what does the bible say?
The Bible teaches us that there are two types of fruit that our lives can bear: fruit that is of the Holy Spirit and fruit that comes from the flesh, or our sinful desires. Since we are naturally sinful, we can easily bear the things that Galatians 5:16-21 lists such as idolatry, jealousy, and fits of anger. We have to rely on God to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which includes attributes like love, peace, patience, and kindness (Galatians 5:22-23). These fruits that come from the Holy Spirit are visible evidence of our relationship with Christ and His work in our lives (Galatians 5:24). Jesus teaches us in John 15:4-5 that the key to bearing this good fruit is to stay close to Him and that apart from Him we will not be able to accomplish our goal. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that, once we have accepted Christ as Lord, we are a new creation. What we used to be, in our sinful nature, is gone, and the new, our connection with the Holy Spirit, has come. This change from the old to the new changes what we bear from the fruit of the sinful world to the fruit of the Holy Spirit. As we actively move away from the sinful desires told to us in Galatians 5: 19-21 and draw closer to God, we will continue to bear the fruit He desires to see in our lives.