Fruit of the Spirit

By: K. B. Napier

What is meant by 'fruit of the Spirit'?  How does this fruit show itself?  Can fruit ever be harmful or bad?  This Article is written with charismaticism in mind, for charismatic ideology claims to be harvesting much 'fruit of the Spirit'. The words being used are found in scripture. But, everything leading up to, and from, the supposed gaining of the fruit, is highly suspect. We will show that there can be bad fruit - but that many today are deluded into believing the fruit is good. To eat bad fruit is to become ill and possibly to die. Those who have fallen to the tangential theology of charismaticism are therefore challenged to read this Article, for it contains the warnings of God - not extra-Biblical (false) 'prophecy', but the Truth as found in scripture. If the warning applies to you, then please heed it, for the consequences can otherwise be horrendous.

A growing number of people claim to have been affected by the Holy Spirit in meetings devoted to the 'Toronto Blessing', and say that the 'proof' is in the 'fruit of the Spirit' in their lives. Some claim to have the 'fruit' of, say, 'joy'. Some, the 'fruit' of 'peace', etc. Yet, I doubt if any of these good folk know what the Bible means by 'fruit'. Indeed, few understand what 'salvation' really means.  This Article sets out to explain what scripture says about 'fruit of the Spirit'. Readers must then challenge themselves, by comparing what they claim with what scripture really says.

ONLY TIME WILL TELL?

Leaders of the Toronto Blessing, whilst admitting that there may be some 'irregularities' in their meetings, throw out a convenient disclaimer. They say that "Only time will tell" whether or not the Blessing and the subsequent 'fruit' are both genuine. To those leaders  - and especially to those who are pastors - I would say that this is simply not good enough. The shepherd does not allow danger to persist and to flourish whilst the flock are being touched by that danger!  Nor does the shepherd allow the flock to enter into possible danger. No - he removes either the danger or the flock. To allow danger, or just the possibility of danger, to affect the flock, is tantamount to gross negligence.

Also, during the passage of time when the Truth will supposedly show itself, many sheep can be damaged or lost - all because 'leaders' or pastors are too afraid to make bold decisions! Sitting on the fence is not a luxury a pastor is entitled to have. He must make decisions, based on scripture. In a sense he must have the courage to be wrong...but he does not have a mandate to be spiritually idle whilst the flock are in potential, or actual, danger.

Missing the Time!

Let us be frank about it - leaders who wait for time to tell, have already missed that time!  The time to tell was at the very start of the wicked Toronto Blessing movement!  The signs were so blatant and obvious that even a child could conclude there was something seriously wrong. The reasons why the signs were not, and are still not, properly perceived, are varied, but include the following:

1.Those who were first affected - charismatics - were already susceptible to deception.  That is, they were already teaching people to expect phenomena; they preached an Arminian gospel; they used Arminian (humanistic) means to keep people interested.  Psychologically, they were ready to accept whatever claimed to be 'of God', without question.

2.No-one, absolutely no-one, bothered to properly test the spirits, to see if what was happening was of God.  Thus, they were wide open to further deception.

3.Using wrong supposition and error as a springboard, they took their complex soup of false spiritual phenomena to other denominations and churches, who also did not test the spirits.  Their pastors, afraid to make holy decisions, refused to come to the obvious conclusion that the movement was false and was not of God.  In this way they fell into the same trap set by Satan.  The longer the phenomena are allowed free passage, the greater the numbers of those who will fall. These folk are like soldiers who willingly walk into their enemy's camp!

4.Non-charismatics who have been deceived by this movement displayed their spiritual immaturity by attending such meetings, maybe only once.  The mere fact that they attended one meeting was sufficient to show Satan that they were unsure about their faith and lacked proper understanding of God and His work.  They wanted something that was not found in their own lives, but could not understand that God is already within their own selves, if they are saved!  Going to other, fallible human beings to receive from their fallible hands, fallible 'gifts' and 'fruit' is so naive as to be sad.  Christ's sheep follow only the Lord - but gullible, immature sheep, and sheep of another fold, will follow other human beings, 'leaders'.  That is, the blind leading the blind.

Do Not Sit on the Fence

Pastors who are still sitting on the fence must now come off that fence and be bold in the Lord.  Call the movement what it is - Satanic deception.  Take the flock you are responsible for away from the dangers and repent! This applies to charismatics, too.  The call is not from myself, for I am human too - it is from God's word, which you already have. Repent of your involvement; renounce what you have already done; denounce it as a work of evil; start the process of gaining proper and true doctrine and seek understanding; re-teach the flock entrusted to you the Truth you will rediscover by God's Grace. You have NO OTHER OPTIONS.

It is highly likely that many who are caught up in this movement are unsaved.  The same goes for some of their pastors. This has to be the case, given the fact that charismatic theology is basically Arminian.  I do not care if they have 'fruit' oozing from every pore of their bodies - they cannot be 'fruit of the Spirit', for the fruit is only available to Believers, those who have been saved by Grace alone.

We will now examine what scripture really says about 'fruit of the Spirit'.  Readers are advised to check against scripture, using an Authorised Version (the 1611 AV) Bible only, for other versions contain many errors. Do so in a spirit of humility and the Lord will show you the errors inherent within the current movement.  To begin this investigation, let us see what is said about fountains and fig trees:

"Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet (water) and bitter?  Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so (can) no fountain both yield salt water and fresh."

James 3:10-12

The text continues to show that whatever is in the heart (the 'root') will bear 'fruit' according to its depravity or its holiness. The mouth can speak both good and evil.  A fountain can pour out only good or bad water. The mouth can speak either good or bad at any one time. The fountain can pour out only good water or bad water at any one time. The fig tree can only grow figs and the vine, grapes.  Thus, the fruit will be conducive to its root.

These are important facts to remember. Yes, there are 'fruit' in charismatic meetings and as a consequence of the Toronto Blessing.  I do not dispute that.  What I dispute is that the fruit are of God!  This passage in James indicates that there are two kinds of fruit - good and bad.  Often, only the taste will show the difference, because the appearance is the same.  But the fruit must be either good or bad - good and bad cannot grow side by side on the same tree.

DEFILED FRUIT

The reason that this teaching is important is that charismatics point triumphantly to the existence of 'fruit'. They claim that the mere existence of 'fruit' must surely 'prove' that the Toronto Blessing is of God (and if the fruit in this instance is of God, then they can claim the same status for other charismatic phenomena).  But it does not.  The text is very clear.  It says that a tree can bear either good or bad fruit. Therefore, the primary assumption of charismatics for the goodness of the fruit is in error and must be questioned.  The fruit they speak of is bad fruit, but they accept the fruit to be 'good', without question, because they desperately want it to be so.  This is pointed out in Proverbs 1:31:

"Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own desires."

There are fruit we can create out of our own base desires.  I do not doubt the sincerity of charismatics who urgently want to receive blessings from God.  But sincerity is not enough.  An unsaved man can be very sincere in his desire to be good, but God says that everything he does is like filthy rags, fit only for the dung heap!  A saved man can be equally sincere, but his desires may not be of the Holy Spirit, even when he thinks they are.  That makes his sincerity as acceptable to God as the filthy rags of his unsaved neighbour.  They are the product of human desires and not of God, even though the 'fruit' may appear to be good on the outside. 

When men imbibe the fruit, they receive no goodness, but are filled with what is bad.  Now, if such men think they are eating good fruit, they will ensure that they eat the same fruit in the future, thus compounding their error many times over.  To thank God for these bad fruit is blasphemous, even if the one thanking God is saved and is sincere.  The result of what he is doing is spiritual illness and yet to continue in the same illness, not seeking healing.

When poison is thought to be good and when the poisoned one teaches others to eat the same things - that, friends, is delusion.

The fruit, then, is bad.  It is bad because the person poisoned has sown the wrong spiritual seed, based on a perverted theology. We are warned against doing this in Deuteronomy 22:9:

"Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: Lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled."

TRUE FRUIT IS LIKE GOLD

Wrong theology leads to wrong conclusions and wrong desires.  These lead to fruit of a kind, but not fruit of the Holy Spirit.  The fruit borne of divers seed (i.e. seed not given by God), is totally different from the fruit of the Lord, which is described well in Proverbs 8:19-21:

"My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgement: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures."

Note the promise?  He will give 'substance' to those who love Him.  Conversely, the implication is that those who do not love Him will receive nothing.  Charismatics will, of course, claim to 'love' God.  But bear this in mind...loving God involves doing what He says, in the way that He commands it.  This is taught in scripture (see later section).  Thus, if we do not do what He says, in the way that He commands it then we cannot, by definition, display love for the Lord.  This means that the 'fruit' of the charismatic 'blessings' is bad fruit of no value; the result of a lack of love for God, NOT a sign of love for Him.  Being based entirely on what scripture tells us and therefore true, we must acknowledge the verity of Proverbs 10:16, which warns:

"The labour of the righteous (tendeth) to life; the fruit of the wicked to sin."

STAY ON THE OLD PATHS

For all their labours in the 'renewal' movement (out of which sprang the Toronto Blessing and its multi-layered deceits), charismatic leaders produce wicked fruit. This is because they themselves are 'wicked'.  Many of them are no doubt saved - but their labours are wicked because they are not works given by the Holy Spirit.  They cannot be, because they oppose the doctrine of the Lord, as found in scripture (see Article on 'Charismaticism'). Thus, in Jeremiah 6:16-21, we have a dire warning, originally given to the Jews, but which is equally applicable to all charismatics and pro-charismatics who insist that their 'new' ways are better:

"Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.  But they said, We will not walk (therein).

Also I set watchmen over you, (saying), Hearken to the sound of the trumpet.  But they said, We will not hearken.

Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.

Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, (even) the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country?  your burnt offerings (are) not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish."

The day must come when the Lord will fall upon the present charismatic folly in judgement (read the earlier chapters of Isaiah concerning His people who err!).  He will do so because the people have refused to follow the old paths set out by God in His word and so He rejects everything they offer (and attribute) to Him.  Instead, they have believed a 'new thing' that is from another country; they are 'divers seeds', producing an alien spirituality and fruit.  Because of this, God will place a snare, that those who refuse to turn from their errors shall fall: all of them - the originators, those they pulled with them, and those who followed.  Beware, friends, for the day must come, and soon.  Whether that day brings a giving-up by the Lord, or something more direct and visible, remains to be seen - but the day will come, nevertheless.  Watchmen have blown a trumpet, loud and long.  Listen and be spared.  Or, the Lord will devour you:

"...I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour

all things round about it."  (Jeremiah 21:14.  Let Him who has ears, hear)

PASSING BY GOD'S PEOPLE

Remember the summer fruit of Amos 8:1.  It looked good and even Amos was fooled by it.  But God said it was not good, but was something bad, to be sternly judged.  He said:

"...The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more."

Beware, then, Brethren, that the Lord will not reject the fruit you offer back to Him, for they are not His; they are bad fruit and they are as a stench in the nostrils of an Holy God.  Beware that He will not turn upon you, never again to visit you with His imminent presence.  And when at last you stand face to face with the Christ, He will judge your deeds before all. He promises this in Matthew 12:36,37, where He says:

"...every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement.

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

The leaders of the present movement speak idle words - listen to what they say in such meetings and to the ridiculous 'interpretations' they place on what is happening! Yes, if you are saved you will enter heaven, but why bring judgement upon your own heads?  And if you are not saved, but belong to those who were deluded by an Arminian gospel, which led you to 'choose' Christ, then that same Christ will say to you "I never knew you".  All because you rejoiced in a fruit that your own desires deceived you into eating.

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."

Matthew 3:10

The Lord is already considering cutting down the errors we here speak of.  The axe is poised, ready to fall, because the fruit so happily attributed to Him is bad and must be removed.  Not just the fruit, but also the tree that bears it.  Do not be deceived - the Lord does bring judgement upon us, even on this earth.  This is repeated by Jesus Christ Himself, in Matthew 7:15-20.  Note that the warning is to those who were seduced by false prophets.  If your faith is not built upon the rock of Truth then the building of your own choice will not stand.

"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

Luke 6:46 etc

The correlation is absolute - if we call Jesus 'Lord', but we do not do what He says, then we are like men who build a house upon sand - and our faith will be washed away.  Forget charismatic excesses and wrong interpretations.  Instead, follow God's word, as it is written (not as it is thought to be written).

FRUIT DEPENDS ON THE VINE, NOT ON MEN!

Jesus provides us with an excellent description of the way to gain fruit.  In John 15: 1-8 (etc):

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every (branch) that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

...Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

I am the vine, ye (are) the branches.  He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast (them) into the fire, and they are burned."

This text contains a wealth of spiritual teaching!  Jesus Christ - not men - is the true vine.  As the vine, only He can give us spiritual nourishment and fruit. In the Toronto Blessing and in other charismatic 'blessings', it is men who claim to give you your gifts and fruit!  Immediately, that should tell you the truth!  Men cannot give us spiritual blessings - only God can do that.

There is a proviso to receiving anything from God.  Jesus said that in order to receive spiritual blessings we must 'abide in Him' so that He can abide in us.  It is a two-way and dual activity, enacted at the same time.  Those who do what the Lord says automatically have Him living in them! And when we live in, and to, the Lord, He ensures that we, as branches, receive spiritual fruit.  THAT IS HOW WE RECEIVE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. The fruit of the Spirit is not given after we attend special meetings, or when fellow men place their hands upon our heads, or after we roll about the floor like idiots, or after laughing like witches, or growling like dogs!

Brethren - surely you can see the Truth unfolding in this Article?  If you are in Him, you will see it, for what is being said is not of the writer, but is taken directly from God's word, without embellishment.  Take heed and listen. Then act to get right with God, so that you receive the real fruit that leads to life.

Note, too, that the Lord is saying something about branches that bear no fruit (which is the same as bearing bad fruit).  They appear to be of Him, but they bear no fruit.  The appearance of the branch alters after a while, because lack of a good root causes it to wither. It is not long before that branch is cut off and put to the flames to be devoured.

Those who are Believers, but who refuse to take sustenance from the true vine, will wither.  If they continue in their rebellion, they will die and be cut off - judgement in their lifetime. What this shows us, is that a Christian can have the appearance of following the Lord, but only for a season, after which his real position is judged by God and He removes the withered branch.  This is because the branch only appears to be on the true vine and can grow side by side with the true branches, as is evidenced by the words "abide not in me...cast forth AS a branch".

The text illuminates yet another point.  A Christian who has been saved, but whose entire life has been lived to self (often this is not realised for many years, but the person knows little reality in his heart - hence the hunger felt by many, causing them to be drawn by false prophets into the Blessing movement, who offer them gifts, fruit and the Presence of the Living God), will NOT grow true fruit.  That is what the text tells us. To grow true spiritual fruit, we must 'abide in Him'. Those who have not previously lived in Him, or done what He says, attend a Blessing meeting and suddenly claim to have the 'fruit of the Spirit'.  But, as we see in scripture, it DOES NOT HAPPEN THAT WAY!  Fruit is what we receive when we abide - that is, when we live in, and to, the Lord.  It is not a sudden or unqualified endowment, made after doing silly things in a meeting.

Listen to sense, my friends.  Your brethren, who have lived the life of a real branch, know that these things are true.  They know that the fruit come after much hardship and trials.  Fruit is not given to those whose lives have been empty, as a kind of 'reward' for attending a 'Blessing' meeting!  Common sense should tell us that fruit does not grow instantly, especially not on a tree that has had no sustenance from its root for years.  Spiritual fruit come ONLY from a branch of the true vine, which has relied totally on that vine and has done its bidding.  Listen and take heed, brethren.

What we have above precludes anyone other than a saved person from bearing true spiritual fruit.  Thus, all who are not saved - real Roman Catholics included - CANNOT bear fruit of the Spirit.  Yet, charismatics claim that they can and do!  With the above text before us, we can thus say the charismatic claim is in error.  We can also say that their error on that point means that they are in error concerning the nature of spiritual fruit and how we obtain them.

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."

Romans 6:22

As Believers, we are 'free from sin'.  This does not mean we are sinless, or that we cannot sin.  It means that we are free from our previous bondage to sin and to Satan.  We no longer have to serve Satan, but now serve God.  The difference is that before salvation we had no choice whatever - we had to sin, because that was our nature.  Now, after salvation, all that changes and we can choose whether or not to sin.  That is because our Master is now the Lord.  Thus we may have "fruit unto holiness."  But what does that really mean?

If we look at the latter part of the verse, we see that the result of having 'fruit unto holiness' is eternal life.  Thus, the meaning of 'fruit' here must be to 'reap an harvest into eternal life'.  That is, we are saved!  The Greek, karpos, carries such a meaning, but also bears several other meanings. The base meaning of karpos is, the effect or result.  Indeed, this is the meaning used in many other texts.  It also refers to any work, act, or deed of a Christian character; those things that are to advantage, profit or usefulness; it can also mean praises given to God as a thank-offering.

This meaning of 'salvation' is also seen in Romans 7:4 and 5, where we are told that once saved, we are to bring fruit unto God.  That is, we must act in such a way as to exemplify our new Christian character and must bring praises to God. In verse 5 we are told that otherwise the opposite is fulfilled - we bring fruit unto death, or deeds and beliefs that lead to spiritual death.  The fact that we are told "serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter" (verse 6) means that as Believers we are able to act according to the 'old man' within us.  This is what is happening in the Toronto Blessing and the result is 'fruit unto death'. This is seen in the word used for 'fruit' in this text - karpophoreo, meaning to bear fruit or to do deeds of one's self. Remember - we 'have' all this!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance..."

Galatians 5:22,23

The famed passage!  The word karpos is used in this text for 'fruit'.  It has a very simple meaning here - the effect of being saved.  That is, when we are saved and we truly follow the Lord, He will lead us into all Truth and will fill us with love, joy, peace, etc.  Thus, this text is completely in accord with the demand of Christ - that if we belong to Him, we will do exactly as He commands (John 15:1-8).  Being branches of Him (the vine) we will 'naturally' bear fruit if we live in and to Him.  But there we have the conditional nature of bearing fruit - we must live according to His commands.

Again, it must be pointed out that leaders of the Toronto Blessing in particular, and charismatic life in general, insist that people (including unbelievers) have 'received' the 'fruit of the Spirit' instantly.  As many who receive this 'Blessing' and the 'fruit' have had no previous record of following Christ in any depth or in any true sense, their claims must be fraudulent - not necessarily intentionally.  The people who 'receive the fruit' cannot have done so, according to scripture and to the conditions placed upon being fruitful by Christ Himself.  Only those who abide in Him will bear fruit.

What are these fruit mentioned in this text?  We will give definitions, one by one.  But first, we should understand that the 'fruit of the Spirit' has a far wider application than that of this text.  In broad terms, the 'f'ruit of the Spirit' can be anything that is the good result of being saved and of living fully for the Lord.  Thus, the fruit given to us in Galatians 5:22-23, is merely a sample of what is possible.

We should also understand that in a fuller and stricter sense, 'fruit' is not in the plural, but is a singular 'fruit' with many facets.  This is because the life given up totally to the Lord will automatically begin to grow in resemblance to Christ, in all of His glorious character. Thus, what we see listed in Galatians (and elsewhere) as 'fruit', is meant to be viewed as being descriptive of all those things we should exhibit as true Believers who have died to self.  To suggest that a true Believer may only have this or that fruit is a contradiction in terms for, in reality, every Christian who is 'running the race' will exhibit ALL aspects of the fruit possible.  This will be with varying degrees of success per facet, as we strive to perfect all our character and as the Lord shines light on what we need to examine within ourselves.

The facets of the 'fruit' in this text are:

Love - agape.

Readers may be aware of the fact that there are a number of kinds of 'love' mentioned in scripture.  As in all other texts, then, we must not confuse one for the other, for each will have its own connotations and implications. In this text, the 'love' is that love we should have for our fellow Believers.  Thus, it is NOT a love we may have for, say, unbelievers or their souls. It serves to remind us of our duty of care toward the Brethren - something I rarely ever see in any real fashion amongst the churches.  This 'love' is not the emotional kind, such as is found between, say, a husband and wife, and it is different from, say, the love a mother has for her child. Thus, the almost sickeningly 'gushy' emotion called 'love' by charismatics, and which they say is 'unconditional' is certainly NOT agape.  Indeed, it is not a real love at all, but a conditioned response based on charismatic theory.

Joy - chara.

This is the gladness and joy of being the Lord's.  The root of chara - chairo - shows us that this is an abundance or overflowing of joy. Again, I rarely see this in Believers, many of whom, rather, display a distinct lack of joy and true happiness!  We are not referring to what I call the 'glazed-eye' appearance that is typical amongst charismatic folk, when they over-enthuse about the Lord with their words, but their eyes glazed-over.  It is as though their words are those of an automaton, who is programmed to give a particular speech when the right button is pressed.  No - that is NOT 'joy'!  It is humanly produced and is false. This is apparent if the Believer (?) is taken away from his or her environment and does not have the support of the group. That is when all pretence falls away and a depression sets in.  Godly joy is experienced by those who walk with God.  Often, they are persecuted and scorned and suffer greatly - but their state is that of real joy - a joy many charismatics do not know, for they confuse feeling good with 'joy'.  What they have is something very superficial and transient.

Peace - eirene.

Something else I rarely see.  Indeed, I never see it in most cases.  It means a harmony between Believers - one that arises out of agape and a love for the Lord.  It transcends personal wishes and ambitions and wishes only the best for each other.  This leads to security and a feeling of safety, because it is based on trust in the Lord. Trust in the Lord is always rooted in Truth, so again Charismatics do not have the 'real thing'.

Peace can also refer to the 'Messiah's peace' or the way that leads to salvation.  If anything, I mostly observe a distinct insecurity amongst Believers, which is the result of many things, including bad teaching, disharmony and mistrust of each other, a lack of care for our fellows, etc.  It is due mainly to a lack of basic doctrine and of understanding of scripture and of God.  There cannot be true peace if there is no Biblical understanding.  In charismatic circles, there cannot be any real sense of peace, for leaders demand allegiance to themselves as well as to the Lord.  They therefore produce insecurity amongst the Brethren and a false understanding of scripture, leading to lack of Biblical confidence and lack of peace.

Peace can also refer to the assurance of salvation, with resultant lack of fear from God and contentment with one's earthly lot.  I see little assurance of salvation.  Rather, I see many who are very unsure.  This is to be expected, especially from those who have come under Arminian preaching.  Indeed, I go so far as to claim that in many charismatics, their distinct lack of assurance is due to the simple fact that they are not saved anyway.  Anyone who has been led to believe that he may choose God and salvation, may easily not be saved, because he has been misled.  Thus his lack of assurance is based on truth and on fact and he cannot have peace until he has been truly saved by Grace.

Longsuffering - makrothumia.

Patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance.  More qualities I rarely ever see!  The endurance we have here is not ordinary endurance, but is connected with suffering.  That is, enduring in Christ no matter what the circumstances.  Perhaps the picture of Believers spending years in total isolation in Siberia, being beaten and starved, comes close to what is meant by endurance.  I heard one lady claim to have the 'fruit of endurance' because she did not object when she fell ('slain in the spirit'!) over in a 'Blessing' meeting and another lady fell on top of her, crushing her spectacles!  What nonsense, almost bordering on blasphemy!  I know of very few Believers who have suffered persecution of any kind, or whose faith remains intact throughout continued oppression or other problem.  I refer to situations that are continuous and wearing - not mere day-to-day normal problems!  The 'perseverance' spoken of here may be applied to those who suffered in the arena of Rome and were then mauled to death by lions.  A person ought not to claim longsuffering, when he or she knows nothing of true suffering!

Gentleness - chrestotes.

Moral goodness, integrity, kindness; as in all cases, the actual meaning depends on the context.  In this text, it probably is 'kindness'.  But it is more than the usual kindness, which can be seen in peoples of any religion or none.  It is a kindness generated by a love for the Lord, which will spill over as love for the Brethren.  Remember that this is the whole and only sphere of application for agape - the Brethren, not people at large. Chrestotes is that kindness, goodness or integrity that should (but is hardly ever witnessed) permeate our lives to such an extent that it can be called a feature of a person's character.  Integrity, of course, should be a constant, for all Believers must have integrity.  Alas, few do.  Our integrity appears to fluctuate between current likes and dislikes, rather than remain focused on God's love and will.  The 'gentleness' in this text has its root in chrestos, meaning 'fit for use', virtuous, benevolent. These meanings support the idea of gentleness being a part of the character.  Note that this gentleness (like the concept of 'love') is not like a limp, wet rag!  It is not the gentleness of sentimentality, for integrity demands toughness and even harshness at times.  There is a definite kindness in being tough when needed, for only a true friend will speak hard words in order to teach, rebuke or encourage.  Simply, any other 'gentleness' is not 'fit for use' in the kingdom of God!

Goodness - agathosune.

This is uprightness of heart and life - a lofty and seemingly unattainable position.  But it is not, for the Lord says we should display it in our lives.  With such uprightness, which shuns evil and the ways of men, comes goodness and kindness.  It is not that uprightness of heart and life are unattainable - it is just that most folk prefer to remain at a lower level, in order to enjoy their favoured sins and vices.   This is not such a blunt statement, for we all know our own hearts to be sinful and exceedingly wicked at times.  We do not like to admit these things - which is probably why God says it for us!

Faith - pistis.

O' how often we hear this little word being thrown about with abandon.  And how often it is used completely out of context and with scant regard for what it really means!  "Have faith" we are urged by pastors and preachers who try to say it with sincerity and earnestness.  But how many actually know what 'faith' is?  Very few.  If they do know the meaning, then they must be hiding it from us all, or they do not know how it is applied to life.  No, this is not cynical, but a statement made from observation.  If we really possessed, understood and applied 'faith', the impact on the world would be enormous!  Perhaps the epitome of lack of faith is the Anglican denomination, with its excuse for sin called 'broadness of belief'.  But most denominations make a public show of their lack of faith.  How?  By changing with the wind and accepting all and any views as 'equal' to scripture.

So, what is 'faith'? Faith is the utter conviction or belief one has with regard to his or her relationship to God and to all things divine.  The very fact that so many folk are flocking to Toronto Blessing meetings is positive proof that they do not have true faith.  If they knew what scripture said and had understanding, they would call the 'Blessing' a fraud and stay away from any contact with it.

Faith is the holy fervour borne of complete trust in the Lord and His dealings with our lives.  Because we have this complete trust (faith) we remain faithful to God - having a belief and life that can be relied on totally by others.  It is also the utter belief that God is creator, sustainer and ruler of all things.  (In 1994, the Principal of a well-known Bible College told a congregation that "God is not sovereign in all things", implying that He has either lost or given over areas of His creation to Satan. This is a devastating and untrue thing to say, for God is sovereign at all times.  Whilst He has certainly given Satan reign over the earth, it is only for a season and He can stop it at any time He wishes.  If God is not sovereign over all things at all times, then He is not sovereign at any time). Faith is also the total conviction that God bestows salvation through Jesus Christ alone.  Charismatics should note that point - we cannot choose to be saved and cannot choose life eternal.

We are very small-minded in our perception of faith.  It is blatantly obvious that few understand what faith really is.  Again, to those who retort that they have faith and that I am being hard - I challenge them to show me their faith!  Thus far, I see very few folk who have true faith.  True faith will show itself in many ways.  Do you have an unshakeable trust in God, no matter what happens?  Can you face a scientist publicly and denounce his belief in evolution, even though you know he will probably attack you with scientific jargon?  Will you publicly call other religions 'cults' and godless and worthless?  Will you likewise denounce Roman Catholicism as an heresy?  Will you stand firm in all situations in life?  If not, then you do not have Biblical faith.  But here is another intriguing fact  - if you do have faith, it is a gift of God; you cannot build it yourself!  Does this mean that if you have little faith, then it is God's fault?  No, it means that as we take each step of trust in the way God leads us, He will give us a double measure of trust with each step.  Then, as we continue, He will match our steps with more faith, and so on.  But each time, the faith we have is a gift.

Faith, pistis, is rooted in peitho, meaning to be persuaded in belief or trust and to yield completely to, and comply fully with, God's demands.  We can thus see that 'faith' in this text is not that meagre, mean-minded, smallness we like to call 'faith', that wavers with every little hint of challenge to our weak beliefs!  Peitho tells us that if we have true faith, we will be yielded only to the Lord and this will lead us to comply with all His precepts.  I repeat my challenge  - do you have true faith, in the light of these Biblical meanings? Let no reader think that I alone claim to have faith of this stature! I am as weak and as small-minded as anyone else at times, and that is to my personal shame.  Let us all recognise our failure to trust and to seek help from Almighty God, that our faith may be increased, in spite of our errors.

Meekness - praotes.

Quite often, certain folk are told ('in love', of course) that they ought to be more meek, because they are 'harsh'.  Translated, that really means the person who is not being 'meek' is treading on the toes of those who dislike the truth!  To be 'meek' is not the same as to be a doormat for everyone to walk over.  Nor does it mean that we must give in to the whims and wrong beliefs of others.

'Meekness' is gentleness and mildness.  It is rooted in praos, meaning a disposition of spirit toward God.  Thus, to call on someone to be meek toward yourself is to misinterpret the word and to betray a covert belief that you are somehow superior and must be obeyed!  That is, the other person who is 'not meek' must change his or her position, but you must remain the same. In my own case, I do not call on folk to change because of what I say but, rather, because of what the Lord says in His word.  Ultimately, all our actions should be God-ward.

What is this 'meekness'?  It is acceptance of everything God does to, for, and with, us as Believers.  As such, He is not to be resisted or argued with, for all He ever does for us is for our good.  It is to lose self and to do His bidding (because we have utter faith or trust).  Can you see how all the aspects spoken of above are but facets of the same fruit?  They are interlinked and woven together as one.

Temperance - egkrateia.

This is self control...a virtue displayed by one who has mastery over his own desires and passions, especially those of a sensual nature.  Rooted in egkrates, this means to have a strong and robust Christian walk, that will openly show a power and control over everything in one's life.  It will include continence and temperance that is public and marked, as the root of egkrates - kratos - indicates; kratos means to have great power and dominion over something.  Once more, we should emphasise that this power and mastery cannot be generated by the self.  Yes, there are men who are able to have a mastery of a kind, but this is not the same as the power given by God, which is supernatural.  This 'power' is the very same as is found in the working of miracles - that is, it can come only from God, and thus will be evidenced in the character, not just in whimsical moments. This is what is taught in verse 25 of the above chapter: "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit".  There is no mystique, then.  It is a straightforward precept, that if we walk in the Spirit (an ongoing process, not an instant 'gift'), then we will display various spiritual signs or 'fruit' in our lives and beliefs.

We can see from the above that the 'fruit of the Spirit' is the result of being in the Spirit.  'Fruit' is another way of saying that we can expect to see certain traits and genuine actions that portray our submission to God and disregard for self.  Thus, the 'fruit of the Spirit' means, those effects of being submitted to God.  As the term implies, they are effects that grow.  They cannot be obtained by direct and immediate implant, without reason and without submission over time.  It means that those who claim the 'fruit' after receiving a 'blessing', do not have the fruit of the Spirit!  They may have fruit of a kind, or fruit of a spirit - but it is not fruit of THE Spirit, the Spirit of God.  Thus, their 'fruit' is bad or imagined.

MORE ASPECTS OF FRUIT

There are many more 'fruit' (or, more correctly, more aspects of the same fruit) than are listed in Galatians 5.  Any results of walking with God can be called 'fruit of the Spirit'.  For example:

Ephesians 5:9

"(For the fruit of the Spirit {is} in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)"

Here we have more aspects of 'fruit'.  Note that one aspect - truth - is given as the opposite of works of darkness (verse 11), which are 'unfruitful' and to be reproved.  Indeed, it is even shameful to discuss them!  Followers of the Toronto Blessing must take heed of this passage.  Do not tell me that we must look past the vile and sinful manifestations that are present in the 'Blessing'!  It is a shame for Believers to even talk about them, let alone allow them freedom to proliferate.  They are unfruitful and useless and emanate from a root other than that of Christ.

Scripture tells us that the root produces uniform fruit, that are consistent with their kind.  We are told that a fountain of water is either good or bad - it cannot be both.  Therefore, to suggest that the manifestations of the Toronto Blessing should be ignored whilst we may readily accept the 'fruit' is absurd and unbiblical!  We cannot ignore one part and accept another part, when both come from the same root.  Come friends - we have discussed scriptural evidence together.  The facts are there to see (and to obey).  The phenomena of the 'Blessing' and their worthless 'fruit' have now been made "manifest by the light" (verse 13) and can no longer masquerade as God's work:

"Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.  See then , that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

Ephesians 5:14-15

Do not be fooled by the Toronto Blessing.  It is a curse and a judgement, not a blessing.  It is causing many to sleep under cover of the darkness of evil days.  Rather than employ the things of Satan and of your own imaginings, you should be:

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God.... Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God..."

Ephesians 5:19-21

What you are doing in 'Blessing' meetings (where there is no fear of God) is not what this text speaks of!  The above is pure and undefiled.  No barking and shaking; no silly movements and laughing.  Just unadulterated love for the Lord, flowing in true response to His dealings.

Hebrews 12:11

Here we have the "peaceable fruit of righteousness", combining several aspects of the same fruit, which were previously listed separately. The 'fruit' in this text is again karpos. We are told that this fruit is the result of being chastened.  So, in a very real sense, those who will shun the false 'Blessing' and turn back to the Lord because they now see their error, will indeed be chastened and will receive the true fruit, the 'peaceable fruit of righteousness'.  (This is repeated in slightly different format in James 3:18, which says "And this fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.").

The word 'peaceable' is eirenikos (rooted in 'peace' or eirene - see section above), meaning loving peace (harmony, security, etc).  'Fruit' is karpos (see above section). 

Righteousness - dikaiosune - means the state one ought to be in; that is, a state acceptable to God.  Such a state includes integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, and correct thinking, feelings and actions.  It is rooted in dikaios, meaning upright, righteous, keeping God's commands, innocent, wholly conformed to God's will.  Perhaps readers can see why I say the various lists of 'fruit' are merely aspects of one, single fruit.  Here we see them all combined.

Jude, verse 12, 13.

There are people who will lead Christians astray.  Some of them will be false prophets (who can be either saved or unsaved) who have entered into error and take others with them.  We are told that:

"These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you; feeding themselves without fear: clouds (they) are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."

The judgement in verse 13 is for the unsaved.  However, those who are saved and lead others into error are also judged, but not to hell.  As God can, and does, judge men on this earth, let leaders of the false 'Blessing' beware, lest their own lives and works be in jeopardy. In this text the word for 'fruit' is phthinoporinos.  The word itself conveys judgement, for it means 'whose fruit withereth'.  It refers to trees at the end of Autumn and their useful fruit-bearing time - leafless and fruitless.  Figuratively, it is used of men who are unfruitful and worthless (by reason of their falsity).  Those who lead others astray are thus worthless, because what they offer is without fruit. 

Phthinoporinos is derived from phthino, meaning 'to wane' and it is similar to phtheiro, meaning to corrupt or to destroy; to lead a church away from true knowledge and holiness; to perish; to deprave.  Phtheiro is probably a strengthened form of phthio, meaning to pine or to waste.  The implications are very clear.  There is a fruit that withers away, because it is corrupt, and those who teach others to accept such fruit are themselves worthless and will be judged, except they repent.  We must separate from such men if we are to escape the same judgement.

CONCLUSIONS

The conclusions are in the above argument.  There are two kinds of fruit - good and bad.  The good will reflect, and be the effect of, living according to God's will. The bad is worthless and corrupt, leading to judgement and to a loss of Christian Truth.  We are called by God to discard bad fruit, or we will be cut off as dead branches.  Good fruit is obtained ONLY through being joined with Christ, the true vine and root.  That is, we must live in Him and not to ourselves.

Such fruit is grown and is not simply given without reason to those who previously have lived to themselves or with scant regard for God's Truth.  Indeed, the fruit only grow if we live righteously and in His will.  Instant 'fruit' are akin to wax replicas, stuck onto branches and not grown.  They have no practical use and have no true taste or power.  Furthermore, fruit of the Spirit DO NOT precede living righteously in the Lord.

Those who claim to have received 'fruit of the Spirit' by simply attending a 'Blessing' meeting, should take warning from what scripture says.  Leaders who advocate the 'Blessing' and tolerate - or, worse, encourage - the manifestations and fruit of the 'Blessing' should also take warning.  If you are 'saved' through Arminianism and remain Arminian in your beliefs, then you are most likely not saved at all and you are in mortal and eternal danger.  If, however, you are saved, but are yourself misled by what is happening around you, then you are urged by the authority of God's word. to give up your temporary loss of Truth and return to the old paths, wherein is Truth and God's favour.  Ignore these warnings at your peril.

The arguments set out in this Article are those of scripture. It happens that I am not involved in the errors of the Toronto Blessing and charismaticism, so I do not bear that particular guilt.  However, warnings to the Brethren are also warnings in general to myself, that I remain faithful to God and to His Truth, in all things.  At other times, the Brethren I here urge to repent, may need to give me the same call, but for other reasons.

So, for now, the call is to those tainted by the bad fruit of the Toronto Blessing, that they may come back from the brink of disaster, before it is too late and God pours earthly judgement upon them.  We can be confident in this one thing, as we have seen from scripture - that the Lord will not tolerate this evil for long; He will come in judgement. Whether that judgement will be evidenced publicly, or in the removal of His Presence, is yet to be seen - but it will happen, and soon.

I do not care what participants claim to 'get out of' the 'Blessing', even if they are supposedly the 'fruit of the Spirit'.  What matters is whether or not everything is scriptural.  If it is not, then the 'benefits' are not genuine and will serve only as vehicles of further deception.  Believers are urged to forego these glittering baubles of Satan and to seek what is real, unlike Simon the magician who only wanted the power, but not the salvation that ought to precede it.  Let us all look for what is true and honest and of good report, that Satan may not find us lacking and ready to receive what is false.

Bible Theology Ministries

© November 1994

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