Fruit, Which Will You Bear? – Galatians 5:16-26
Paul has been pleading with the Galatians to place their faith in Christ alone—that only He can save them. False teachers had convinced them to add law-keeping to their faith, but Paul warns them starkly: “You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4). The stakes couldn’t be higher. But Paul doesn’t leave them in despair—he shows them God’s alternative: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). Faith working through love—this is the heart of Christian living, and it flows from walking by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16-18 (CSB) “I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Here’s Paul’s promise: walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the flesh’s desires. It’s not a suggestion—it’s a guarantee. The flesh and Spirit are at war within us, pulling in opposite directions. But when the Spirit leads, we’re freed from the law’s condemnation because we’re living by a higher power. Notice Paul doesn’t say “try harder” or “follow more rules.” He says walk by the Spirit—depend on His power, not your own effort.
Galatians 5:19-21 (CSB) “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Paul calls these works “obvious”—they’re unmistakable evidence of flesh-controlled living. Notice the progression: it starts with sexual sins, moves to spiritual rebellion, then to relational destruction, and ends in self-destruction. These aren’t just bad habits—they’re the fruit of a life controlled by the flesh. Paul’s warning is sobering: “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” This isn’t about occasional failure but about a lifestyle, a pattern of living that demonstrates whose control we’re under.
Galatians 5:22-23 (CSB) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.”
What a contrast! Notice Paul doesn’t say “fruits”—it’s singular. The Spirit produces one fruit with nine beautiful expressions. Love toward God and others. Joy that circumstances can’t steal. Peace that guards our hearts. Patience with difficult people. Kindness that seeks others’ good. Goodness that reflects God’s character. Faithfulness that keeps commitments. Gentleness that handles others carefully. Self-control that masters our desires. “The law is not against such things”—no law opposes these qualities because they fulfill what every law aims to accomplish.
Galatians 5:24-25 (CSB) “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”
Here’s the key: those who belong to Christ have already crucified the flesh. It’s a past reality, not a future hope. We’ve died to the flesh’s control through our union with Christ. But Paul adds a crucial challenge: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” It’s one thing to have the Spirit’s life; it’s another to walk in step with Him daily. Are we marching to His rhythm or trying to lead the dance ourselves?
Every day we choose which fruit to bear. The flesh produces its obvious works—destructive, selfish, and damning. The Spirit produces His beautiful fruit—life-giving, others-focused, and eternally valuable. The question isn’t whether we’re capable of producing good fruit—in the flesh, we’re not. The question is whether we’ll surrender control to the Spirit who alone can produce what we could never manufacture. Let’s surrender control to the Spirit and produce fruit only He can bring through us.
