Good Fruit

Galatians 5 is probably a passage familiar to most of my readers, and it is one that I have talked about in the past. It contains the fruit of the Spirit passage but it is also a great discussion on what should set Christians apart from Non-Christians.

It opens with a discussion on freedom before moving to talk about life in the spirit:
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (Galatians 5:16-18 NIV)
With context in mind, we must remember that Paul's main concern with the Galatians has been the question of whether Christians have to follow the Law, and now he has spoken of freedom. The encouragement from Paul is to be free, but to live by the Spirit. We are to follow what the Spirit wants and by doing so we won't be living a sinful life despite our freedom because the Spirit and sinful nature are in conflict.

Paul then looks at sin:
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 NIV)
This list is by no means comprehensive and no doubt it's just a look at things that had been an issue for the Galatians but we have probably all failed on at least one of these once. How much is dissensions and factions an issue for the church today? So we have all fallen, of course Paul's not trying to prove that, but rather he's looking to tell us how we should live.

So what's the solution?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV)
The first thing to notice is that Paul is speaking of Fruit not Fruits - this is all one fruit, we can't pick and choose what we have and don't have we are expected to possess all of them, so any we are weak on we should be looking to improve. I know there's at least one there I need to work on. These things are the exact opposite of the prior list, and it is these things that will stop us from going astray.

I will let Paul have the last word for us today:
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other (Galatians 5:25-26 NIV)