“But 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, ESV).

Sanctification—the Holy Spirit’s work of strengthening us to lead holy lives—is never wrong. Before St. Paul provides the list of the fruit of the Spirit, he first includes a list of the fruit of the flesh. These “fleshly fruits” are selfish and seek to serve only the desires and appetites of the self. Such various fruits are destructive of every relationship. These different fruits of the flesh harm our vertical relationship with God, but also our horizontal relationship with one another. These selfish fruits always take a toll on marriages, on relationships between parents and children, and on friendships.

We cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit on our own. Without the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, we would fall right back into our old way of life. But by His grace, the Holy Spirit brings forth fruit in our daily lives—and that fruit is always good. There is no law condemning goodness. Our Lord never forbids kindness. And love is always of God. Daily devotions, Bible class, and the Divine Service are all times in which the Holy Spirit works through the means of grace cultivating our hearts and minds to bring forth such fruit.

The fruit of the Spirit is good for your home and your workplace. By the Spirit’s work, we are enabled to lead holy lives—here in time and there in eternity. May the Holy Spirit continue to be at work in your life and bring forth such fruit, that you may be a blessing to many as you live as God’s baptized and forgiven child!

Prayer – O Holy Spirit, sanctify the minds and the lives of Your holy people that we may please You in all that we say and do. Enable us to resist the temptations of the evil foe and bring forth the fruit of faith in our lives; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Fraternally in Christ,

President Lee Hagan