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As we count the blessings called in Galatians 5:22-23 the Fruit of the Spirit, we reap a rich harvest:
But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Gal 5:22-23
This gives us the following additions to our list of blessings:
Let us take a closer look at “love”. What are its characteristics? Paul tells us in 1 Cor 13.
1 Cor 13:4-8 Love is longsuffering; it is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not vaunt itself; it does not become puffed up. It does not behave in an unseemly way; it does not seek its own interests; it is not provoked; it does not keep an account of evil. It does not rejoice over injustice, but rejoices with truth. It bears all things, it believes all things, it puts hope in all things; it endures all things. Love never fails. But if there are gifts of prophecies, they will be abolished. And if there are tongues, they will cease. And if there is knowledge, it will cease to be applicable.
The flesh cannot achieve these qualities. The flesh can put up a display of good works or of patience, but sooner or later it will give up and may become resentful, bitter and recriminating. Love is characterized by a number of things it is or does, and also a number of things it is not or does not do.
Galatians contrasts the sinful nature to the fruit of the Spirit:
For the flesh has desires against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; these are in opposition to each other, so that it is not what you want to do that you do. But if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law. And the works of the flesh are evident; they are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strifes, rivalries, rage, contentions, dissensions, factions, envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies and similar things to these, which I am telling you about beforehand as I have also told you before, namely that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. [Gal 5:17-21]
The fact that we have the Spirit, and that the Spirit is contrary to these evil things but bears good fruit, reinforces the answer to the question in Romans 6:1 about sinning all the more since we are forgiven. Being led by the Spirit, we do not sin all the more because we are forgiven.
And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and its desires. If we live in the spirit, let us also march in line with the spirit. Let us not become vainglorious, challenging one another, envying one another. [Gal 5:24-26]
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