Dynamic Power

8.1 The fruit of the Spirit

There is also – yes, it doesn’t stop – there is also talk of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
This fruit is  nine fold, according to Galatians 5:22.

Contrary to the verses ahead in Galatians 5 (they are about the works of the ‘flesh’, an indication of what happens when the demons get the overhand in men) Paul now names the fruit (not: fruits) of the Spirit.
This fruit forms one unit, but consists out of nine all-embracing Godly features:   

- Feature Original text
1 love agapè means (1) ‘love’ and (2) ‘love meal’
2 happiness (joy) chara means ‘happiness/gladness, joy’
3 peace eirene means peace
4 submissiveness (patience) makrothumia means ‘being patient, patience, submissiveness’
5 friendliness chrestotes means ‘goodness, friendliness’
6 goodness agathosune means ‘goodness’
7 loyalty (faith)  pistis means (1) ‘loyal, trustworthiness’ and (2) ‘(the) trust, faith’
8 gentleness praiotes means ‘gentleness, friendliness, kindness’
9 self-control egkrateia means ‘self-control, self-discipline’

(Between brackets in the first column is how it is described in the New International Version).


Sometimes this fruit, which is nine fold, is being mixed up with the gifts which are also nine in number.
Also in this case the ‘problem’ disappears, when we take time to let the concepts and words absorb.

Some people say, that there are many more gifts and fruits, than those that are mentioned in the Bible.
This could be so, but then this first should become clear to us. Until that time we accept what the Bible says to us about this.

We al know what a fruit is. Fruits appear on a tree or bushes or other plants.
We also talk about ‘fruit’ with reproduction. ‘Re-product- tion’ (??) takes place. After that the fruit grows. When the fruit with human or animal is fully grown, it will be revealed or with plants it will be visibly ‘revealed’.

It is also the same with the fruit of the Spirit. For sure in the New Testament we often see the picture of a growing process, of becoming mature, of becoming complete. Therefore with/through the conception arises the fruit.
The fruit of the Spirit arises in us, by the fact that our spirit is being ‘fertilized’ by the Word of God, by the fact that we take over God’s thoughts. The word of God is also called ‘seed’ (1Peter 1:23). New life exists out of that conception, that, when it is fully grown ‘in secret’ (in the womb), will be ‘revealed’ or delivered..
This is the process of producing the sons of God. This is worth a separate study!

So the fruit has to grow, that process needs time. We obtain the gifts directly at the moment that we need these and as we eagerly desire this in faith or strive after it.

It is possible to have the expressions of the Spirit ‘at your disposal’, while the fruit is not (completely) visible yet.
The other way around might also be possible: the fruit is already (partially) visible, without (all) expressions already functioning.
Normal and optimal is, that the gifts function well and are in this way supportive to the revelation of the fruit.
For: who speaks in spiritual languages, edifies himself. He produces fruit.
He who has the gifts of healings, can heal his suffering fellow man, so this fellow man can focus better on God and through which the fruit of the Spirit can develop himself better in him.
He who has the gift of distinction of spirits, can release his fellow man in a better way from the lodging demons, through which this person can focus himself better on God, etc.

The completer the right working of the expressions of the Spirit is, the faster the fruit will grow.
Colossians 1:6 “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you herd it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.”
The grace of God (charis) has, as proves here, everything to do with the gifts and the expressions of the Holy Spirit.
He who has learned to know these gifts, as God means ‘in truth’ (in reality) and has started working with that (started to strive after it), experiences that through this also the fruit of the Holy Spirit grows in him.
And: the more fruit is becoming visible, the more we start to look like Jesus Christ, the better and more completely the gifts of the Spirit will also start functioning. It is an interaction!

When we have this insight, we will not choose the one above the other and also not the other way around. But we will focus on the fruit as well as on the gifts at the same time.

After all: Follow the way of love (fruit) and eagerly desire spiritual gifts!

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