NAU Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Today, we will be looking at what the fruit of The Spirit is in the life of the believer.
The word “but” or “de” in the Greek is used to express a continuation of the thought with a contrast between two ideas. “Fruit” is in the singular form and the phrase “of The Spirit” tells us whose “fruit” it is or “The Spirit’s fruit”. The word “fruit” relays the understanding of the outcome of something produced from a producer. What is produced from a plant will in turn identify what type of plant it is. So here we see the fruit that will be seen is produced by The Spirit since the fruit is His and not ours. The characteristics that are seen in a person by others will identify The Spirit in that person.
The word “fruit” is in the Nomitive Feminine Singular form and the following characteristics listed are also in the Nomitive Feminine Singular form. This shows us that the characteristics relate to only the word “fruit” in the sentence. The verb “is” is in the Indicative Present Active 3rd Person Singular form. This tells us that the subject is doing the action (In this case it is the state of being), it is a factual event, and is happening at the present moment continuously.
Since the verb “is” is an equative verb (a verb that equates the subject with something else), and the list of characteristics is in the Nomitive form (noun form), this shares with us that the list of characteristics is what the fruit exactly is or the essence of what it is. So we can put each individual word in the list linked with the word “fruit” like this: “the fruit of The Spirit is love”, The fruit of The Spirit is joy”, “The fruit of The Spirit is peace”, and so on. The understanding is the fruit is in essence love or joy or peace at its core and as a whole. This would be true of all the characteristics listed. The fruit is in essence God displayed. If the list consisted of words that were adjectives then it would be telling us attributes of what the fruit is like or similar too.
As we read of the characteristics of The Spirit in verses 22 and 23, and we understand that those characteristics are pointing back to origin from which they came, The Spirit of God. By seeing the fruit that a particular tree produces, one can identify that tree and by the fruit that it produces. In the same way the fruit of The Spirit in a person’s life can be identified as the list provided.
All the characteristics are noticeable and evidently seen. These characteristics display The Spirit of God in a person’s life. If one walks with the flesh, then the works are evidently seen. When one understands the characteristics of God and the characteristics of the flesh, the contrast of the two will be understood.
After the list we see the noun “such things” or “toioutos in the Greek is referring back to the list of characteristics. This word shares with us that this is not a completed list. In the verse it says that they also pertain to no law. The reason there is no law for them is that the law is fulfilled in love. Love supersedes the law. The law is for those who break the law of love. God is love and therefore the law is not against Him. Jesus is God and He lived on earth and lived out love perfectly. In all His actions He did in love for God The Father and for others. Therefore, no law could condemn Him for any action. This is why He was the blameless Lamb of God that was killed for our transgressions (sins) against God. Transgressions are to do anything that is lacking God’s love which leads to disobedience against Him.
In verse 24, the verb “stauroo” in the Greek or “crucified” is in the Indicative Aorist Active 3rd person plural form. It designates a real time event that took place in the past and the subject did the action. Here the writer is explaining that those who are Jesus’ no longer live to please the fleshly desires.
Here Paul clarifies what a follower of Jesus is like. The second list that Paul gives is what is produced in the life of a Christian by The Spirit. This is because if this is seen in a person’s life then The Spirit of God is living and being followed in a person’s life. It is The Spirit that produces the “fruit” or evidences of the character of God in a person. It is not the person trying to become like Christ Jesus. For a person’s own power is of the flesh and is insufficient to produce the characteristics of God, but only The Spirit of God is able to produce His characteristics in a person. A person without The Spirit can display shadows of the good characteristics of God but is corrupted by selfishness at its core. The Law has shown that the best intentions of people to do what pleases God falls short because of sin. We see this in the fact that the Jewish nation was unable to keep from breaking the Torah (Law of God given to Moses in the Pentateuch) or anyone who has tried to live by it. They needed to offer repeated sacrifices in order to atone for their sins.
We are no different than they. We continually fall short before God Who is holy. He is perfect without any wrong doing. It is by faith in the sacrifice of Jesus The Messiah, The Son of God (therefore being God, Himself) for the washing away of sins that enables one to appear before Him as righteous. This is because the sin of the believer was placed upon Jesus on the cross to take the penalty of death. After His resurrection, He gave His Spirit to live in the believer (John 16:7; Galatians 4:6) giving life and freedom from the power of the flesh.
In verse 25, The word “if” or “ei” in the Greek is a conditional particle that can also be translated as “since” depending on the context of the passage. In this context the word should be translated as “since” because the following verb “we live” or “zomen” in the Greek is in the Indicative form. This tells us that it is a factual or real event in the present moment and the subject is performing the action. Because of this grammatical structure, “ei” expresses a condition of fact regarded as true or settled (Friberg Lexicon - def- 1). As well as in the previous verse the understanding is that Paul is talking to believers by the phrase “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh…”. By using the word “if”, Paul would be focusing on questioning the person’s position of belief. However, it is a factual or real event and the thrust of the point is not questioning the status of the person, wondering “if” they are a believer, but pointing to the fact that the believers’ spirits were raised from the dead by The Spirit of God, therefore, “Since” is the more accurate word choice to be used.
The second part of the verse uses the verb “stoicheo” in the Greek or “let us walk” in this verse is in the Subjunctive Present Active 1st person plural form. The Subjunctive mood describes the idea of probability or possibility dealing with a future circumstance. This verse is describing a continual action by being in the present tense form and the subject is doing the action of the verb. The verb walking or living has these connotations with the meaning: of being in stride with, be in line with, live, conduct oneself, walk, be in harmony with, be in agreement with, hold to, live in conformity with, walk in someone’s steps, walk by, and imitate. It describes a close relationship in this case with The Spirit of God. The writer is encouraging the believer to live in a manner that is continually with The Spirit. It is their choice to live walking with The Spirit or not. As one walks by or in conformity with The Spirit the character and attributes of God will be lived out in their life.
It is so comforting to know that God desires an intimate relationship with us. The God of creation’s desire was not only to come in the form of a man to save His disobedience and lost humanity but to live in the hearts of those who turn and trust in Him for salvation in a personal and intimate relationship. He is not distant and aloof but a personal, intimate, and loving God. He wants to lead us by His Spirit as we let Him and obey Him. He has freed us from the control of only following the fleshly desires so that now we can live in harmony with Him, loving Him with our lives, as it was in the beginning with Adam and Eve, and allowing Him to produce His fruit in us.
Lord God, please help us to die to our desires and raise up Yours to reign in our hearts. Help us to walk with you in our lives living in a pleasing and loving relationship with You. Our desire is to serve and love You with our lives for You are The Lord God Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. Please help us to allow You to live powerfully within us, Amen.
Love Daniel
Posted on November 5th, 2007 by Daniel
Filed under: Truth To Live By