About the Fruits of the Spirit

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

"Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5: 22-23)

In Sunday School, which for me met on Wednesday nights, too (They called it "Kids Club"), I learned about the different "fruits"of the Spirit. For the next nine weeks, the pastor for "Kids Club" taught us about each of the "fruits" of the Spirit.

Yet the Bible is very clear: the FRUIT -- singular -- of the Spirit -- IS -- singular again!

The notion that we are to cultivate these different fruits in our lives is unscriptural.

Teaching each of these attributes of God's Spirit as if they are distinct and independent makes no sense, either.

Paul makes clear the composite whole of the results of the fruit of the Spirit:

"I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." (Galatians 5: 16)

and

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." (Galatians 5: 25)

and

"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13: 10)

We are not called to focus on the fruit. Trees do not strive to bear fruit, but rather the branches rest in the trunk, in the main part of the tree, out of which flows the sap, which travels into the branches, and thus brings forth the fruit.

This illustration Jesus gave to His disciples just before He was sent to be crucified:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman." (John 15: 1)

Jesus is our vine. He provides for us all that we need.

"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." (v. 2)

"Taketh away" is better translated "lifteth up" -- for our Father the Husbandman will not just toss away a branch that is not bearing fruit, but will place a stone under a failing branch so that with the support the branch will receive more strength to bear fruit. As every branch continues to bear fruit, God the Father will cleanse, water, and prune back anything which impedes the branches from bearing, which is any effort on our part to do anything apart from Him.

"Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." (v. 3)

What greater endorsement are we seeking than to know that in Christ's Word, we are made clean, purified. The more that we come to God's Word, the cleaner we become, the more fruitful we become in Him.

'Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." (v. 4)

We do not focus on the fruit, we do not focus on ourselves, we focus on the vine. We rest in the Same Power who framed the universe by speaking forth, the same God who became a man to live out the life that He now lives in every believer.

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15: 5)

Jesus tells us again -- "I am the vine." We are the branches, called to depend on Him for all things. In no way should we think, or presume, or limit ourselves to depending on our own strength for anything.

In Children's Church, the students need to learn not about the FRUITS, for every aspect, from love to goodness to temperance, is brought forth in us by the Holy Spirit, who manifest Christ in us, our hope of glory. Focus on the Vine, for in Him is the fullness of life!