Galatians 5:19-26 How Does The Spirit Produce Fruit?

Woodland Hills Church of Christ

How Does the Spirit Bear Fruit?

Galatians 5:19-26

Introduction: For most of us Galatians 5:19-23 is a stand-alone text. We tend to simply use it as an independent admonition against following a sinful lifestyle. Further, taken as a stand-alone text typically causes us to think primarily in terms of getting better at each of the individual parts of the fruit. But this text has a context, and it is important to understand that context. If we don’t understand Paul’s purpose in the text and how if fits into letter, we will not get the message that he intended. Therefore, this lesson will help us prepare for our study of the fruit of the Spirit.

1. The Fruit of the Spirit in Context
   1. As most of us are aware of, there is an obvious contrast between the words of verse 19 and that of verse 22. There are works of the flesh and fruit of the Spirit.
      1. There are two contrasting words. “Works” and “fruit” are not the same. Works is something we do. Fruit is a metaphor from the picture of what a tree does when properly cared for. The tree is what actually produces the fruit. It is not a “work” as in look what I produced.
      2. In the same way, “flesh” and “Spirit” are truly opposites. Flesh implies what is done by the strength and ingenuity of human mind and body. Spirit represents what only God can do. It is beyond human ability or human thought. Flesh represents that which leads to death. What is done by the Spirit represents that which leads to life. The flesh results in bondage. The Spirit results in freedom.
   2. Galatians 4:21-31 helps us see this contrast of flesh and Spirit.
      1. 22: Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.
      2. 23: The son of the slave woman was born according to the flesh. The son of the free woman was born through promise.
      3. 24-27: The two women and their sons represent two contrasting covenants.
         1. The one of the flesh represents Mt. Sinai and the Law of Moses. This also represents slavery because of the curse of the Law for anyone who does not abide by all things written therein.
         2. The one born of the free woman represents the Jerusalem above, the true heavenly Jerusalem. Those born of the heavenly Jerusalem are free. The curse of the Law, the curse of sin and death cannot touch them.
      4. 28: “Now you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.” The emphasis is on like Isaac. Isaac was not born from natural procreation. He was born from the power of God giving life from above.
      5. 29: Notice the contrast between the one born of the flesh and the one born according to the Spirit. Therefore, please recognize that Paul is setting up a connection with our text and the phrases, “works of the flesh…fruit of the Spirit.”
      6. 30: Just as Sarah said to Abraham, “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not inherit with the son of the free woman.”
      7. 31: We are not children of the slave but of the free woman. That is, if we are not children of the slave, we are not children of the flesh. And if we are not children of the flesh, we do not live as children of the flesh and we do not live in slavery. Instead, we are children of the free woman, therefore of the Spirit, and if of the free and of the Spirit, we live by the power of life from above and not of the flesh!
   3. Now go back to 4:24. Notice the words, “these women are two covenants.” Please do not be simplistic here and think merely of “the law of Moses” and the “law of Christ.” No, these are two different covenants. Each covenant has a unique and different basis upon which it was made. One was by law and one was by promise. The promise had nothing to do with the Law and the Law had nothing to do with the promise. You either follow a “law covenant” or you follow a “promise covenant.” You either follow the “flesh” or you follow the “Spirit.” If you follow the Spirit, you can obey the law and live. If you follow the flesh you cannot obey the law, and you will die.
   4. 5:1 “For freedom Christ has set us free…”
   5. 5:4-5 Notice again the contrast. If you follow the “law covenant” you will lose grace. But if you follow the Spirit by faith, you will eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
2. The Effect of Following the Flesh and Not the Spirit
   1. Galatians 5:13-18 I have always thought Paul made an odd transition from not following the law and circumcision to a church “biting and devouring one another” and then the followup warning of the “works of the flesh.” It didn’t make sense until I understood that the two covenants result in two different ways of serving God and seeking salvation.
   2. There are two examples of this that we can use as a reminder:
      1. Luke 18:9-13
         1. Just look at how Jesus begins the parable: “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt.” Isn’t that interesting? There is a relationship between how a person views their salvation and the way they treat others. That is exactly what was going on with the Galatian brethren.
         2. Jesus illustrates this view of the means of salvation and contempt for others by the prayer of the Pharisee. Notice that he boasts about his accomplishments, says absolutely nothing about his sins, and demeans a tax collector who is seeking mercy from God.
         3. You have heard of “identity politics” (a person is favored based on race, skin color, or even sexual orientation). This is “identity religion.” The Pharisee has favored himself before God by virtue signaling based a chosen few outward works that communicate how he is so much more special than others.
         4. Now put these two people, the Pharisee and the tax collector in the same church. What will be the result?
      2. Luke 7:36-51 You know this text. Consider:
         1. The Pharisee thinks he owes God very little and has little appreciation for God’s forgiveness. He sees his salvation on the basis of being a Jew faithful to the law. And note the connection between that view and how he sees the sinful woman. He is disgusted by her presence. He doesn’t care how moved she is by Jesus, how sorry she is for her sins, and how thankful she is for her forgiveness.
         2. The result is that he loves little – that is, he loves little both of God and his fellow man. Now, put these two in the same church. What do you have?
   3. Now back to Galatians 5. Look at verses 15, 20, and 26. Now do you see what is going on among the Galatians? These “troublers” are saying, “I’m circumcised. I am connected to Abraham by birth. I keep the feast days. I observe the Sabbath. I eat clean foods!” That is my standing before God!!
   4. Lest we misunderstand: Paul is not condemning the keeping of God’s laws and he certainly is not condemning God’s command that we be careful to obey God’s commands (Ezekiel 36:27). He is condemning the idea that we think our assurance of salvation is based our obedience and good works (in spite of our sins) instead of in the mercy and grace given by what Christ has done.
      Philippians 3:9, “…and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith…”
   5. 5:16-18
      1. 16: “If you walk by the Spirit, you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Really? Why won’t you gratify the desires of the flesh if you are walking by the Spirit?
      2. 17 answers: “…the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Paul explains to us in Romans 7 that what a godly person wants to do is serve God. The frustration is, if you are living in the flesh, under law you cannot please God. Your tendency is to be “conceited, provoking and envying” (26) because you rely on your superiority based on accomplishments.
      3. 18 is the remedy: “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” If you are led by the Spirit, you recognize your standing with God is based on what he has done, not on what you have done. This causes you to see others with humility, love and compassion. You even view them as having more value than yourself (Phil. 2:3).
   6. Here then is the ultimate question. Have you ever considered in amazement how many times you have heard of churches splitting, or at the very least just having members who get disgruntled and leave. Maybe you have even experienced it firsthand. You know, it is those words in verse 20: “enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy.”
      If you grew up in a church where dissensions and strife were a regular part of the church’s culture, where people were not gentle, patient, and loving toward one another, it is a result of justification based on the flesh, that is, a law system just like the Jews, instead of “living by the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25-26).
3. Conclusion
   1. In other words, the problem with justification by law/works is that it lacks the inner experience of the love and mercy of God and therefore is unable to transfer that same love and mercy to both God and man. If you have not experienced the love of God like the sinful woman and like the tax collector, you cannot love God or your brother and sister as you should!
   2. So, how does the Spirit bear fruit in your life? You don’t bear the fruit, the Spirit does. That doesn’t mean you are inactive. It means that you do just what you would do to a fruit tree. You water it, fertilize it, trim it, weed around it, protect it from pests. Spiritually speaking, you nurture your knowledge of God so that you grow to love him for what he has done for you by the Spirit. With that, you will not “try” to be more loving and more patient, etc., you will become that person so that “you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
   3. Therefore, as we study the various parts of the fruit of the Spirit, remember, it is one thing to identify what true love is, but you will not be able to attain it by the flesh. You grow your tree in what God has done, and the Spirit will produce the fruit in you!

Berry Kercheville

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