The Fruit of the Spirit is one of the most recognizable Passages in the New Testament.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5.22-23, KJV
I just completed 1 article per word, making a total of 9 articles. These are Word studies.
What makes them unique is that I am writing from a Spirit-Filled perspective and so are the authors I highlight throughout the articles.
This study was also culled from an upperclassman course I taught on The Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. I pray it will not only be enlightening for you, but also challenging.
Hopefully this table of contents (TOC) will serve you in your journey to explore my teachings on the Fruit of the Spirit.
Just read each brief description of each word. Then CLICK to go the related article Word study.
On Love in Brief
There is nothing in this passage that points to love above all else. However, some point to Scripture passages where love is given the highest honor: Jesus, Paul, and John.
On Joy
Joy is the Greek word chara meaning gladness. It can come from having a greater cause or participating in an occasion.
In the New Testament, it is mostly used in a spiritual sense.
On Peace
In the New Testament (NT) peace comes from two words, vastly differing in meaning: 1) eirene (Koine Greek), and 2) shalom (Hebrew).
We’ll look at eirene although one could make a case that shalom is the real way peace is understood in the NT.
On Longsuffering
The Greek word makrothumia means patience with people. It includes longsuffering and forbearance that endures the misconduct of others and never seeks revenge.
On Gentleness
Chrestotes, the Koine Greek word for gentleness means moral goodness, integrity, and kindness.
It’s translated as “kindness” by some major versions including NASB, NIV, and NKJV.
On Goodness
The Koine Greek word for goodness is agathosyne. It means uprightness of heart and life, and kindness.
A man who is ruled by and aims at what is good, namely, the quality of moral worth.
Pistis: The Various Nuances of Faith
Faith comes from the Koine Greek word pistis, which basically means a conviction.
The root word means being persuaded, a firm belief in God.
The word occurs often in the New Testament and is defined differently by how it is used.
Praotes: Meekness not Weakness
Meekness in the New Testament stems from the Greek word praotes.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness…
Galatians 5.22-23 (KJV)
Praotes can mean meekness, gentleness, and mildness.
It is often translated “gentleness” (NIV, NKJV, NASB).
Meekness is not weakness.
Egkrateia: Multi-Faceted Temperance
Temperance is a multi-faceted word.
The word temperance is egkrateia in New Testament Greek.
It can be loosely defined as self control over whatever is needed at the time, often over sensual desires.
The Fruit of the Spirit
The Fruit of the Spirit is always a study that yields immediate benefits for the soul. It is like a character study of a Spirit-Filled Believer. It is a standard.
I have been in Pentecostal circles all my life. I have also had the privilege of walking in other circles, among people of different Christian faiths. It is my opinion that Pentecostals have historically focused too much on the numenous and not enough on character building. A good study of the Fruit of the Spirit re-centers us.
I sincerely hope you’ll be enlightened and challenged by this study.
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