Phantom Grapes

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  Galatians 5:22-23

Fruit – If you’ve been a Christian for any reasonable time, you’ve heard this verse.  We usually put the emphasis on the personal character qualities listed here.  We strive to be loving, joyful, peaceful and patient.  That’s good, but it might miss the real impact of useable fruitfulness.  Paul’s choice of the Greek word karpon is deliberate because it implies more than a storehouse of virtues.

Some time ago we looked at the word karpon (fruit).  We noted that the vine that produces the fruit is never nourished by its own production.  Fruit is always for the benefit of another.  In other words, the fruit of the Spirit, listed by Paul, is not for your personal well-being.  It is designed to be enjoyed by someone else.

Now this has an immediate and important implication.  My claim to produce the fruit of the Spirit is unwarranted unless other people experience the results.  Don’t tell me that you are loving unless those people around you verify the fact.  Don’t list patience on your spiritual resume unless the people who know you best vouch for the claim.  You get the idea.  The measure of your spiritual production is not how it affects you.  It’s how it affects those around you.  This is what it means to love your neighbor as yourself.   It is the Spirit in useable form, manifest in me.

Oh, by the way, you might reconsider the parable of the two sons.  Remember that story?  Jesus tells us about two sons, one who said he would do what the father asked, but didn’t, and the other who said he would not be obedient, but later did what the father asked.  Which one was the true son?  The one who obeyed in spite of his words otherwise.  So it is with the fruit of the Spirit.  Obedience brings results that show up in the lives of others.  The believer who says she has no self-control, but others see the characteristic in her life, is like the son who said “No,” but did the job anyway. 

There is one other point that we need to comprehend before we look at the list of virtues.  The verb is in the present tense.  This fruit isn’t going to show up some day.  The vine is not dormant in winter.  This fruit is the vine production right now.  It’s what the vine is producing today.  No one can enjoy an expectation vintage.  You either have grapes to make wine or you have nothing at all.  You can’t drink a future bottle of wine.  So, the test of your spiritual production is what’s happening today, not where you hope to be tomorrow. 

Perhaps we all need some further self-examination.  Do those closest to us enjoy the fruit of the Spirit manifested in us?  Would they list these characteristics on our evaluation form?  Unless they see the Spirit through us, any claims for fruit bearing are probably no better than phantom grapes.

Topical Index:  fruit, karpon, virtues, useable, Galatians 5:22, character