In Galatians 5:22, Paul speaks of nine distinct characteristics that a Christian acquires as a result of the Holy Spirit’s presence in their life.
They are referred to in the Bible as the ‘fruit of the spirit’.
The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Love
In this sense, referring to biblical love. Love is believed to bind all the other fruits together. The very basis of love is defined in Corinthians 13:4-8, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It keeps no record of wrongs”. It is a Christian belief that having love in your heart allows people to be filled with the goodness of God. It is also a reminder of God’s perfect love for his people.
Joy, Peace and Faithfulness
These attributes are often a result of spiritual strength. The idea is that when your faith and belief is deeply-rooted in God, you feel a constant sense of happiness and calmness, regardless of any struggles you may be facing.
Achieving peace means that you are free from worry and fear because you are open to the Holy Spirit guiding you throughout your life. As it is stated in Romans 8:6, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Holy Spirit is life and peace”.
Forbearance
In this sense, refers to tolerance and forgiveness. Having the tolerance to endure moments of struggle, heartache and arguments stem from one’s faith and trust in the Holy Spirit.
Christians are encouraged to practice tolerance just as God did for them.
This is reiterated in Colossians 3:13, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you”.
Kindness and Goodness
Showing kindness to others, having moral integrity and being a good-hearted person are all reflections of the Holy Spirit, as Christians are created in God’s image.
Gentleness
A reminder to be humane and sympathetic, just as Jesus was. This is seen in Matthew 11:29 where Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”.
Self-Control
This refers to drawing strength from the Holy Spirit to abstain from one’s physical or mental desires. It is reiterated in Galatians 5:16, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”
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