Whose Fruit is It Really?

But the fruit of the spirit/Spirit is love… – Gal 5:22 

The term “spirit” in scripture is a translation of the Greek word, “pneuma” which, like its Hebrew equivalent ruach,  essentially means “Wind”. And because these words are used to refer to upwards of 10 different terms, it is left to the Bible translator to determine, from context, whether the “pneuma” is referring to a “current of air”, “breath”, “breeze”, “angelic spirit”, “demonic spirit”, the human soul, the human spirit, the Holy Spirit, etc.

This is not hard to tell in most cases; but Gal 5:22 is somewhat of a grey area. Though the context seems to indicate that the “Spirit” there is the Holy Spirit, the fruit list contains things we would normally expect from a human spirit!

Virtually all the English translations I checked (54 in all) say that it’s the Holy Spirit, but two rendered it as human. Which is it, then?

Well, as it turns out, it’s going to be impossible to tell. Because the human spirit we’re talking about is not the dead, un-regenerated human spirit but the new, regenerated one we have in Christ. The spirit that dwells in us is “the Spirit of Christ” (Rom 8:11).

As branches of the True Vine, we’re expected to bear fruit (John 15:5); but the sap and nutrients that the branch uses to bear fruit doesn’t come from the branch, it comes from the Vine.

So we’re not expected to act constipated because we want to bear fruit; we’re supposed to yield ourselves to the workings of the Holy Spirit and the fruits will naturally appear.

For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. – Php 2:13.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN