Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:16-26, NRSV)
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
But wouldn’t that be fruits of the spirit?
I mean fruit is singular, or is it. I live on fruit, means I don’t eat anything but fruit, but does it mean I only eat apples? And then is that only one type of apple?
Don’t all of these things love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control kind of have to do with the one thing we are told to do by Jesus and the Hebrew Scriptures: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and love you neighbor as yourself.
Love.
If there is love there is joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All of these things could be attributes of love.
So is the fruit of the spirit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, or is it Love, and all the rest are attributes of love?
Yes is the answer. If you are living a life filled with the Spirit you will care more for the other than you will for yourself, so there will be all 9 of these: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
So live filled with the Spirit, and care for the other.
aSacredRebel 