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LESSON 12
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The Fruit of the Spirit

Get t ing

Webster’s dictionary defines fruit as “the effect or

consequence of an action or operation.” This fits well
with the Scriptures’ teaching on the fruit of the Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit develops as a direct result of the
Spirit’s action in our lives as Christians. In fact, the
process begins the moment a person accepts Christ as
Lord and Savior.
The apostle Paul writes, “The acts of the sinful nature
are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of
rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy;
drunkenness, orgies, and the like. . . . But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians
5:19–23). Paul makes a unique distinction between the
works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. The works
of the flesh flow out of our sinful human nature, but the
fruit of the Spirit is the result of the Spirit’s activity in us.
Growing the proper fruit is impossible without the Holy
Spirit, but we also have a part to play in the process. We
must willingly cooperate and respond to what the Spirit
is doing in us.
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LESSON OUTLINE

T he
The Role of Salvation in Bearing Fruit

Fr u i t
A Balanced Life
The Nine Fruit of the Spirit

o f
LESSON OBJECTIVES

th e
When you complete this lesson, you should be able to:

Spirit
1: Point out prerequisites for bearing fruit.

2: Explain the need for both the fruit and gifts of the
Spirit.

3: Describe the nine fruit of the Spirit.

The Role of Salvation in Bearing Fruit

Objective 1:
Point out prerequisites for bearing fruit.

Born again
In order for there to be fruit, there has to be life. We
must experience salvation through faith in Christ before
we can bear fruit. This salvation is often referred to as
regeneration, or the “born-again experience.” A true
believer and follower of Christ is indwelt by the Holy
Spirit who produces good fruit. Matthew records these
words of Jesus, “Every good tree bears good fruit, but
a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad
fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree
that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown
into the fire” (Matthew 7:17–19). Regeneration is a
prerequisite for bearing good fruit.

Abiding in Christ
A second prerequisite for fruit-bearing is an ongoing
union with Christ by the Spirit. John records Jesus’
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words, “‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man
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remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;

apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not
remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away
and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into
the fire and burned’” (John 15:5–6). Notice that Jesus is
Get t ing

the vine, and we are His branches. We have to abide in

the vine to grow and bring forth fruit. People who do not
follow through on their commitment to Christ and stay in
close fellowship with Him cannot produce spiritual fruit
pleasing to God. If you uproot a flowering plant from the
ground, you would not expect it to blossom. Likewise,
when we are not rooted and grounded in a relationship
with Christ, we will not bring forth fruit.

Living in the Spirit

A third prerequisite for fruit-bearing is that there must
be a desire to live in the Spirit. Paul says in Galatians
5:16, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify
the desires of the sinful nature.” Living in the Spirit is
sometimes referred to as walking in the Spirit, and it
indicates one’s yielding to the Spirit’s direction and
guidance. To be led by the Spirit implies surrender to the
authority and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Consider this
brief illustration: When traveling in a foreign country,
it is much easier to have a knowledgeable guide. The
guide knows the geography and culture of the land and
can make visiting a new place more interesting and
enjoyable. So it is for the believer. When we are led by
the Spirit of God, our journey on earth becomes far more
God-pleasing and productive.

Sowing and reaping

A final prerequisite for fruit-bearing is recognition of
the law of sowing and reaping. Paul writes, “Do not be
deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he
sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from
that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to
please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life”
(Galatians 6:7–8). We need to ask ourselves what kinds of
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things we want to reap in our lives. If we want the right

T he
kind of harvest, we need to sow properly. We sow good
seed by doing what the Lord asks of us.

Fr u i t
In his epistles or letters, the apostle Paul identifies a
number of negative human attributes. He calls them the
works of the flesh or the acts of the sinful nature. Some

o f
of these works are immorality, impurity, sensuality, strife,
jealousy, outbursts of anger, drunkenness, and carousing.

th e
These are all the result of improper sowing. Knowing
that God wants to produce good fruit in us, we have a

Spirit
responsibility to sow properly so that with the Spirit’s
help we reap a good harvest.

A Balanced Life
Objective 2:
Explain the need for both the fruit and gifts of the Spirit.

The gifts of the Spirit are mentioned in 1 Corinthians

12:8–10: the message of wisdom, the message of
knowledge, the gift of faith, gifts of healing, miraculous
powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits,
tongues, and interpretation of tongues. As God’s
children, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we can personally
experience the gifts of the Spirit. However, due to the
often exciting nature of these spiritual manifestations,
some people focus more on the gifts than on the fruit of
the Spirit.
While recognizing the importance of the gifts, let
us not lose sight of the significance of the fruit of the
Spirit. There are nine fruit of the Spirit mentioned in
Galatians 5, and nine gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1
Corinthians 12. Both are divine and supernatural. A good
way to understand the difference between the two is to
remember that fruit is for developing Christlike character
in our lives. Gifts are predominantly outwardly focused,
to minister to the body of Christ and others. Fruit takes
time to grow; gifts are given immediately.
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People who exercise spiritual gifts have the greatest
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need to show the fruit of the Spirit. Spiritual gifts do not

measure the spiritual depth and character of a believer.
In fact, the believer who operates in the gifts of the Spirit
without much evidence of spiritual fruit can dishonor
both his or her own testimony and that of Christ. Such
Get t ing

inconsistency must be avoided at all cost!

Clearly, God places great value on the fruit of the
Spirit. It is the quiet influence of a Christlike life rather
than the seemingly explosive power of the gifts that
truly validates a person’s relationship with the Lord.
The optimum condition is when fruit and gifts work
harmoniously in the believer’s life.
Christians are a work in progress. Growth in all areas
of our lives is continuous and progressive. Furthermore,
when we speak of the fruit of the Spirit growing in our
life, we must remember two simple truths: the believer
must cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and fruit produces
visible change.

Cooperating with the Holy Spirit

The Lord will not force development of spiritual fruit
in our lives. He alone can produce fruit, but we must
yield to Him. Therefore, we must avoid doing what
displeases and grieves Him. If we want to see growth
of spiritual fruit, we have to make a concerted effort to
keep out the weeds or acts of the sinful nature and stay
connected to the vine, the source of life.

Fruit produces visible change

While the development of the fruit is ongoing and
perhaps not as rapid as you wish, changes will be
noticeable. People will see the fruit of the Spirit in
your life and be amazed. This brings glory to God!
While you are not yet the finished product of God’s
workmanship, you are also not what you used to be. God
is pleased when He sees genuine progress, so do not
be discouraged when the fruit seems to be growing too
slowly. Remember that God does not see what we used
to be; He sees what we will become.
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The Nine Fruit of the Spirit

T he
Objective 3:

Fr u i t
Describe the nine fruit of the Spirit.

Paul writes in Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the

o f
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Let us look at

th e
each of these nine fruit of the Spirit.

Love

Spirit
Love produced by the Holy Spirit is different from
human, natural love. This fruit of the Spirit goes beyond
natural love in that it produces love for our enemies.
When we love our enemies, we do not merely put
up with them; we are motivated to do good to them.
Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love
your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you:
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you” (Matthew 5:43–44). This is the kind of love Jesus
showed when He hung on the Cross and cried, “Father,
forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”
(Luke 23:34). And this is the love that Jesus wants to
produce in each of us.
Love borne out of the Spirit is sacrificial and does not
fail. It is in the area of sacrifice that natural love most
resembles the spiritual fruit of love. When natural love is
strong, a person may be willing to sacrifice for the one he
or she loves, even to the point of death. This is what God
did for us. Paul writes, “But God demonstrates his own
love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us” (Romans 5:8). Thus, love that comes of the
Spirit is sacrificial and never fades.

Joy
The Spirit desires to produce joy in our lives. In fact,
joy should be a dominant trait in every believer. Many
Bible verses speak of joy. Jesus said, “I have told you
this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may
be complete” (John 15:11). The psalmist writes also, “I
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will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will
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ever sing for joy” (Psalm 132:16). Isaiah continues, “And

the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion
with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads”
(Isaiah 35:10). Then, “In thy presence is fulness of joy”
(Psalm 16:11 KJV).
Get t ing

There is a big difference between natural joy or

happiness and spiritual joy. Natural joy is usually based
on circumstances. When things go well or people
experience good things, they feel joy. However, the
fruit of joy produced by God’s Spirit does not require
comfortable circumstances. For instance, when Paul
and Silas were in the Philippian jail, they chose to sing
praises to God at midnight although they were in great
physical pain (see Acts 16:25). Their attitude in the face
of persecution showed the Spirit’s joy.

Peace
God’s peace is brought into our hearts as a fruit of the
indwelling Spirit of God. Its source is the atoning work
of Christ on the Cross. Paul writes, “Therefore, since we
have been justified through faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). We
first experience God’s peace when we are born again.
The fruit of peace fills our hearts so that even in
times of great turmoil we still experience it. How is the
fruit of peace different from the natural serenity that
even unsaved people feel from time to time? Like the
fruit of joy, the fruit of peace does not depend upon
circumstances. God’s peace passes all understanding
(Philippians 4:7).

Patience
Sometimes patience is described as “long-suffering.”
God is patient and long-suffering with humankind in
general and even with His true followers. He is slow
to anger, compassionate, and gracious. Read how God
describes himself in Exodus 34:6–7: “And he passed
in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The LORD, the LORD,
the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger,
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abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to

T he
thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.
Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished.’” Surely,

Fr u i t
patience is one of God’s most noteworthy attributes. The
apostle Peter writes, “The Lord is not slow in keeping
his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient

o f
with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to
come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

th e
As Christians, we need the fruit of patience. The
journey of life is long, but we cannot lose heart. Though

Spirit
we desire to be with Christ and escape the trials of this
world, we must be patient. Consider Paul’s desire for the
Colossians. He prayed that they would be strengthened
with all power according to God’s glorious might so
that they may have great endurance and patience, and
joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified
them to share in the inheritance of the saints in the
kingdom of light (Colossians 1:11–12).
Patience is essential in our dealings with people, both
Christian and non-Christian. People will disappoint and
fail us. They will wrong us and be slow to change. But
just as God is long-suffering with us, we must be patient
with others. No believer can afford to ignore this fruit of
the Spirit if he or she wants to become a servant of God.

Kindness
When you think of kindness, what comes to
mind? Paul tells us that God’s kindness leads people
toward repentance (Romans 2:4). We are commanded
by Scripture to be kind in our spiritual life and our
relationships with others. Peter writes, “For this very
reason, make every effort to add to your faith . . .
brotherly kindness” (2 Peter 1:5–7). Paul advises in
Colossians, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy
and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with . . . kindness”
(Colossians 3:12). In Ephesians 4:32, Paul writes again,
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving
each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Notice in
this verse that one of the ways we show kindness is by
forgiving others when they have wronged us.
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We see a great example of kindness in the Old
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Testament account of Joseph and his brothers. After

having been sold into slavery by his older brothers
and having experienced many other traumatic events,
Joseph could have been very cruel to them. But he chose
to show them kindness. Genesis records, “But Joseph
Get t ing

said to them [his brothers], ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in

the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God
intended it for good to accomplish what is now being
done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I
will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured
them and spoke kindly to them” (50:19–21). Each of us,
as Christians, has been shown kindness by God in that
He saved us; the least we can do now is show kindness
toward others.

Goodness
A life of goodness is strong evidence that a spiritual
and moral transformation is taking place in a person.
Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of
the good stored up in him” (Matthew 12:35). Later, Paul
wrote to the church at Colosse, “that you may live a life
worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work” (Colossians 1:10).
Do not ever think that God is not concerned about
good works. The Bible teaches us that we are not saved
because of good works; however, good works must be
evident once we are born again. Paul writes in Ephesians
2:10 that we were “created in Christ Jesus to do good
works.” We are His workmanship. God saves us that
we might serve Him and others. Read what Tim LaHaye
(1993) writes, in the Spirit-Controlled Temperament,
about the fruit of goodness.
Many a Christian has cheated himself out
of the blessing of the Holy Spirit’s inspired
impulse to do something good or kind for
someone else by not obeying that urge.
Instead of bringing joy to someone else’s
life by an act of kindness, the self-centered
person stifles the impulse and sinks deeper
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and deeper in the slough of despondency

T he
and gloom. It is one thing to get good
impulses; it is quite another to transmit them

Fr u i t
into acts of goodness.

Faithfulness

o f
Genuine faith produces faithfulness. Faithfulness can
be seen in the way a believer conscientiously studies

th e
God’s Word, prays, worships, serves, gives, lives, and
carries out responsibilities. It affects every area of life.

Spirit
Paul writes, “Now it is required that those who have been
given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
Faithfulness, like all the other fruit of the Spirit, grows.
It develops as we complete smaller responsibilities.
Then, God entrusts us with greater tasks. This new life
we have in Christ is lived from a position of trust. It is
contradictory to trust God for eternity but not in our daily
relationships and activities. Jesus promises that if we are
“faithful, even to the point of death” He would give us
“the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

Gentleness
In Galatians 5:22, gentleness refers to having humility
and meekness. While, today, gentleness is not always
seen as a virtue, it should not be viewed as weakness.
Let us look at an example in the Old Testament. God
the Father is all-powerful, yet He deals gently with His
people. The prophet Isaiah wrote of God, “He tends his
flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those
that have young” (Isaiah 40:11). Note that the verses just
before and after this text speak of God’s infinite power
and wisdom. Hence, though gentleness and power may
seem to be in great contrast, in reality gentleness is
power under control of the Spirit.
Gentleness also keeps us from inflicting injury on
others. Sometimes older Christians set unreasonable
standards for new Christians, forgetting to demonstrate
gentleness while the new believers grow in their
relationships with Jesus Christ. Just as parents do not
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usually scold their children who fall while taking their
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first steps, but instead they deal gently with them and
encourage them. So, too, seasoned Christians must be
gentle with newcomers to the faith.

Self-control
Get t ing

Self-control has been described as the thermostat

that controls the operation of all the other fruit of the
Spirit. Its appearance later in the list of spiritual fruit is
no indication of lack of importance. The ability to control
oneself is a great Christian virtue and a sure mark of
growth. We all know people whose lives are dominated
by dangerous habits and sins precisely because they lack
self control. They may be grossly overweight because
of overeating; may smoke or drink incessantly; may use
obscene language; or may find themselves dependent on
prescription or illegal drugs.
The Spirit’s fruit of self-control is not attained by
human effort; it is the product of the Spirit’s help and
grace in our lives. Because of this grace, even non-
Christians can demonstrate some self-control. For
instance, an athlete trains and disciplines her body for a
particular game or event. She refrains from eating foods
that will hamper her abilities. She may also force herself
to perform in spite of pain or extreme fatigue. However,
while commendable, human efforts at self-control have
limitations.
The spiritual fruit of self-control provides a dimension
of control that is beyond the natural ability. Let us
go back to the issue of overeating. For many years,
Christians have been encouraged to abstain from
tobacco and alcohol because of the harm these pose
to our physical bodies. Yet in the United States, many
who abstain from strong drink or tobacco eat excessive
amounts of food, to the point of gluttony. There are
serious side effects of consistently overeating. These
include diabetes, high blood pressure, fatigue, and lack
of physical mobility. Some people cannot stop overeating
on their own. They need the help of the Holy Spirit and
the fruit of self-control. Take time now to think of areas
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in your own life where greater self-control is needed. As

T he
you grow in grace, expect self-control to increase.

Fr u i t
Conclusion
The fruit of the Spirit is not the result of efforts at
human self-improvement. Rather, it is the result of a new

o f
spiritual life from above. There are many religious people
in our world who strive to improve their lives. They go to

th e
a church, temple, or mosque. They give offerings, pray,
and do good deeds. This, however, does not make their

Spirit
lives acceptable to God. To be acceptable to God, we
have to experience new birth through faith in Christ. This
is God’s design, and it will not change. Only after we
have entered into a relationship with God on His terms
can He begin to work in our lives to produce the qualities
that please Him. May you give careful attention to your
relationship with Christ and focus on those things that
will bring about spiritual growth.

Reference List
LaHaye, Tim. 1993. Spirit-Controlled Temperament.
Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.

SUGGESTED SCRIPTURES FOR MEMORIZATION

Galatians 5:22–23
Galatians 6:7–8
John 15:4
Galatians 2:20
1 Corinthians 13:8
Psalm 16:11
Romans 5:1
Matthew 12:35
1 Corinthians 4:2
Revelation 2:10
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SELF-TEST
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After studying the lesson, please read each study

question carefully and circle the correct response. There
is only one correct response for each question.
Get t ing

1. The fruit of the Spirit develops in a person’s life

a) all on its own.
b) by trial and error.
c) as a result of the Spirit’s action.
2. To bear spiritual fruit, you must
a) be a part of the right church affiliation.
b) be a member of the royal family.
c) have a born-again experience.
3. The greatest showing of spirituality comes when
a) fruit and gifts work together.
b) one attends church all the time.
c) one prays often.
4. For the fruit of the Spirit to develop and for our
character to mature, we must
a) join a church body.
b) stay in fellowship and communion with Christ.
c) speak in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.
5. Growth in the life of the believer is
a) a thing of luck.
b) something we have no control over.
c) continuous and progressive.
6. The love that Paul speaks of in Galatians 5:22 is
a) romantic and easy.
b) possible only through the Holy Spirit.
c) emotional and temporary.
7. God’s long-suffering leads to our
a) indifference.
b) nervous breakdown.
c) repentance.
8. The fruit of the Spirit is not the result of improving the
natural character; it is the result of
a) being a good person.
b) new spiritual life from above.
c) reading the Bible and praying every day.
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9. One benefit of having the fruit of the Spirit is

T he
a) liberty to say and do whatever we want without
consequences.
b) having God force His will on us.

Fr u i t
c) that the fruit produces visible change.
10. The law of sowing and reaping teaches that

o f
a) what one sows one reaps.
b) we must be good farmers.

th e
c) our thoughts do not affect our actions.

Spirit
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ANSWERS TO SELF-TEST
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Note: If you answered a study question incorrectly,

you can find the objective it was drawn from by looking
at the reference in parentheses.
Get t ing

1. c (12.1)
2. c (12.1)
3. a (12.2)
4. b (12.2)
5. c (12.2)
6. b (12.3)
7. c (12.3)
8. b (12.3)
9. c (12.2)
10. a (12.1)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF THIS LESSON

Terry Reiser has been in pastoral ministry for over
30 years. He presently pastors Faith Community
Church in Berlin, Wisconsin. He holds a doctorate
in Clinical Christian Counseling in Temperament
Therapy from the National Christian Counselors
Association.
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T he Fr u i t o f th e Spirit