There is a maintenance context for personal Christian life. The factors relate to the Fruit of the Holy Spirit referred to by the Apostle Paul to the Galatians, but expanded in various passages, especially relating to additional factors like prayer in dynamic Christian life. The Apostle did not mean for his list to be interpreted as the only factors, as we would not presume to cover all fruits in nature when we have discussed the qualities of apples, oranges and figs. The Fruit here is identified as one, but identified in several mentioned. We may understand it in recognizing there is one bowl of fruit on the table, but in that bowl are many fruits. We are the vessel, cultivating our lives with the benefit of many factors that form the Christian in a personal culture, attitude and practice. It represents the nature of God in design for his children. The Apostle ends the list with a striking statement that the Fruit of the Spirit can’t be overdone – against such there is no law. (Scripture often uses negative statements to affirmative action.)
I am surprised and disappointed that more of the teaching ministry of the church is not directed toward the exposition of the meaning of the Fruit of the Spirit, not only in the factors listed by the Apostle, but others that belong in the individual and corporate lives of Christians. So much of what is found in us is in finding ways to counter a harsh secularized culture so to tolerate many factors. We may lose the accent of Scripture that Christians are to represent a Christian culture that offers an alternative to unfeeling humanism. Secularism does not have a personal God to the formation of individuals. Social society forms itself in an eclectic mixture. The places of both humanism and theism are further complicated in that the fruit in each bowl needs attention to work through the passages of life successfully. The bowls contain fruits of varied quality – some green needing ripening, some bruised in the manner in which they were managed, some so wormy they are omitted. I am reminded of a friend who said that in the apple barrel of his childhood farmhouse, he never remembers eating a good apple from the barrel. Family was instructed by mother to choose the apples showing stages of decay. She would cut out the brown spots, even other deformities and the remainder was eaten, but even the good remainder might be a bit mealy. The crisp apples had to wait until they were fading to be consumed. Much of life is lived like that analogy. Spiritually we can develop lives that have maturity in them, neither green (immature) nor decrepit (deficient) in the lives of Christians.
I found a list in my files put together by someone who must have been studying the fruit of Christian character/conduct. That author included words that in my view constitute the fruit. They are to be taken together to form Christian life and accent the context affirmed here. They include: Alertness (Mark 14:38); Attentiveness (Hebrews 2:1); Availability (Philippians 2:20-21); Boldness (Acts 4:29); Cautiousness (Proverbs 19:2); Compassion (1 John 3:17); Contentment (1 Timothy 6:8); Creativity (Romans 12:2); Decisiveness (James 1:5) Deference (Romans 14:21); Dependability (Psalm 15:4); Determination (2 Timothy 4:7-8); Diligence (Colossians 3:23); Discernment (1Samuel 16:7); Discretion (Proverbs22:3); Endurance (Galatians 6:9); Enthusiasm (1Thessalonians5:16:19); Faith (Hebrews 11:1); Flexibility (Colossians 3:2); Forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32); Generosity (2 Corinthians 9:6); Gentleness (1 Thessalonians 2:7); Gratefulness (1 Corinthians 4:7); Hospitality (Hebrews 13:2); Humility (James 4:6); Initiative (Romans 12:21); Joyfulness (Psalm 16:11); Justice (Micah 6:8); Love (1 Corinthians 13:3); Loyalty (John 15:13); Meekness (Psalm 52:5); Obedience (2 Corinthians 10:5); Orderliness (1Corinthians 14:40); Patience (Romans 5:3-4); Persuasiveness (2 Timothy 2:24); Punctuality (Ecclesiastes 3:1); Resourcefulness (Luke 16:10); Responsibility (Romans 14:12); Reverence (Proverbs 23:17-18); Security (John 6:27); Self-control (Galatians 5:24-25); Sensitivity (Romans 12:15); Sincerity (1 Peter 1:22); Thoroughness (Proverbs 18:15); Thriftiness (Luke 16:11); Tolerance (Philippians 2:2); Truthfulness (Ephesians 4:25); Virtue (2 Peter 1:5); and, Wisdom (Proverbs 19:10). In this compound mixture is found genuine orientation for Christian life culture. (The Graduate program for these Pages will take up the topics, one by one.) Every church should have a periodic program taking each factor noted above – one at a time as a topic for discussion, with pastors interpreting spiritual life context. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020