The fruit of the Spirit – Part 3

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. Galatians 5 22-23

The Bible talks about many fruits of obedience in the Old and the New Testaments—conviction of sin, repentance, humility, etc. But Paul makes specific mentions of some attributes in Galatians as the fruit of the Spirit. This is Part 3 of an exhortation on that note as we continue our walk of faith in this world. Part 1 covered love and joy, while Part 2 discussed peace, patience, and kindness.

Attribute #6: Goodness

God is perfectly righteous and good—all the time. He reveals His goodness throughout the pages of Scripture—Nehemiah 9, for example. And we, as His image-bearing children, are commanded to do good. Galatians 6:10 says, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

To be faithful is to stay true to our purpose in life: to follow Jesus with complete devotion

As followers of Jesus Christ, we should be known for our good deeds, our tender hearts filled with kindness. In persevering to do so, we glorify God the Father and display the Son to others. “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfil every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).

Attribute #7: Faithfulness

Our God is faithful. His mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness to us. Our God is also a God of truth; He cannot lie. Being children of God, we are called to portray this trait of our Father in heaven in all our dealings with men.

A close synonym of faithfulness is fidelity. It means careful, continuing, and exact observance of duty. To be faithful is to stay true to our purpose in life: to follow Jesus with complete devotion. No turning back.

In serving the Lord, we are to share the gospel and help others taste and see the love and grace of our Saviour. And so, our confessions and testimony are vital in building trust with people. We should speak the truth and stick to our promises.

Attribute #8: Gentleness

Gentleness is not mere human niceness. It’s a virtue that implies long-suffering, love and conviction. It characterises the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as a sacrifice for others. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

Jesus did not fight back—with words or actions—when He was slandered and treated in the most unjust way possible. But He responded fittingly when the truth was neglected (provide refs.) and cleansed the temple twice by force (John 2:11–12; Matthew 21:12-13). But when it was time for Him to suffer on our behalf, He submitted wholly to His Father’s will. 

Meekness—synonymous with gentleness—is not a successful strategy for life in this world, but we will find it eternally rewarding. We can always cling to Jesus’ promise in Matthew 5:5: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.“

Attribute #9: Self-control

Gentleness is not mere human niceness

All of us are prone to temptations. Satan knows that all too well: “… the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). And the prevailing gospel of the day is to promote the right to self-expression and self-exploration based on what we most desire. But that does not benefit our calling as Christians. We are to be dead to sin, fighting hard against our unruly urges—not be mere victims of them.

Lacking self-control leads us to allow fear, insecurity, and chaos to rule our lives. “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). Giving ourselves over to our desires without a bell or brake is sinful—and that is our natural state.

In Acts 24, we see Paul reasoning with Felix about righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgement. The governor of Judea was alarmed by Paul’s words (Acts 24:25). Only when a person realises the weight of sin and the certainty of judgement do they stand a chance of understanding the need for a gracious Saviour.

Once we have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, we don’t have to fight the devil alone. We don’t need to fear—Satan or the coming judgement. The indwelling Holy Spirit is the power we have to restrain our sinful desires in thought, word, and deed. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13). As Paul puts it, the grace of God not only brings us salvation but also trains us to live a self-controlled life (Titus 2:12).