THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
By Wm. Covert
The people of God are called “trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.” Isa. 61:3. The prophet also states that the object of growing these trees is that God “might be glorified.” God is glorified in the beautiful living of the righteous. Jesus expressed the thought by saying, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” John 15:8. The fruit is always produced from the life of the tree or plant on which it grows. The quality of the fruit is dependent upon the nature of the tree which bears it. “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit.” Matt. 12:33. Fruit can not be grown without its tree; neither can the tree bear fruit contrary to its own nature. Thorns are not found on the grape, nor do figs grow from thistles. Matt. 7:15. If there is anything righteous seen in the life, it is but a manifestation of the Spirit. “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” Eph. 5:9. The same truth is also stated by another in these words: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17. The sum of the matter is that everything either good or true known by man, comes to him as the fruit of the Spirit of God. The character of the work of the Spirit is thus described by the apostle: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,” and then concludes the thought by remarking that “against such there is no law.” Gal. 5:22, 23. God is love, and all his works are done in love; it follows, therefore, that in all the actions of those who live in the Spirit there will be deeds of love. God’s Spirit will exclude from the heart all hatred, variance, and jealousy, and permit nothing but that which is good. All pure love comes from God through the Spirit, and its very nature is joy and peace. Through the Spirit the Christian thinks God’s thoughts, “for God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit”—revealed the beauties of the world to come and the joys that await us there. “For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” This mind of the Spirit associates the believer, in mental life, with the joy and peace of eternity. It takes away that dread and the tormenting fear which brings misery to the sinner, giving in its stead the glory of God’s character and the consolations of salvation. This atmosphere of heavenly grace and holy joy is composed of beams of love which radiate from the throne of God. The Spirit is real life that fertilizes, through faith, the mind of him who believes. This forms a living connection in vital touch with heaven through the Spirit, and the result must be fruit endowed with the nature which is strongest to control. All the qualities of fruit mentioned by the apostle in the list quoted above are blended in one life. Peace is always contained in love and joy, as truly as heat is found in fire. Long-suffering, gentleness, and goodness all belong with love. None can exist separately. All are required to make the one. The fruit of the Spirit is an aggregation of all good things, growing from the same bloom in one composite formation. The existence of any good thing is evidence of the Spirit’s power and presence, and therefore proof of the existence and love of God. Not only do these things proclaim the existence and love of God, but by them his present, living, working power is manifested before our eyes. In awe we behold our Father at his work throughout the moving, glowing heavens. With wonder we see his divine hand in all the earth around us. By faith we feel the quickening power of his tender Spirit in our own hearts. While we study this theme, we believe, and wonder, and rejoice; and yet no words can be found to express the emotions that arise in the heart as the realities open just a little to our view. Is it possible that we are children of such a Father? Can it be that such worthless worms are the subjects of so much attention and care? To think that the eternal Son died to redeem us from sin and death, is wonderful beyond the power of words to tell. But yet it is all true. It is through the power of that Spirit by which all things were created that we are now permitted to study this blessed subject. It is through the eternal Spirit that we shall yet be enabled to live, and love, and know more and more of God through all eternity.