What is Fruit?
The Greek word used for fruit is karpos and it refers to the fruit of vines or trees. In the Old Testament it can refer to one’s children which are born of a family. In the case of bearing fruit for the Christian, it specifically means to be producing something similar to what the attributes of the tree or plant is. For example, a vine can produce grapes and the fruit that is born is of similar nature and quality of the plant from which it comes. The key is that the fruit that it must be bearing is of the same type, quality, and substance of that which it comes from and when the Bible speaks about bearing fruit, there are only two options; it will be fruit of the Spirit or fruit of the flesh.
Fruits of the Flesh
Paul writes about two different kinds of fruits in Galatians chapter 5 and says walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do (Gal 5:16-17). The fruits of the flesh are evident in most of the world, among those who are not saved. The fruits of the flesh include sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these (Gal 5:19-21a). Where do these kinds of fruits lead someone? Paul answers that by writing I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:21b). The rationality of this is if they aren’t inheriting the kingdom, then they are inheriting the wrath of God (Rev -15). Sometimes even a Christian can bear these types of fruit because they are still battling the old desires which is what Paul meant when he wrote For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing (Rom 7:19 ). The difference is that Paul didn’t want to do these things and neither do those who are born again. Those who are of the world have no problem with doing these things (Gal 5: 19-21a) but the Christian knows these are not good and desires to do good.
Fruits of the Spirit
Next, Paul writes about what the fruits of the Spirit are. The Spirit is capitalized, meaning that it’s a proper noun, which is a person and in this case, the Spirit is God the Holy Spirit for we can’t produce godly fruit while we’re in the flesh or without the Spirit’s help. Paul tells us what the fruits of the Spirit are in Galatians chapter 5 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (Gal 5:22-23). These are fruits that are attributes of God like patience, joy, and faithfulness. The fruit will closely resemble the parent plant, in this case the Spirit of God. We cannot see in the human heart to know who is saved and who isn’t but we can see the fruit of a person’s life or the absence thereof, And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Gal 5:24 ). So a believer in Christ has crucified the flesh and that means the fruits flirtwith of the flesh will be less visible but those who are born of the Spirit are crucifying or killing the flesh with its passions and desires. A person who’s not born again cannot produce these fruits and doesn’t care if they’re not.