When I was a kid, my parents raised a garden on a large plot behind our house. They worked hard in the spring and summer, tilling soil, planting seeds, pulling weeds, and harvesting produce.
In the fall, I stayed busy shucking corn, snapping beans, and shelling peas. Then, for the next several months, we’d enjoy the fruit of our labors.
Ironically, my family’s labors never included making anything grow. We could put in the work, but the seeds grew on their own. It’s what seeds do.
Years later, I recognized this truth from nature plays out in the spiritual world. In Galatians 5:22-23, the apostle Paul talked about the “fruit of the Spirit.” While we can nurture the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, we can’t wave a magic wand and make His fruit appear. Instead, He cultivates us, and we cooperate.
Key Takeaways
- It Is One Fruit, Not Nine: Paul used the singular word karpos, meaning the fruit of the Spirit is one thing, Christlikeness, expressed in nine ways.
- The Flesh Has Its Own List: Paul contrasted the Spirit’s fruit with the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19–21, making this a choice between two very different ways of living.
- Love Is the Foundation: Without love, none of the other aspects of the fruit of the Spirit can be genuinely demonstrated.
- The Fruit Shows Up at Home First: For fathers, nurturing these qualities in daily life is part of how God equips them to lead their families.
- Self-Control Is Really Spirit Control: Biblical self-control is not willpower but dependence on the Holy Spirit across every area of life.
One Spirit, One Fruit
In studying Galatians 5:22-23, folks often will refer to the “nine fruits of the Spirit,” and that’s understandable. But in the Greek language, “fruit” (karpos) is singular. Paul was emphasizing only one fruit of the Spirit.
So, how do we understand one “fruit” when it looks like nine fruits are listed? Well, remember back when I said our family enjoyed the “fruit” of our labors. That’s singular, but it didn’t mean my parents only raised one kind of vegetable. The “fruit” included corn, beans, peas, and strawberries. One year, we even tried growing peanuts.
Likewise, God’s Spirit cultivates one fruit in our lives: Christlikeness. Yet, that fruit reveals itself in a variety of ways—just like Jesus revealed His character in a variety of ways here on earth.
One Spirit. One fruit. Several behaviors.
The Other List
As we think about the Holy Spirit and His fruit, it’s important to see one more point. Many of us have some familiarity with the nine virtues in Galatians 5:22-23. But we don’t always remember that Paul was contrasting the fruit of the Spirit with something else: the “desires of the flesh.”
In Galatians 5:19-21, the apostle mentioned a much uglier list. He wrote that those who are led by their own sinful desires produce their own kind of fruit: “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.” Then, he added that “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
So the Spirit’s fruit isn’t just a laundry list for “right living.” These nine qualities are reflections of God’s character in contrast to ungodly character. Paul provided a fair assessment of both sides and challenged us to pick the one that looks like Jesus.
The Fruit of the Spirit
Of course, background and context are vital for a Christian unpacking the Holy Spirit’s fruit. But the Christian life is more than head knowledge. It’s about spiritual transformation, and that involves the heart and living this fruit out each day.
For fathers, that includes how the fruit of the Spirit might look in your home. Spiritual leadership of your family tops the list of your responsibilities as a man. Nurturing these qualities in your life is part of God’s plan for equipping you to tackle the job.
1. Love
Love is the foundational quality of the Spirit’s fruit. Without love, we really can’t demonstrate any of the other aspects listed in Galatians 5:22-23. The Greek word used here (agape) describes a sacrificial love that puts the needs of others above our desires.
As dads, we show love by putting our kids first. We put our wants on the back burner and invest our time and attention in their lives. We love as God loved us by giving ourselves away.
2. Joy
In Philippians, Paul challenged his readers to rejoice, regardless of their circumstances (Philippians 4:4). That’s what godly joy is all about. We don’t let our current situation define our hope. Rather, we remember that the sufferings and stresses of this world can’t compare to what we will experience in eternity (Romans 8:18).
For fathers, living out genuine joy provides a powerful example for our children. In a world trying to tear them down, seeing a future-focused commitment to faith and hope will leave an indelible mark. They will see that joy is possible because there is more to this life than meets the eye.
3. Peace
The Greek word rendered “peace” is related to the familiar Hebrew word, shalom. But shalom involves more than just the absence of conflict. It defines a holistic wellness that affects every corner of our lives. This is only possible through a personal relationship with God through Jesus. Once we have peace with God through Christ, we can experience peace with those around us.
For dads, we can strive to be agents of peace within our families. In the Beatitudes, Jesus said that peacemakers are blessed and are called children of God. The world will do all it can to plant seeds of chaos and confusion in our homes. We are called to promote the peace of God, a peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).
4. Patience
If we want an example of patience, we should look to God Himself. We serve a patient God. For those who reject Him, He patiently withholds judgment and draws them toward Himself. For Christ followers, He is patient with our mistakes and never fails to take us back.
As a father, one way you can show patience is by looking for the best in your children. Don’t get me wrong: Frustrations are real. But when you assume the best, you can avoid rash judgments and knee-jerk reactions. You see them as God sees them (and you), as a spiritual work in progress.
5. Kindness
In Galatians 5:22-23, kindness marks a shift from internal attitudes to external actions in the fruit of the Spirit list. So, for instance, if patience commits to seeing the best in others, then kindness does the best for others. It acts in the best interests of those around us by treating them the way Jesus would treat them.
In your role as a dad, you can show kindness by moving beyond mere sentimentality. Sometimes, kindness feels like a warm smile or hug. Other times, the kindest thing you can do for your kids is to discipline them in love and hold them accountable for their actions. You need to ask God for wisdom in how to apply kindness in the moment, even when it seems hard.
6. Goodness
As a part of the Spirit’s fruit, goodness refers to moral character. I used to tell my kids to “do the right thing every chance you get.” In other words, goodness is character in action. This involves having a generous spirit that does things for others simply because that’s the right thing to do.
In the New Testament, the word translated “goodness” here is rare, only showing up four times and all in Paul’s letters. As a dad, you can make sure that goodness isn’t rare in your home. Set the example by doing what’s right every chance you get. Teach your sons and daughters that goodness never goes out of style because it reflects the character and purposes of God.
7. Faithfulness
One thing Christ followers learn about God is that He never fails. Even when He doesn’t act as quickly as we would like, He always keeps His promises. That’s faithfulness. This aspect of the fruit of the Spirit describes trustworthiness that removes all doubts and worries. As we learn to trust God’s faithfulness to us, we better understand how to show loyalty to others.
Faithfulness is a cornerstone of fatherhood. Your children need to know that you always have their back, that you always keep your word, and that you are always on their side. And, as you live out faithfulness as a human father, they will learn to trust their heavenly Father’s faithfulness.
8. Gentleness
In our culture, gentleness often gets confused with weakness. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Biblical gentleness actually relates to great power, but it’s power submitted to God’s control. It corresponds to the “meekness” Jesus described in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:5).
Gentleness requires humility, which requires us to see ourselves as God sees us. We live in a tension between being God’s highest creation and falling short of His plans for us. We are loved and broken. We have purpose in the middle of our chaos. Keeping all that in mind will prevent us from thinking too highly of ourselves as men and as fathers, and we can demonstrate pure gentleness that makes a difference in the lives of our kids.
9. Self-Control
With love, self-control provides a suitable bookend for the fruit of the Spirit. Just as love provides the internal structure for the Spirit’s fruit, self-control demonstrates its final result in our actions. The Greek wording describes a person’s mastery of something. In this case, it refers to our mastery of sinful desires through the power of God’s Spirit.
As we think about applying self-control at home, we need to remember two important truths. First, biblical self-control is really Spirit control. We can’t do it alone, and our kids need to see us relying on God’s help every day. Second, self-control involves every area of life. It’s easy to put self-control in a box marked “anger,” “sex,” or “food.” But self-control involves every area of our lives, including our fatherhood, because the Spirit should control every area of our lives.
Against No Law
Paul wrapped up Galatians 5:22-23 by emphasizing that “against such things there is no law.” Before Jesus came, God’s people defined their lives and their relationship with Him through the law of Moses. Later, Jesus established a new covenant for God’s people, a plan that offers salvation based on His death, burial, and resurrection (Hebrews 9:11-15).
Living out the virtues of the Spirit’s fruit honors both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It’s a spiritual win-win that transcends time and cultures. Demonstrating the Spirit’s fruit has always been a must for God’s people, from the earliest days until today.
It’s what proves our relationship with Him. It’s what empowers us to “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25) and win the moral tug-of-war that characterizes the Christian life here on earth. And it’s what provides the most powerful witness to a world that needs to understand that life with Jesus is better than life without Him—starting at home.
Related Questions
How do you know if you have the fruit of the Spirit?
You don’t really “have” the fruit of the Spirit as much as you “live” the fruit of the Spirit. So, as the old saying reminds us, the proof is in the pudding. As you mature in your relationship with Jesus and learn to rely more on His Spirit each day, you will see the different aspects of His fruit grow in your life.
How does joy show up in a believer’s life?
First, we have to understand the difference between joy and happiness. While happiness is based on positive circumstances, joy grows best in darkness. Joy is the freedom from worry and anxiety that comes from knowing that God is in control and that there’s more to life than what we experience on earth.
What’s the difference between gentleness and self-control?
In a nutshell, gentleness involves humble doing, while self-control involves dependent avoiding. With gentleness, our actions toward others are defined by knowing who God is and who we are in comparison to Him. Meanwhile, self-control requires an absolute dependence on the Spirit to reject anything that doesn’t make us more like Jesus. They are different, but they both require submission to the Spirit’s power in our lives.
What is an example of goodness?
Goodness means putting the best interest of others ahead of our own desires. So, anytime you put yourself on the back burner for God’s glory (not your own), you’re demonstrating biblical goodness. It could be as simple as leaving work at the office so you can focus on your children at home. You can give them a living illustration by delivering a meal to a family who has suffered a loss, mowing a friend’s lawn, or buying a meal for a homeless person. The options are endless, as long as you’re leaning into the Spirit’s power and seeking God’s glory.
