In Gal. 5:22, the fruit of the Spirit is brought before us in the singular instead of the plural. These graces are not the product of self; they do not belong to us by nature; this is the inward work of grace reproduced by the Holy Spirit. We are reminded in Hos. 14:8 "From Me is thy fruit found." Again in that memorable discourse by our Lord in John 15:5 we read: "Without Me ye can do nothing.”
These nine lovely graces begin with love, joy and peace-the characteristics of our inward state. Long-suffering, gentleness and goodness mark our outward character before our fellowmen. While faith, meekness and temperance [self-control] distinguish our attitude upward toward God. Our Lord was the only One on earth who displayed these graces with faultless and unerring perfection.
Love is the first fruit of the Spirit. This is not a human sentiment, but it is the "love of God... shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost." Rom. 5:5. The matchless love has drawn us to Himself, the Lover of our souls, and the love of Christ constraineth us-that we should not henceforth live unto ourselves but unto Him who died for us and rose again. (2 Cor. 5:14, 15.) This love is the badge of our discipleship. The Lord Jesus reminds us in John 13:35: "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another." "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:10.
Joy, another characteristic, is the second fruit of the Spirit. We recall His sweet promise "These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15:11. Again, "Your joy no man taketh from you." John 16:22. Our joy is in the Lord Himself "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." 1 Peter 1:8. A fullness of joy is the result of our fellowship with the Father and with His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and truly "The joy of the Lord is your strength." Neh. 8:10.
Peace is the third of these graces. Our Lord Jesus spoke of this peace to His disciples in the upper room: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you." John 14:27. "Having made peace through the blood of His cross." Col. 1:20. So we may, even in this restless, changing world, experience the tranquility of soul for "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee." Isa. 26:3.
Long-suffering, the fourth, is a wonderful attribute of our gracious God, and how much we need to cultivate this fruit of the Spirit in a hostile world and toward one another. "Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness." Col. 1:11. The Apostle Paul, in his testimony, declares, "That in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering; for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting." 1 Tim. 1:16.
Gentleness is the fifth of the graces of the Holy Spirit. "Thy gentleness hath made me great." 2 Sam. 22:36. Our Lord Jesus was the perfect example of this lovely grace. We are reminded in 2 Tim. 2:24 and 25, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." (see also James 3:17.)
Goodness is the sixth grace. This is not any goodness of our own, but as we fix our earnest gaze upon Him who went about doing good, others may take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus (Acts 4:13;10:38). It is unselfishness towards others in our forbearance and in our manner of lire. We are exhorted to do good to all men and especially to them who are of the household of faith.
Faith is the seventh of the graces and distinguishes our attitude towards God in our daily walk here. We read in 1 Cor. 4:2: "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." May we seek to be faithful in the little things. "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much." Luke 16:10. We would remind our hearts of the Lord's own commendation to the faithful servant: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Matt. 25:21.
Meekness is the eighth grace, and we always need to remind ourselves of the Lord's gracious invitation in Matt. 11:29: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Meekness is not weakness, but strength held under control. It is a humility that surrenders the will to the Lord. It is the ornament which is in the sight of God of great price (1 Peter 3:4). The Apostle Paul appeals to the believers in Corinth to manifest (show forth, display) the meekness of Christ.
Temperance [self-control] is the last but not the least of the graces. We have here the need for the Spirit-controlled life. In 2 Peter 1:5, 6, we have added to faith, virtue, and to virtue, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control. If we live in the Spirit, we are also to walk in the Spirit. All believers live in the Spirit, being born again by the Holy Spirit as we are exhorted in verse 16 of Gal. 5 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust [evil desires] of the flesh.”
May these graces become increasingly evident in each of our lives to His glory. H. Spence