The Fruit Of The Spirit Versus The Forbidden Fruit Of Genesis 2 and Galatians 5

Fruit Of The Spirit.
Galatians 5 lists the nine fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is not the forbidden fruit mentioned by God in Genesis 2. The fruit of the Spirit is the spiritual food God wants His children to eat on a continuing basis. This is the Christian's essential spiritual food supply.

Forbidden Fruit Of The World.
Though not listed by God in Genesis 2, Galatians 5 does list 15 forbidden fruit that God wants His people  to forgo--immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery (Greek word means drug use and drug poisoning), and so forth. Alas, we often partake of this fruit, don't we? But God's will is that His followers steer clear of this forbidden fruit (aka, works of the flesh).

Four Degrees Of Fruit Bearing.
It is ironic that God calls upon His people to produce the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. In John 15, Jesus Christ shares that there are four degrees of fruit-bearing: (1) no fruit; (2) some fruit. (3) more fruit; and (4) much fruit. Concerning this fruit of the Spirit, Jesus declared: "By this [fruit-bearing] is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and thus prove to be My disciples" (John 15:11, emphasis added).

How To Produce Much Fruit.
There's only one way to produce spiritual fruit in our lives. Jesus said that we must abide (remain, stay, continue, and grow) in Him. This is also in the 15th chapter of John. Today, read John 15 and Galatians 5 with new hunger and desire to grow in Christ.