Fruit of The Spirit - an overview

Fruit of the Spirit comprise of nine parts. Fruit of the Spirit is the result of living a Holy Spirit-filled life. If we live with Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds, we will be blessed with all the nine parts of the Fruit of the Spirit, which will enrich our lives, give meaning and purpose of to our lives in this world.

This is as opposed to "flesh" oriented living. "Flesh" oriented living involves gratifying the various fleshly lust, carnal and world desires, and lusts of the eyes.

Specific verses for Fruit of The Spirit are Galatians 5:22-23. The entire passage as related to "Fruit of The Spirit" and "Living by the Spirit" is Galatians 5:16-26.

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law.19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness,20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 21 envy,[b] drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another. (Galatians 4"16-26) (RSV)

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:16-26)

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[c] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,[d]drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.  (Galatians 5:19-26) (NKJV)

The passage of Galatians chapter 5 verses 16-26 is comparing living by the flesh against living by the Holy Spirit. We believers are encouraged to live by the Spirit instead of living according to our fleshly desires. Examples of fleshly lusts are sexual immorality, religious sins, sins against other people, and sins against the self.

Fruit of The Spirit comprises nine parts:
1) Love,
2) Joy,
3) Peace,
4) Patience / Forbearance / Longsuffering,
5) Kindness,
6) Goodness,
7) Faithfulness,
8) Gentleness,
9) Self-Control.

In the near future, I would like to study topically on each of the nine parts of the Fruit of The Spirit.

Monday, Jan 27, 2014.
Michael Yeap.

NIV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=galations+5&version=NIV

RSV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=galations+5&version=RSV

NKJV:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=galations+5&version=NKJV