“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)
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)
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)
then
'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." (John 15: 4)
We do not focus on the fruit, we do not focus on ourselves, but 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)
Do not focus about the FRUITS, for every aspect, from love to goodness to temperance, is brought forth in us by the Holy Spirit, who manifests Christ in us, our hope of glory. Focus on the Vine, for in Him is the fullness of life!
"Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5: 22-23)
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)
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)
then
'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." (John 15: 4)
We do not focus on the fruit, we do not focus on ourselves, but 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)
Do not focus about the FRUITS, for every aspect, from love to goodness to temperance, is brought forth in us by the Holy Spirit, who manifests Christ in us, our hope of glory. Focus on the Vine, for in Him is the fullness of life!
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