Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the spirit is love, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.
KJ notes paraphrased:
Paul is writing to the Galatians. He had helped lead them to Christ. When he left some Jewish teachers (called Judaizers) taught them that to be saved one not only must believe in Christ but must also obey Mosaic Law... the sign in which is circumcision. They also attacked Paul's apostleship and gospel. So Paul is writing the Galations to expose the errors of the Judaizer's impure motives (6:12, 13). His ultimate goal is to keep them from embracing a false gospel and to encourage them to retain their spiritual freedom in Christ (5:1). He does not want them to be tied up into the laws and the legalism.
Theme: The central feature of the letter is justification by God's grace through faith.
chapter 16 heading:
Walking in the Spirit (meaning the Holy Spirit that is of God)
It starts with a list of things that if one engages in will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God (go to heaven).
Then 22: Notes:
"In contrast to the works (plural) of the flesh, which any individual is capable of performing, the fruit (singular) of the Holy Spirit can be produced only by God. Christian character thus results from "Christ living in me" (2:20). For this fruit to develop, all nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit must mature.
Illustration: The character of Christ is the fullest manifestation of this fruit in the New Testament. Though Jesus did not recognize the traditions of men. His enemies wer unable to prove any charge against Him.
Application: So today, Christians should allow the Holy Spirit to develop this character within them, so they might be blameless before others and not hinder the testimony of Christ. (First Reference, Ex. 35:31; 36:2; Primary Reference, Gal. 5:22, 23: cf. Phil. 1:6)."
Me:
Because the truth is you don't have to be circumcised to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and what ever else it was that the Jewish teachers were trying to teach the Galations. These are not God's laws... those were man's laws. Because God teaches love, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.
When you hear fruit or fruit of the spirit. Think about a grape vine. A person who tends a vineyard will prune his vines. He will prune off that in which does not bear fruit and that in which is dirty and has soiled and withered leaves which do not help the plant grow... they are hindering growth. So he takes away the bad in order to help the good flourish. And when the vine can flourish it produces good fruit and in abundance. This is much like the way God prunes us.
