Galatians 5:19-23 describes the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit described by Paul in Galatians 5 is not something that is a goal for Christian living produced by the ability of the believer. No, it is the very character of Christ produced within us by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
In John 15, Jesus, on the night before His crucifixion, described three levels of fruit bearing that is produced in disciples based on their submission to the Holy Spirit. Every believer bears some level of fruit. Notice how what Jesus describes in John 15 parallels with what John stated in I John 2:12-14:
(1) THERE ARE DISCIPLES WHO BEAR "FRUIT" (I John 2:12) - These are the "little children" described by John,
These are those believers who are still in the infant stage.
(2) THERE ARE DISCIPLES WHO BEAR "MORE FRUIT" (I John 2:14) - These are the "strong young men" who are
not to full maturity yet, but they are getting stronger and stronger.
(3) THERE ARE DISCIPLES WHO BEAR "MUCH FRUIT" (I John 2:13) - These are the "fathers" described by John
who are spiritual leaders who are able to reproduce their faith and shepherd others.
Which one describes your spiritual condition before the Lord this very moment?
- Dr. Larry Petton