“fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind” (Gen 1:11, ESV )
All fruit that the spiritual man carries is generated from the root from which it grows – that is why Prov 12:12b says: “the root of righteousness yields fruit”. This root from which it sprouts, is Jesus (Rev 5:5). All the fruit are thus manifestations of Him in your life (thus fruit of the Spirit and not fruits!). He IS indeed: love (1 Tim 1:14), joy (John 15:11), peace (John 14:27), longsuffering (1 Tim 1:16), gentleness (2 Cor 10:1; 2 Sam 22:36), goodness (Hos 3:5), faithfulness (2 Tim 2:13), meekness (2 Cor 10:1) and self-control (Luke 6:29).
It is interesting to note that the natural man also produces fruit, and a double portion thereof (9 good fruits are named as opposed to 18 bad fruits): “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like.” (Gal 5:19-20).
The disconcerting part is, however, in verse 21: “… of which I told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”. (We’ll return later to some of these bad fruits.)
Fruits of the flesh and fruits of the Spirit cannot come from the same root (James 3:10-11). You can thus be born again, but not be grafted into the root of Christ – you will clearly see it from the fruit that comes out of you. “For…in the flesh, the sinful passions … were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.” (Rom 7:5).
Those who are in the Spirit are appointed to “go and bear … fruit that should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16)! The condition to receive what you ask from God is to carry fruit and remain fruit!
- Sela: Ask God to show you all the roots of the listed bad fruit in your life and deal with these roots.
- Read: Gen 39: Ps 39; Matt 9
- Memorise: Matt 9:37-38. Be sure to make it part of your prayers.
