Do You Produce Good Fruit or Bad Fruit?

Have you ever thought about whether you produce good fruit or bad fruit?  As a Christian, you are probably familiar with Galatians 5:22 which says "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Previous verses to this reference the acts of the sinful nature -- sexual immorality, impurity,...idolatry...jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, envy....  I don't know about you but the acts of the sinful nature come much more naturally to me than those that are the fruit of the spirit.

As I thought about the two distinct natures - the sinful and the spirit (that of God) there is definitely conflict.

Paul says in Romans 7:14-20 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.  Essentially what he is saying is that he wants to do good but the sinful nature (natural bent) causes him to do bad.  We are all born with a sinful nature.  Even after we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we will still have this battle with the sinful nature.  The good news is that we have victory in Christ.

So let's go back to the fruit of the spirit.  These are the qualities/characteristics that are God-honoring.  If I put these down as a checklist and try to accomplish these as "tasks"--I will fail miserably.  I know this because I've tried.  Remember that sinful nature that is within each one of us?  I've attempted to gain these qualities in my own strength and failed.  The qualities produced by the spirit (the fruit) are only gained by the spirit's work.  As we humbly submit ourselves to God's authority in Christ Jesus and allow Him to do a work in us, only then can we produce the fruit of love, peace, patience, kindness, etc.

May you produce an abundance of fruit!