The peaceable fruit of righteousness: the fruit of the spirit

                                                         Photo by Andrés Dallimonti on Unsplash

 Hebrews 12:10-11

King James Version

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

When God corrects us, it is because he loves us. He corrects us because he is holy and will not allow unholy people to enter heaven. But, he wants and desires us to be holy. He went to calvary to pay the price for our sins so that we could become holy. 

All of this we know, but I've learned something else today. I've never seen this before. It totally changes what I've always thought and been taught. 

It's why we must always stay in his word so that he can teach us all things. It's why I love the word of God so much! It truly is the only truly "neverending story."

I've always understood that the peaceable fruit of righteousness was simply becoming righteous. But have never really understood what that was or entailed. I've never really been taught by anyone what this mysterious fruit was. I was always just told, well, it's just righteousness- or being right. 

But, what does that really mean?

I finally know the answer, thank you, Jesus!  

In preparing for today's bible study lesson, I saw something in Galatians 5, I'd never seen before. I've always been told that there are 9 gifts of the spirit (1 Corinthians 12). This truly isn't true because there are other gifts of the spirit mentioned in Romans 12 that are not included in 1 Corinthians 12. So, there are more than 9 gifts of the spirit. 

Now, follow me here:

Galatians 5:22-25

King James Version

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Now, what I and most others have done here is counted, love (1), joy (2), peace (3), longsuffering (4), gentleness (5), goodness (6), faith (7), meekness (8), temperance (9). 

And we say, "see, there's nine fruits of the spirit." 

But, read it again carefully:

 But the fruit of the Spirit is..... 

So the ONE fruit of the spirit produces love, joy, peace, etc. in our lives!  The one fruit of the spirit is made up of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. 

So what is the name of the one fruit of the spirit that produces 9 characteristics in the life of the believer? 

The peaceable fruit of?

Righteousness. 

So, righteousness is the one fruit of the spirit. And righteousness produces, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance in our lives. 

So the closer we get to Jesus, the more righteous we become. Now, our righteousness is him living in and through us. So, the more we crucify our flesh, the more we can walk in the spirit. The more we walk in the spirit, the more of his righteousness we display. The more righteous we become, the more love we show, joy we have, peace we have and give, longsuffering we are, gentle we are, good we are, faith we gain, meekness we display, and temperance we have. 

Here's a word picture:

They now have learned how to splice different trees together in ways that cause it to produce more than one fruit. For instance, you may have a tree that grows apples, oranges, pears, and plums- all from the same tree. They may produce each fruit at different times of the year, but the same tree produces all these different fruits. 

God was the first to do this.

When we become born again, he grafts his spiritual tree to our flesh tree. And then sets to  fertalizing us, pruning (correcting) us, shoring us up (providing support), getting rid of pests that will eat us up or eat our fruits up, etc so that we will produce the fruit of righteousness in our lives. Then, we will show forth love, joy, peace, longsuffering, faith, gentleness, goodness, meekness, and temperance. 

 One fruit.

Nine characteristics in the life of the believer. 

The name of that fruit?

Righteousness.

So, truthfully, rather than us stressing out over trying to be more loving, joyful, etc. What we should be doing is trying to grow in walking in the spirit. Then, we become more righteous and he can produce these godly characteristics in our lives.

That's the fruit he wants to find when he looks. 

Matthew 7:15-20

King James Version

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

John 13:35

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.