FRUIT
(a) For the various fruits of the biblical lands, see FIG, APPLE, GRAPE, etc.
(b) For its metaphorical use as the result of God’s work in the regenerate, see FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT below.
(c) FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
The apostle Paul, when exposing in his Epistle to the Galatians the theme of the freedom of the Christian, and the nature of his new life, uses the expression “fruit of the Spirit” (singular) in contrast to “the works of the flesh.” (Gal. 5:16-25).
fasFor the apostle “the fruit of the Spirit is…”, thus applying the principle that the good tree produces good fruit. The Holy Spirit is the personal energy in the Christian that activates his new life by which he can produce the multiform fruit of Ga. 5:22, 23, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control.”
This fruit reveals the abundance of sap that the Spirit of God puts into regenerated life. Faith, which firmly roots the new plant in the soil fertilized and sown by the Word, allows life to animate it (Phil. 1:11; Eph. 5:9; Col. 1:10; Jas. 3:18) .