Galatians 5:22-23: The Fruit of Spirit
After listing these various results of working on the basis of the old nature, he then mentions the results of walking on the basis of the new nature, the newborn human spirit, in verses 22–23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.
He mentions nine things which are usually referred to as the fruit of the Spirit. But again, these are not the fruit of the Holy Spirit, they are the fruit of the newborn human spirit. Of course, the newborn human spirit is newborn because it was regenerated by the Holy Spirit, so the Holy Spirit is ultimately responsible.
However, as far as a direct cause-and-effect relationship, here we are dealing with the newborn human spirit. These nine results are: love, joy, peace, long suffering [patience], kindness [emphasizing an attitude or spirit of kindness] goodness [good deeds], faithfulness, meekness, self-control. These are the nine results of the newborn human spirit, and they counteract the results of the old flesh mentioned in verses 19–21.
The fifth answer is given in verse 24: And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.
The fifth answer as to how we live the spiritual life is to regard the flesh as once-and-for-all dead. Positionally speaking, on the basis of positional truth, we are to view the flesh as being dead. Positionally, the flesh is dead, but experientially there is a struggle between the two capacities, as he has pointed out in verse 17, and as he also points out in Romans 6:6. He details the struggle in Romans 7:15–25. Positionally, the flesh is dead, but experientially, there is a struggle between the two capacities.
Those who are in Yeshua the Messiah have crucified the flesh. Therefore, the believer, unlike the unbeliever, does have the power and the capacity to operate and to walk on the basis of the newborn human spirit. The unbeliever has no choice; only the believer does. Having such a choice, the admonition is: Let us walk on the basis of the newborn human spirit and let us produce the ninefold fruit of this newborn human spirit in our daily living.
Excerpt from Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum:
MBS126 THE BOOK OF GALATIANS: Pg 34-35
