But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Nature and science tell us the apple tree will produce apples. An orange tree will produce oranges. The grape vine produces grapes, and the blueberry bush produces blueberries. Whether a tree, vine, or bush, there is fruit produced specific to its kind. The same is found in the creation account in the Bible — the principle of each thing reproducing after its own kind (Genesis 1). I share this because I believe from my studies of our passage that the same truth holds with the fruit of the spirit — one kind, not several different fruits. Our passage even states “the fruit,” not the fruits. I believe there is one fruit which is love, the word being “agape” in the Greek. It is interpreted as God’s love. An all-consuming love. Like a fruit that will manifest itself with benefits and blessings to the human body, the fruit of the spirit – love — manifests itself. It becomes, through the body of Christ, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

Love manifested in joy is a gladness of heart. Peace is the manifestation of love as rest in the heart even during life’s difficulties. Longsuffering is the manifestation of patience in times of testing and challenges. (I once heard longsuffering described as being able to sit calmly and patiently waiting at a bus stop for the bus in the middle of a driving hail storm.) Gentleness is love manifested through kindness, a gentle-spirit. Goodness is having a heart bent toward others in caring, giving, and generosity. Faith is the manifestation of trust and trustworthiness. Meekness is love lived out in moderation, not needing to draw attention to one-self. And temperance is the fruit of love manifested in having self-control even in the most trying of circumstances. All are characteristics of love and all are seen manifested in the life of Jesus, into whose life and behavior the believer is being conformed (Romans 8:29).

God is love (1 John 4:8). Jesus is love (Romans 8:39, 1 Timothy 1:14). Love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10) and the fruit of the Spirit is love, a gift from God to be shared with the world and people (1 John 4:7). Like fruit, love will always be attractive to the eye, but most importantly, love in action will manifest great benefits and blessings to the heart, mind, and soul. You are the beloved of God, go love one another.

By Pastor David Massie, Friend of Bible League International