An Increased Level of Knowledge is Pivotal to Life and Character (Part 2)

By Dr. Tom John

December 7 , 2008

(COGAF News Article)  Knowledge of the fruit of the Spirit is an indispensable factor for one to know God, and subsequently influencing one’s life and character according to the nature and character of God.  The continuing discussion deliberately depicts various authors’ thoughts on Paul’s teaching concerning the fruit of Spirit.  This discussion helps one to understand the necessity of  having  an increased knowledge about the fruit of the Spirit.  However, the scope is exclusively limited to application, and not to deal with the detailed explanation of the nature and character of God--the fruit of the Spirit.

The immediate context of Galatians 5:22-23 deals with the doc­trinal discussion concerning the importance of Christ and the question of the efficacy of circumcision (Gal. 5:13-6:10).  However, the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit is nine behavioral qualities that to be manifested in the Christian life.  L.W. Hurtado commented on this subject  clearly, stating that it 

refers specifically to behavioral qualities to be manifested in the Christian treatment of others, especially other Christians.  Although the appeal must be responded to by individuals and although personal atti­tudes are obviously involved, the 'fruit of the Spirit' is exhibited primarily in Christian interpersonal rela­tionships and corporate life in the congregation.(1)

In verse one of Galatians five, Paul writes that, believers have been set free from bondage and the observance of law, for justification is by faith through Christ Jesus (Gal. 5:2-12).  When Paul speaks of this freedom, according to Richard Hays, there are hermeneutical implicat­ions that are involved with it.  He explains:

Entering into 'the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ' (2 Cor. 4:6) liberates believers from bondage to a circumscribed reading of the old cove­nant and empowers them to read it with freedom--more pre­cisely, to live it with freedom--as a witness to the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ.  This means above all else that Scripture is construed meta­phorically: it signifies far more than it says.  Its latent sense is disclosed only to those who 'turn to the Lord.'(2)

Hays' statement is made simple in Paul's word, "Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2 Cor. 3:16, 17).  However, Paul continues to explain that no one is to abuse one's freedom because one is set free from the bondage of the law (Gal. 5:13).  Freedom in the Spirit is to serve one another in love, for the entire law with respect to one's neighbor is summarized in one command, "love your neighbor as yourself" (Gal. 5:14).  Thus, Paul exhorts believers to a practical and yet radical commitment to one another in the liberty of the Spirit without the bondage of the law (Gal. 5:15-18).

The distinctiveness of Paul's theologically determined ethic in Galatians is rightly discernible; it is an ethic based on christology.  Richard Hays explains this well, "Paul's ethical exhortations are grounded in christological warrants: Christology supplies not only the presuppositions of the Christian's existential situation but also the pattern for Christian conduct." (3) Hays further comments on Paul's ethics which are based on Christ:

Paul's ethical directives to the Galatians presuppose a particular understanding of Jesus Christ as a paradigm for the life of the Christian believer and--to do justice to the full scope of Paul's vision--for the life of the community in Christ. (4)

Paul purposes here to use 'the law of Christ' as a paradigm for the believer's life and conduct.  The law of Christ is love.  It is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Gal. 5:14).  This paradigm is further understood from Galatians 6:2, where Paul exhorts the believers to, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."  According to Hays, Paul here employs 'the law of Christ' as a reference to the pattern of action exemplified by the Christ who bore the burdens of others in becoming a curse for us. (5)  He continues, "Therein lies the fundamental paradigm for Christian ethics.  That Paul is using the figure of Christ as an ethical exemplar here is strongly suggested by the direct parallel to this passage in Romans 15:1-9." (6)

In his ethics, Paul uses the Spirit/flesh con­trast to distinguish between two types of life--life in the Spirit over against life in the flesh (Gal. 5:16).  It seems here that the Galatians were having problems with the flesh, and besides that, according to Hans Betz, they were "doubting the sufficiency of the Spirit (which they had received through Paul's ministry) to empower an obedient moral life. (7) The sufficiency and efficacy of the Spirit as an empowering source for the believer's life and conduct is  clear in the context.  Life in the Spirit is led by the Spirit, and it is possible because the Holy Spirit is dynamic in a believer's life (Rom. 8:1-17; Gal. 5:18).  Life in the flesh is to fulfill the desires of the flesh, and that is contrary to the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-17), for Paul explains, "those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires...  [And] he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life" (Gal. 5:24; 6:8).  Thus, Paul uses this contrast between Spirit and flesh to lead believers to change their behavior according to the nature of the fruit of the Spirit.  In other words, according to Burgess, "Paul characteristically links Christian life with the Spirit and makes the Spirit the source of power for Christian ethical obedience." (8)

Hurtado further explains that, although the image of the fruit of the Spirit is unique to Galatians 5:22-23, "the underlying idea of the Spirit as the empowering source of Christian endeavor is an amply attested Pauline theme." (9) This is clear from Romans 14:17, where Paul again deals with  strife among the Christians.  Here he describes the kingdom of God as "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit," features that are substantially parallel to the passage from Galatians (Gal. 5:22-23).

Another point that is thoroughly dealt by Hurtado is  the description of fruit.  He shows that "Fruit" is an image for Christian character, the qualities or virtues one should manifest in one's life.  This is clear from several Scrip-tural passages.  The epistle to the Philippians and James mention that believers are to be filled with the "fruit of righteousness" (Phil. 1:1; James 3:18).  The epistle to the Hebrews contains a similar thought when it speaks about the discipline of God, that believers are to yield "the peace­able fruit of righteousness" because they have been trained in it (Heb. 12:11).  Furthermore this is seen in Ephesians when Paul speaks about the believers' walk:

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as Children of light for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, proving what is acceptable to the Lord.  And have no fel­lowship with the unfruitful works of dark­ness, but rather expose them.  For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.  But all things that are exposed are made mani­fest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.  Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Eph. 5:8-14).

Besides being used as an image for human character,  "fruit" is also used in the Scriptures as a metaphor for human deeds and actions.  The epistle of second Peter exhorts believers to present themselves with faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness, and love.  Peter states,

If these things are yours and abound, you will be nei­ther barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For he who lacks these things is short­sighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins (2 Pet. 1:8-9).

Thus for Christian growth and its identity believers must have "fruit."  This is clearer from Jude, who depicts false teachers as fruitless.  They are said to be "clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever" (vss. 12-13).

Romans reminds its readers that believers who are freed from the law through the body of Christ are married to Him who was raised from the dead, and admonishes them to bear fruit to God.  For, Paul says, "We were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death" (Rom. 7:5).  In Colossians Paul shares similar thoughts encouraging believ-ers to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God (Col. 1:10).

Hurtado continues that, "Fruit" or the human actions can either be good or bad based on the nature and purpose of the human actor (Prov. 1:31; 13:2; Jer. 17:10; 21:14; Hos. 10:12-13;  Amos 6:12; Matt. 7:15-20).  However, human behavior is not alto­gether determined by one's own deeds or action, for the Holy Spirit can enable the individual to manifest good fruit, the nature and character of God, in one's life.  On this matter Wayne McCown points out:

The fruit manifest[sic] in the believer's life is nei­ther a human production nor an artificial creation.  It is, rather, the natural yield of the life-giving Vine into which he has been grafted (John 15:1, 5).  Thus, it is proof positive of a vital and healthy relation­ship to Christ, through the presence of His Spirit. (10)

Similarly Frank Stanger expresses his view on the sub­ject.  He states, "Every Spirit-filled individual will manifest the fruit of the Spirit, for the Spirit produces a certain quality of spiritual character in those in whom He dwells." (11) In any case, Paul's intention in Galatians 5:22- 23 is not to depict "Christians as automata manipulated by the Holy Spirit,"but rather to portray Christians' behav­ior as the evidence of God's Spirit in them.  Thus, both the divine intervention and human desire are required to have the manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit as a way of life (Gal. 5:24; 6:2).

1. L. W. Hurtado, "Fruit of the Spirit," Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. Ed. Stanley M. Burgess and Gary B. McGee (Grand 2. Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 1988), p. 318.

3. Richards Hays, Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul (New Haven, CT:  Yale University, 1989), p. 154.

4. Richard Hays, "Christology and Ethics in Galatians: The Law of Christ," Catholic Biblical Quarterly 49 (April 1987): 272-273.

5. Hays: 272-273.

6. Hays: 286-287.

7. Hays: 286-287.

8. Hans D. Betz, Galatians: A Commentary on Paul's Letter to the Church inn Galatia (Philadelphia:  Fortress, 1979),  p. 273.

9. Burgess, p. 318.

10. Burgess, p. 318.

11. McCown: 22

12. Frank Stanger, "Gift, Gifts, Fruit," The Asbury Seminarian 33 (April 1978): 19.

13. Burgess, p. 319.

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Dr. Tom John is the pastor of Church of All Nations in Tulsa, OK.

© 2008 COGAF News