“Maar de vrucht van de Geest is liefde, vreugde, vrede, geduld, vriendelijkheid, goedheid, trouw, zachtmoedigheid en zelfbeheersing. Tegen zulke dingen bestaat geen wet.”
Galaten 5:22-23

The Bible has much to say about fruit. The word appears over 100 times in the Old Testament and about 70 times in the New Testament. Praising the Lord (Heb. 13:15), winning souls to Christ (1 Cor. 16:15), and godly works (Col. 1:10) are all considered forms of fruit. But when Paul the Apostle speaks of the fruit of the Spirit, he primarily has in mind the characteristics of Christ being formed in the follower of Christ.

We might ask the question: How does this happen? Is it the result of a concentrated effort on my part as a Christian? Do I get up in the morning saying, “Today I’m going to bear the fruit of the Spirit”? Bearing the fruit of the Spirit in my life has very little to do with being occupied with the fruit itself, and everything to do with being occupied with Christ.

We are to set our affections and our minds on things above, where Christ is (Col. 3:1–2).

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth… But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth… Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:1–2, 8, 12).

The health world tells us that we are what we eat. This is true spiritually as well. As we “feed” on Christ and become occupied with Him, the Spirit of God works to reproduce His likeness in us. These nine qualities are aspects of godly fruit in the believer’s life.

Some have attempted to divide these nine characteristics into groups by saying that the first three are Godward, the second three relate to others, and the last three are selfward. But in reality, the Spirit of God desires all of these qualities to be evident in every part of our lives, all the time, so that Christ may be all and in all (Col. 3:11).

Ankerpunt voor vandaag:
It is when we focus and fix our hearts upon Him that we have the power to put off the works of the flesh and put on the features of Christ.