Spirituality & Spiritual Fruit

Please also see: ‘The Holy Spirit.’

Seek the Truth with all your heart.

Every person, whether they are conscious of it or not, has an inclination, need, or desire to find meaning, purpose, or origin. Where am I from, why am I here, where am I going?

True and genuine Christians will be known – recognized - by their fruit, meaning their ways of living.

However it is not possible for a person to increase in spiritual strength while they are not in control of their appetite and passions. If a Christian keeps their body in subjection - self-control - and brings all their appetites and passions under the control of enlightened conscience, being a duty that they owe to GOD and themselves, to obey the laws which govern health and life, they will have the blessing of physical and mental vigour. They will have moral overcoming, conquering, and victorious power.

It is impossible for people with all their sinful, health-destroying, brain-enervating habits, to discern sacred truth, which they need, to be sanctified, refined, elevated, and made fit for the society of heavenly angels in the kingdom of glory - heaven. If they will cherish GOD’s light which HE mercifully gives them in all aspects of life including health reform, they may be sanctified through the truth, and fitted for immortality; but if they disregard that light, and live their lives in violation of natural law, they will pay the penalty.

Romans 12:1-2 ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of GOD’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to GOD – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what GOD’s will is – HIS good, pleasing and perfect will.’

Galatians 5:22-23 ‘The fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-control. Against such things there is no law.’

2 Peter 1:3-11 below, Verse 6 adds: ‘Knowledge, Perseverance, and GOD-liness.’

Matthew 7:16-20 ‘By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus by their fruit you will recognize them.’

2 Peter 1:3-11 ‘Jesus divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, ‘GOD-liness;’ and to ‘GOD-liness,’ brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, they are near-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from their past sins. Therefore my brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fail, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’

So we each have a total of: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, knowledge, perseverance, godliness; to live by and exhibit in our life. These are all fruit of the Spirit, and as Christians, we must bear - produce - them. A fig tree must bear figs, a lemon tree must bear lemons, and so on. In the same way if we say we are Christians, but do not bear these fruit, then we cannot be true Christians.

Matthew 7:12 ‘In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.’