodness toward us.

Peace: The serenity of soul arising from the consciousness of being brought home to the favor of God and to obedience to His will.

Longsuffering: To suffer long.

Gentleness: Kindness, Sweetness of disposition. A willingness to be of service to others.

Goodness: The disposition to do good to others.

Faith: Full of faith to the end.

Meekness: Mild of temper; patient under injuries; longsuffering; absence of passion or wrath and in a consistent mildness of temper.

Temperance: Self-control.

This article is adapted due to space from a helpful outline of Hugh
Fulford, preacher at LaGuardo and father of Brett Fulford.

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