Living for God's pleasure - the fruit of the Spirit

A beauty and benefit of the description of spiritual growth in terms of fruit is the potent reminder that fruit does not come at once but always takes time to mature. That has special reference to our characters. The best fruit ripens naturally.

As we get older, active physical functions in the body of Christ may be denied us, but our contribution by means of our characters and spiritual influence may continue, and even increase. While our bodies decay, our souls may do the opposite. We are not to covet perpetual youth, like Peter Pan, but instead keep spiritually fresh without sterility, always giving testimony to God, our Rock.

Old age brings opportunities

The unique trials of old age provide special opportunity for increased fruitfulness of character. For most of us as we get older, our health deteriorates. We will be tempted to be self-pitying, pessimistic, frustrated and perhaps irritable. God's grace at work in us will encourage us to be thankful, optimistic on account of our living hope, contented and accepting of our circumstances.

As we get older, we need to lay down responsibilities, especially in leadership and service, so that others who are younger may exercise their gifts and abilities. The temptation is then present for us to be critical of our successors and the succeeding generations, ever referring to 'the good old days'. But the fruit of the Spirit will cause us to love our successors and the rising generation, and to encourage them in every way possible.

The best fruit in our lives may be at the end! Our lives may be 'for the praise of his glory' (Ephesians 1.12) as much at their end as earlier, and even more so. It is a challenge to remember that we grow more like ourselves the older we grow.

Our fruit affects the church

The fruit any of us bear, whether young or old, contributes health to the body of Christ. We influence one another, and most of all by character and behaviour. Young Christians all too readily reflect the character of the older Christians with whom they fellowship and serve. Unconsciously we 'feed' off one another, as we are spurred on - or, sadly, sometimes, not spurred on - to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10.24).

Many ills in our lives would find their cure if we helped one another more by the production of the Spirit's fruit in our character. As the fruit of the Spirit marks our conduct towards one another, we unconsciously nourish one another's spiritual health and well-being. It always encourages and refreshes.

The fruit is for God

The supreme motivation for the production of the Spirit's fruit in our lives is that it is for God's pleasure (Romans 7.4). He is the Gardener, and the fruit is produced for his satisfaction. The production of fruit is intended for his enjoyment and praise. The fruit that makes Christians both attractive and good advertisements of the gospel's power reflects God's own perfect being and character.

Our first aim in the desire for the growth of the Spirit's fruit is the glory of God. God is not necessarily glorified by our saying that we are Christians, but he is when our lives and characters proclaim and confirm it. Our lives shine with his light as our good deeds bring him praise (Matthew 5.16). As our Saviour glorified the Father by going about doing good (Acts 10.38), so we are to do the same.

Pre-eminence of the fruit

The fruit of the Spirit is more important than the gifts of the Spirit. In contrast to the first and pre-eminent aspect of the Spirit's fruit - love that never fails - prominent spiritual gifts like 'prophecies ... will cease; ... tongues ... will be stilled; ... knowledge ... will pass away' (1 Corinthians 13.8). While spiritual gifts have relevance only to this life, the fruit of the Spirit is of eternal duration.

When our Saviour returns, the development of the Spirit's fruit will be brought to its glorious completion as we are transformed into the likeness of the Lord Jesus (1 John 3.2). We will be like a mirror perfectly reflecting his glory. This will be there for all to see, and it will surpass all we could ever imagine. At the same time, we shall be so changed to be like him that he will be admired in us. When we look at a great work of art, we admire the artist. When the millions of the redeemed stand together, each of them his workmanship, changed into his likeness, the Lord Jesus will be admired, marvelled at and praised.

When we consider the fruit of the Spirit we may become discouraged or disheartened because we feel it is so little displayed in us. We should not be too dismayed. Those whose lives exhibit the best fruit seldom see it in themselves. The fruit is not something we readily recognise in ourselves. John Newton helpfully described his spiritual growth and sanctification in these terms: 'I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world, but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am.'

Noteworthy conclusions

There are four conclusions from the consideration of the picture of fruit from which we can draw help.

1. God's concern with our characters is greater than we may realise. Busyness in Christian service is no substitute for character development. The people we are is more important than the work that we do. Unconsciously, we may prefer to concentrate upon activity because it brings us into the limelight and fosters our pride. God sometimes removes us from a sphere of activity in order that concentration may be upon the development of our character.

2. There is a Christian character. We speak of the Scottish, English, Welsh, Irish, French, German or American character, and so forth. By so doing, we mean that distinctive features exist that cannot be missed in the lives of those who belong to these different areas of the world. Likewise, distinctive features cannot be missed in the lives of those who show that they belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. 'Therefore', the New Testament concludes, 'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!' (2 Corinthians 5.17). The beauty and attractiveness of this Christian character is seen when we place it alongside the acts of the sinful nature, described in Galatians (5.19-21). These sinful acts tend to get worse as the years pass, whereas the fruit of the Spirit gets better as it grows.

3. God alone can achieve this fruit in our lives. Our effort and active involvement are required (2 Peter 1.5-9) but in dependence upon God the Holy Spirit who lives in us and is at work in us. It is 'the fruit of the Spirit'. The fruit is his unique product. An important truth to take into our understanding is that the Bible does not refer to the 'fruits' of the Spirit but 'the fruit' - that is to say, fruit in the singular. The idea is not that believers exhibit different aspects of the Spirit's fruit in their lives, but rather that the nine aspects of the Spirit's fruit so go together that they are to be displayed in every Christian. By nature, some of us are more patient and gentle than others, whereas they may be more faithful and self-controlled. God's grace makes all the fruit grow in us, as a complete whole. The different features of the Spirit's fruit are like flowers growing together on one stem. It is helpful to correct ourselves when we speak of the 'fruits' of the Spirit rather than the 'fruit'.

4. God's purpose is that the Lord Jesus should have the pre-eminence (Colossians 1.18). Nothing pleases the Father more than to see his Son's character reproduced in us. Christian holiness is our being made like him. As the Holy Spirit does this remarkable work in us, the Lord Jesus is honoured, since his saving work is the ground of it, and our conformity to his likeness is its glory.

A vital test

The absence or presence of the Spirit's fruit will be the final assessment of our lives. The ultimate test will be applied on the Day of Judgement. The fruit of the Spirit has an eschatological element, therefore, in that it has relevance to what will happen at the return of Christ, when he will judge all, the living and the dead. In a different context, the Lord Jesus said, '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. Thus, by their fruit you will recognise them' (Matthew 7.17-20).

While there are different levels of fruitfulness, as the parable of the sower indicates, God's assessment of our fruit will be perfect. What ultimately counts is not what others say of us, but what he says: 'For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends' (2 Corinthians 10.18). His commendation awaits those who live their lives now for his pleasure. Rather than waiting to see what the Day of Judgement reveals, we should test our lives now so as to avoid disappointment then (2 Corinthians 13.5).

This is the abridged final chapter from 'Living for God's Pleasure - the fruit of the Spirit' by Derek Prime, recently published by Evangelical Press.