The fruit of the Spirit is the actions we take and qualities we embody when moved by the Holy Spirit. It’s visible evidence of the Spirit working in our lives.
Paul reminds us that true transformation doesn’t come from following rules but from living in step with the Holy Spirit.
To bear fruit, we must abide in Jesus daily, letting his Spirit guide our thoughts, actions and desires.
Exploring the Meaning of Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. — Galatians 5:22-23, NIV
Galatians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the church of Galatia. At this time in history, teachers in Galatia were telling new Christians that they’d have to strictly observe every law in the Torah (or the law of Moses) to truly follow Jesus.
Angry and frustrated, Paul wrote this letter to defend salvation by faith in Jesus rather than by works or what we can do. Galatians 5:22-23 is part of his passion-fueled response. Let’s dive in.
“But the Fruit of the Spirit Is …”
The original text of the New Testament, where Galatians is found, was written in Greek. So we must go back to it to understand what we’re reading.
Fruit
Let’s consider the word “fruit.” In this verse, the Greek word is karpos, which has a dual meaning. It’s used to describe both literal fruit (think apples) as well as physical actions or deeds.
Spirit
Now, let’s look at the word “Spirit.” Here, the Greek word is pneuma, meaning breath or wind. But you’ll also notice it’s capitalized. This is because “Spirit” here means the Holy Spirit.
Why pneuma? Wind moves things, right? Like the leaves in the trees. In the same way, the Holy Spirit can and should move us. While we can’t see the wind, or the Holy Spirit, we can see its effects.
Putting It Together
When this verse says “fruit of the Spirit,” it means the things we do when moved by the Holy Spirit. It’s the leaves moved by the breeze, demonstrating that the wind is at work.
“Against Such Things There Is No Law”
Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control — Galatians 5:22-23 says against these things, there is no law. But what does that mean?
Against & Law
The Greek word for “against” is kata, which translates to a downward motion or opposition. As for “law,” the Greek word in this context is nomos, meaning law or custom. In many cases, including this one, it’s used to refer to the Mosaic law in the Old Testament.
Putting It Together
We must remember why Paul was writing to the Galatians. Teachers argued that people had to follow Mosaic law and customs to become true Christians. For example, they could only eat certain things, and the men needed to be circumcised.
As a result, new Christians were trying to follow these strict laws so they could be justified by them (Galatians 5:4). But in Galatians 5, Paul explains that only Jesus can justify, not the law.
Instead of being held captive by a strict legal code or their sin, they could find freedom in Christ. After all, Jesus fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17) and took on our sin (1 Peter 2:24).
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. — Galatians 5:1, NIV
But freedom in Christ doesn’t mean we can do whatever we want whenever we want (Galatians 5:13-18). It means following the Holy Spirit instead of ourselves, freeing us from our bondage to sin, excessive rule following and fear of condemnation.
When we follow our flesh, trying to earn salvation through what we do, there’s bad fruit — pride, self-righteousness, fear. True transformation happens when we follow the Holy Spirit and start to bear good fruit. And just like Galatians 5:23 says, no law stands against that fruit, and we’ll never be in the wrong for growing it.
What Is the Fruit of the Spirit? A Quick Scriptural Breakdown
Now, what is good fruit? Let’s break down each of them quickly.
Love: In Galatians 5:22, “love” is agape, meaning affection or benevolence. It’s used to refer to the highest form of love that’s both sacrificial and unconditional. It’s love that we choose, even when we don’t feel like it.
Joy: “Joy” is chara or delight and gladness. It’s not happiness that’s fleeting — it’s a deep sense of delight that comes from knowing Jesus. It doesn’t change with our circumstances.
Peace: “Peace” is eirene, or quietness and rest.It also means “one,” or bringing back to wholeness. This peace is an unshakeable calm and wholeness despite what’s going on around us.
Forbearance: “Forbearance” also means patience. It comes from the Greek word makrothumia, which is a combination of the words makros and thumos. And those words together literally mean being slow to anger. Put simply, it’s being patient and postponing anger, even when trying times keep on coming.
Kindness: The Greek word for “kindness” is chrestotes. Surprisingly, the primary meaning of the word is “usefulness.” Kindness isn’t just being friendly — it’s acting in love to improve the well-being of those around you.
Goodness: “Goodness” is agathosune, meaning virtue or beneficence. What is beneficence? It’s taking action to do good for others. Goodness isn’t merely being a good person; it’s having a desire to do good for others and acting accordingly.
Faithfulness: “Faithfulness” is pistis, or persuasion, credence and conviction. It means to believe something is true and to follow it. To be faithful is to stand firm with an unwavering belief in God, choosing to follow him to the end.
Gentleness: The Greek word for “gentleness” is prautes, a calm, steady spirit that isn’t easily provoked. It also means meekness and humility, using strength and power for the good of others instead of using it against them. To be gentle is to surrender ourselves to God, enabling us to be calm and steady with those around us.
Self-Control: “Self-control” is egkrateia, a compound word of two other words: en (meaning “in”) and kratos (meaning “power”).To have self-control is to be “in power” over yourself, including your emotions, body, thoughts, impulses and behaviors.
When you follow the Holy Spirit, this is the fruit your life will bear. You’ll choose to love those who are hard to love. You’ll be in power over yourself in the midst of anger. You’ll help those in need without expecting anything in return.
How Do We Grow the Fruit of the Spirit?
Fruit doesn’t just appear on trees or bushes. Fruit must grow. In this same way, the fruit of the Spirit must be cultivated in our lives. And that happens by listening to the Holy Spirit and following his lead.
How do we learn to hear the Holy Spirit? How do we know the steps to take to follow him? Jesus tells us in John 15.
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:4-5, NIV
“Remain” is meno, which means to stay or abide. When we abide in Jesus, or keep a close relationship with him, we learn to hear his voice, discover his will and become like him.
How do we abide in Jesus? There are many ways: Prayer, worship, reading the Bible and obeying his commandments are examples. Abiding is a daily choice, one that brings us closer to Jesus hour by hour. And as we grow closer to him, we’ll bear fruit.
The fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 are a gift from God — not something we earn, but something we receive as we abide in him. And in that closeness with Jesus, our hearts begin to reflect his own, cultivating fruit for all to see.