圣灵的果子
加拉太书五章19至25节
19情欲的事都是显而易见的，就如奸淫、污秽、邪荡、
20拜偶像、邪术、仇恨、争竞、忌恨、恼怒、结党、纷争、异端、
21嫉妒（注：有古卷在此有“凶杀”二字）、醉酒、荒宴等类。我从前告诉你们，现在又告诉你们，行这样事的人必不能承受神的国。
22圣灵所结的果子，就是仁爱、喜乐、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信实、
23温柔、节制。这样的事，没有律法禁止。
24凡属基督耶稣的人，是已经把肉体连肉体的邪情私欲同钉在十字架上了。
25我们若是靠圣灵得生，就当靠圣灵行事。
信息分享
基督与圣灵一同住在我们心中，这已是不争的事实。不过，让我们从这个角度来想想：你和家人搬进一所旧房子，你已经住进去，它是属于你的。可是，由于它残旧且古老，你要花一番努力来修理和装饰它，直到它完全符合你的心意。
同样地，基督已经住在你的心中，但圣灵要整理你的生命，让它更像基督。你是否容让圣灵在你心里工作，答案就在于你如何回答下面的问题：「你的生命、行为、工作和反应中，能有多少反映出基督的形像呢？」
今天的经文只是同一个道理的另一种说法。圣灵的果子，就是在我们身上可以见到的基督的品格。当一棵树长大成熟，就自然会结出果子。有些树要用较长时间才能结出果子；有的则很快。
我们的生命也是一样。能否结出果子，在乎我们是否容让圣灵在我们里面工作。神的心意，是要我们各人的属灵生命都长大成熟。每个基督徒都应该经历成长。我们比去年成长了多少呢？
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Galatians 5: 19-25
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders,[d] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Message
Christ of course already lives in our hearts together with the Holy Spirit. But think of it this way - if you and your family moved into an old house which needed a lot of repairs and up-dating, the place would belong to you and you would live in it. But to make it like you wanted would require a lot of hard work. Room by room you would work on it until it began to look like what you wanted it to be.
In the same way, Christ is in your heart, but the Holy Spirit wants to make the home of your life look like Christ’s. The true evidence of the Holy Spirit being allowed to work in you is found in the answer to this question, “How much of Jesus Christ can be seen in your life, your behaviour, your actions, and your reactions?”
Another way of saying this is in the words of our reading today. The fruit of the Spirit is really the character of Christ being seen in us. Fruit is produced naturally by a tree or a vine showing that the tree has reached maturity. On some trees fruit takes a long time to form. On others it appears more quickly.
That can be true also in our lives. It depends on our allowing the Holy Spirit to do the work He came to do. God’s plan for us all is spiritual maturity. Growth is part of Christian experience. How much have we grown this year?